Статья 8: Об утешительных плодах святой веры

As for the external state of a Christian, there is nothing more humble and poorer in this world. Just as we see this in God’s holy word, which presents him as blasphemous, hated, persecuted, embittered and enduring all sorts of sorrows, so we read and notice in church history. Thus it was the good pleasure of the Heavenly Father, our God, that, as His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, through the Cross would provide salvation for us and through the Cross would enter into His glory, as He Himself says: “Is it not necessary for Christ to suffer in this way and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26), - so His faithful servants, Christians, followed the same path of the Cross and received eternal glory, acquired through the suffering and Cross of Christ, according to the Scripture: “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). “And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Faith is subject to many different temptations. But if you delve into the inside of a Christian, consider the inner man and turn your thoughts to the future state after death and the general resurrection, which is comprehended by faith alone and awaited by immovable hope, then there is nothing more blessed than him. “Flesh and blood” both do not understand this (1 Cor. 2:14), and “cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption does not inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50). Therefore, the gracious Heavenly Father, providing for us, provided a variety of consolations against the sorrow of the cross, which His children taste here, and in His Divine Scripture depicted it in various ways, so that with this consolation the sorrow of the cross, like bitter food by tasting honey, would be dissolved, and the faith conceived in the hearts would be warmed and, despite the machinations of Satan, who tries to quench it, unharmed preserved by the grace of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, I also deigned to draw from that holy and living source of the Divine Scriptures, and for the consolation of my brethren, who either lack the time or the mind for this, offer it so that those who keep the faith will preserve it by the grace of God to the end, and those who have lost it, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will find it like a pearl of great price. Chapter 1: About the spiritual Christian birth, or Holy Baptism “And to those who received Him, to those who believed on His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (1 John 5:1). “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal.3:27). It is said about carnal and spiritual birth, and their power and action. Here we only rely on reasoning about the comforting fruits of spiritual birth. And since good is better known by comparing it with evil and its fruits, here too it is necessary to compare the longed-for, comforting and joyful fruits of spiritual birth with the sad fruits of the old and carnal birth, so that you understand more clearly, beloved Christian, from what disaster we are freed by the grace of Christ and the mercy of the Heavenly Father and the action of the Holy Spirit, and what bliss we receive in the new birth, and so from the heart of God, such a Benefactor, thanked. § 485. Christians should know that in carnal birth, which occurs from parents, father and mother, we are born only as sons of men from men, and flesh from flesh, according to the Scripture: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6). But in the spiritual birth we are born again, people of God, and instead of sons of men, we are reborn as sons of God by His grace, as the apostle says: “To those who received Him (Christ), to those who believe on His name He gave power to become children of God, who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). In the carnal birth we put on the old Adam (1 Cor. 15:49), in the spiritual birth we put on the new - Christ, according to Scripture: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). In the carnal birth we are born in sins, as the prophet says: “I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins did my mother give birth to me” (Ps. 50:7), but in the spiritual we are washed, cleansed, sanctified and justified from the filth of sin, and made righteous by the grace of Christ, as the apostle says to the faithful: “Washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord our Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11), and the servant of God says to the newly baptized: “Thou art justified, thou art enlightened, thou art sanctified, thou art washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” In the flesh we are born as children of darkness, in the realm of Satan, but in the spiritual we are born as children of light, and from darkness we are brought into the wonderful light of God, and from the realm of Satan into the kingdom of Christ, the Son of God (1 Pet. 2:9; Acts 26:18; Eph. 5:8). In the carnal we are born “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3), and in the spiritual we are born children of grace, children of the blessing of God (1 Pet. 3:6). In the flesh we are born to temporary life, and in the spiritual to eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12). So, in a carnal birth we are born into every spiritual calamity, misfortune, which is quite impossible to understand with our minds and in language, but in a spiritual birth we are freed from all that evil and come to every spiritual bliss, which neither our mind can comprehend nor a word can quite explain. From this understand, beloved Christian, that there is faith and its fruits, and that there is holy baptism, by which we are born again and begin to live again. Just as in the carnal birth we are born vile, unclean, cursed, condemned, children of wrath, darkness, hell and spiritually dead, so in the spiritual birth we are born pure, holy, righteous, blessed, children of God, children of light, heirs of the kingdom of heaven and spiritually alive, and so we are created a new creation, according to the Scripture: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Cor. 5:17). § 486. Here reason and be amazed at the goodness and love of God for mankind, Christian. Man, His apostate, rejected, defiled by sin, and deviated from His adversary and enemy - Satan, listened to His evil advice, and despised the commands of His Creator, He mercifully and philanthropically elevated to such a height of dignity! We can be surprised, but not understand this goodness of God towards us unworthy, and say with the prophet: “Lord! What is man that You have revealed yourself to him? or the son of man, what do you think about him?” (Ps. 143:3). If the king of the earth had mercy on some villain, a rebel, an enemy of his and the fatherland, imprisoned and sentenced to death according to the laws, had mercy, forgiven sin and freed him from death, moreover, honored him with high honor, and accepted him as his son, then this deed would be wonderful to the whole world and would be heard with amazement in all centuries. Man, who desired divine honor and to be God, became God’s enemy, a rebel and an apostate, and therefore by the judgment of God’s unchangeable truth, he was sentenced to eternal prison and condemned to eternal death. He should have drunk this cup of sorrow and eternal suffering, for the truth of God, saddened by sin, certainly demanded it. For the truth of God demands that even the slightest sin should not be left unpunished, for every sin offends the infinite majesty of God, and even more so such a vile and grave sin of apostasy, which our ancestors committed in paradise, and thus subjected themselves and us to anger and an oath to God. But God, rich in mercy, had mercy on us, delivered us from such a great disaster and brought us to such a high dignity that our mind cannot comprehend, by His grace. This great mercy and grace was earned for us, unworthy and rejected, by the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord, given by the Heavenly Father to believers in the name of His Only Begotten Son, accomplished by the Holy Spirit. We, dear Christian, who have been granted such mercy of God, must: 1) Always remember this great goodness and thank the Benefactor from your sincere heart. 2) To live in this new and spiritual birth, that is, to live not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit; to remember our promises made at holy baptism, by which we committed ourselves to serve God with faith and truth, to show holy obedience to Him, without which there cannot be true thanksgiving and baptism does not provide any benefit. 3) For those who, through fearlessness and negligence, have ruined the gift of holy baptism, turn with all your heart to God, repent and pray to Him to again receive His high mercy, so that you do not remain forever in the devil’s power and suffer with Him in eternal fire. Chapter 2: That God is the father of true Christians “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:18; Jer. 3:19; Hos. 1:10). § 487. Although of all people who do not know God, God is the Father, as the Creator and Provider of all, “for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), but His faithful ones who believe in Him, know Him, the only true God, honor Him, fear and love Him and strive diligently to obey Him render, in a special way is called and is the Father. This love of God for mankind, that He was pleased to be called and to be the Father of His faithful, is depicted in many places of Holy Scripture for our consolation. The Son of God prayed to Him to the apostles and through them taught us: “Pray like this: Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name,” and so on. (Matthew 6ff.). Isaiah prays to Him: “Thou art our Father” (Is. 63:16). And He Himself promised the faithful to be their Father: “And I will be a Father to you,” and so on (2 Cor. 6:18). And those faithful to Him cry out: “Abba, Father!” (Rom.8:15). And if God the Father is the faithful, then the faithful are His sons, as the apostle says: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26–27). § 488. From this source of God’s love for mankind flows to us, sinners, dear Christian, many different consolations, with which, like cold water in a thirst, we cool ourselves in the adversity that befalls us. 1) From this living and sweet source flowed so many of His merciful promises, with which the prophetic and apostolic books are filled. 2) If God is our Father, then who is on us? “If God is for us, who can be against us?” - says the wise Paul (Rom 8:31). If God is our Father, then without a doubt He is for us. What father doesn't stand up for his sons? Who can embitter us, snatch us away at His hand, and destroy us if we don’t want to? “You are Mine. Whether you pass through waters, I will be with you; whether you cross rivers, they will not drown you; “If you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you,” He says through the prophet to His faithful Jacob (Is. 43: 1-2). “I am with him in tribulation, and I will deliver him” (Ps. 90:15). If God is our Father, then what cannot we ask from Him, if according to His will and with faith we ask Him? “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32). The Father of the flesh, even though he wants to give what he asks to the children who ask, often does not give it, for not everything he wants can be done, and God our Father is not like that: just as He wants everything good, since He is most good, so He can give us everything, as the Almighty. Therefore, we are commanded to ask Him for everything: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). “The Lord is close to all who call on Him in truth” (Ps. 144:18). “He will do the will of those who fear Him, and He will hear their prayer, and He will save them” (Ps. 145:19). 3) This love for mankind encourages us not to despair for our sins, but with faith and hope to knock on the doors of His mercy. How can the father not have mercy on those who repent and ask for forgiveness with regret and tears? Therefore, it is commanded to pray to Him: “Father! Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). From here you can draw other consolations, if necessary, Christian. This grace, incomprehensible to our minds, was earned for us by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who deigned to be the Son of man, in order to make God our Father, and His Father our Father, and to make us, the sons of men, sons of God, according to the Scripture: “To those who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who are not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God. born" (John 1:12-13). From here, beloved Christian, learn and learn: 1) How great is His love for us, for He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, before Whom all nations are as nothing, He deigned to be called Father and to be for us the poor, humble, rejected and subject to eternal condemnation, and to accept us as His sons and daughters. Reflecting on this truly ineffable love, at which even the holy angels are amazed, the holy Apostle John says with surprise: “See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). 2) How should Christians remember this high title and heavenly dignity, and cherish more than all the treasures of this world and more than their lives, and not be seduced by the titles of this world and vain glory, but be content with the one thing that they have God the Father and are sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 3) For this ineffable love for mankind, thank the Heavenly Father with your heart and lips, and glorify and praise His holy name. 4) To love Him out of unfeigned faith and to show zealous obedience to Him out of love. 5) Love each other as brothers who have one Father - God. 6) Avoid all sin, for by it the gracious Father is offended and the one who offends is deprived of His fatherly mercy and falls under His righteous wrath. 7) Those who have separated and moved away from Him should not hesitate, but return to Him with repentance and tears, and with deep humility cast themselves before His most holy eyes, and, recognizing their sin, confess: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you and am no longer worthy to be called your son; accept me as one of your hired servants,” as the prodigal son did (Luke 15:18–19). 8) Those who have returned should not be absent again, so as not to be forever rejected from His most holy face and His holy family - God’s chosen ones. Chapter 3: About the Christian Fatherland “We do not have a permanent city here, but we are looking for the future” (Heb. 13:14). “But our citizenship is in heaven, from where we wait for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). § 489. The life of Christians in this world is nothing more than wandering and an incessant procession and haste towards their fatherland, as the apostle says: “We do not have a permanent city here, but we are looking for the future.” That is why they are called and are strangers and strangers in this world, just as it is written about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that they were strangers and strangers on earth (Heb. 11:13). And David says: “I am a stranger with You and a stranger, like all my fathers” (Ps. 39:13). And in another place: “I am a stranger on earth” (Ps. 119:19). If our life here is our wandering, then there is certainly a fatherland prepared for us by God our Creator, in which after this wandering we must rest. § 490. The Christian fatherland is heaven, where is the glory of the Heavenly Father, to whom they pray: “Our Father who art in heaven,” where is His glorious house, in which there are many mansions (John 14:2), where “the great city, holy Jerusalem, which has the glory of God, and the city which has no need of either the sun or the moon to illuminate it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev. 21:10–11, 23). There the Heavenly Father brings joy to His sons, who migrated from here after a troubled journey, with the sight of His most holy face. The face of the forefathers with their righteous seed is installed there. Prophets, apostles and saints rejoice there - preachers of the truth. There the bright army of the martyrs triumphs. Many venerables and ascetics rest there. There the Sun of Truth, which knows no west, shines - Christ, and enlightens everyone with the brilliance of His glory, warms us with His warmest rays of love, and with His grace draws to Him all who wander in this world and call and honor His holy name. There the throne of glory is surrounded by thousands of thousands and darkness of the heavenly ethereal Powers, and the Lord, the King of glory, is constantly chanted: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Is. 6:3). In the heavenly fatherland there is no fear from foreigners, no fear from enemies, no danger from illness, death, hunger, cold, poverty, enmity, hatred, malice and other evils. No complaint can be heard there; crying, sadness and sighing have disappeared from there. There is no care for food, drink, clothing, home or household. There are no storms or bad weather, but it is always clear and favorable. There is no morning, evening, night, but always day. There is no autumn and winter, but always a beautiful and blessed spring and summer. Nothing is heard, seen, or felt there other than favorable, cheerful, and amiable. There the inhabitants are always awake, but never bother; they always live, but do not expect death. There is life without death, peace without labor, joy without sorrow, health without weakness, wealth without loss, honor without danger and fear, contentment without poverty, bliss without disaster. There is day without night, good weather without bad weather, sun without clouds, light without darkness, radiance without darkness. There is no old, lame, blind, paralytic, ugly, but all in blooming youth, beautiful kindness and the age of a perfect man, to the extent of the “full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). There no one offends or is offended, does not hate and is not hated, is not angry, does not annoy, does not embitter and is not embittered. No one envy anyone, everyone is satisfied with what he has, since he does not want more than what he has, for he has received and is content with the good that no longer exists. Thus he is consoled by bliss, which nothing surpasses. He is crowned with that glory and honor, more than which he does not seek. In the heavenly glorious and most blessed citizenship there is the most perfect silence, peace, love between the blessed citizens, joy, joy and joy for each other, for they love each other as they love themselves, and rejoice in each other as in themselves, that they see each other in bliss, as they do themselves. To this fatherland, beloved Christian, Christians are migrating from this troubled world, who with faith and love serve the Heavenly Father, the King of heaven and earth and all creation. Our forefathers concluded this fatherland for themselves and for us through their disobedience, but Christ, the Son of God, Who deigned to wander on earth for our sake, opened it with His free obedience, “being obedient even to death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). We, dear Christian, while we are still strangers and strangers in a foreign land, are still floating in the sea of this world and are overwhelmed by the waves of life, even from afar, from this deplorable vale, as from the captivity of Babylon to the city of Jerusalem, to the heavenly fatherland, the heavenly Jerusalem, we look with the mournful eye of faith and “sigh, wanting to put on our heavenly dwelling” ( 2 Cor.5:2). That's why: 1) We have the need to work, to strive, to endure various misfortunes during our journey, to fear the enemies who surround us and try to block our path and not allow us to enter the heavenly fatherland, to beware of the snares of the devil, the delights of the world and the lusts of the flesh that rise against the soul (1 Pet. 2:11). Therefore, we must often lift up our eyes to Him who lives in heaven (Ps. 122:1), and ask for help from Him, so that He might strengthen us in our struggle and give us the ability to complete the course, keep the faith (2 Tim. 4:7), and come to the blessed land of the living. 2) If our fatherland is in heaven, Christians, then we must set our minds on things above, and not on earthly things, according to the teaching of the Apostle: “Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things” (Col 3:2). 3) If wandering is the life of Christians on earth, why do Christians hoard so much wealth here, as if they were going to live here forever? Why do they build so many houses and decorate them? Why are they acquiring so much land, estates, and peasants? Why do so many people collect wealth and hide treasures on earth? Why do they multiply gold, silver, and expensive stones? Why do they burden their poor soul so much on their journey? For they will leave all this on earth and take nothing with them, as the apostle says: “They brought nothing into the world; It is obvious that we cannot take anything out of him” (1 Timothy 6:7), even the body itself will be left buried in the ground, which was brought into this world. With our souls alone we will go to the place determined by God. 4) Such Christians who want to get rich in this world must heed what the apostle says: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and into a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which plunge people into disaster and destruction” (1 Tim 6:9) - and Christ God from the height of His glory answers: “Fool! this night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? (Luke 12:20) - and be careful not to lose that heavenly and most blessed citizenship. Chapter 4: About the Christian heritage “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). “And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,” and so on (Rom. 8ff.). § 491. Since the fatherland of Christians is not of this world, for they are strangers and strangers in this world, as was said in the previous chapter, then their inheritance is not in this world, but in another place where their fatherland and home are. Since the Christian fatherland is heaven, their inheritance is there, in heaven. There they will inherit, according to Scripture, eternal life (Matt. 19:29), inherit the mansions of the Heavenly Father (John 14:2), inherit peace (Heb. 4:1,11), inherit being with Christ, so that they can see His glory (John 17:24). They will inherit the sight of God because they will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). They will inherit an incorruptible crown (1 Cor. 9:25), they will inherit a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), a crown of life (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10), a crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4). They will inherit the kingdom and glory of God (1 Thess. 2:12), the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34); will be like God (1 John 3:2). Finally, they inherit blessings “which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has not entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9). Therefore, true Christians are called heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). So, you see, beloved Christian, that the Christian inheritance, incorruptible, pure, and unfading, is kept for them in heaven (1 Pet. 1:4). And what it is and how great it is, we cannot not only describe, but even understand with our minds, but only by faith we see now, “as through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12), and with the godly Paul, who “was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words” (2 Cor. 12: 2, 4), we confess and preach that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no one has heard.” what came into man’s heart was what God had prepared for those who loved Him.” We note several things from the present, the future, and from the visible, the invisible, and from the corruptible, the incorruptible. If for the sake of this body of ours, corruptible and humble, the man-loving God created such great blessings in heaven and on earth, in the air and sea, which are innumerable, then how great will be the blessings that God’s elect will inherit in the heavenly fatherland, where they will see Him “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12)! If in wandering and exile, in a deplorable vale, in prison, he gives them this, then what will he give them in His house, where His glory shines! If He commands His sun to shine for the good and the evil, the righteous and the sinful, then what will be the blessings that are prepared for the good alone! If His friends and enemies enjoy such His gifts, then what will be, how great, countless, glorious and extraordinary are those that He will give to some friends for pleasure! If there is such consolation in the days of mourning, then what will it be in the days of marriage! “How great is the abundance of Your goodness, O Lord God, which You have hidden for those who fear You!” - the Psalmist says to Him in his song (Ps. 30:20). Then they will inherit the end of all desires. People desire lightness - “then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). If people desire lightness and strength, then they will be like the Angels of God (Matthew 22:30). If people desire incorruption and whole health, then they will be incorruptible: for “it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:42, 52). If people desire strength, then they will be strong, for “what is sown in weakness is raised in strength; the natural body is sown, the spiritual body is raised” (1 Cor. 15:43–44). If people desire glory, then they will be in glory, for “what is sown in humiliation is raised in glory” (1 Cor. 15:43). If people want triumph, then they will triumph over death and hell. “Death, where is your sting? hell, where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). People wish for a long life - then there will be eternal life, for “the righteous live forever” (Wis. 5:15). People desire satiety - then they will be satisfied when the glory of the Lord appears to them (Ps. 16:15). If people want to quench their thirst, then they will quench their thirst with a stream of His sweetness (Ps. 35:9). If people desire sweet singing, then they will hear angelic singing, and they themselves will endlessly and laboriously sing the sweet song: “Alleluia” (Rev. 19:1). If people desire reason and wisdom, then the wisdom of God will reveal itself to them. If people desire friendship, then they will love God more than themselves, and each other as themselves, and God will love them as His children. If people want harmony and peace, then their will and desire will be one, for everyone will want what God alone wants. People desire joy and cheerfulness - then “I will rejoice in the Lord with joy” (Is. 61:10), “their heart will rejoice, and no one will take away their joy” (John 16:22). If people desire wealth, then the good and faithful servants of the Lord will be appointed over many things (Matthew 25:21). If people desire the kingdom, then they will inherit “the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). If people want to see God, then they will see God “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), and “God will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). If people wish to never lose the good they have, then they will be as sure that they will never lose it as they are sure that they themselves do not want it. Behold, beloved Christian, the inheritance of Christians, which their Heavenly Father has prepared for them by the grace of His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! We lost this inheritance through our sins, but through the obedience and labors of the Son of God it returned to us again. Christians who have fought the good fight, who have finished their course, and who have kept the faith, enter into this (2 Tim. 4:7). Note, Christian: 1) How great, glorious and truly incomprehensible is the inheritance prepared for true Christians in heaven. 2) How diligently we should try and strive, so that we too may comprehend it by the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, according to the admonition of the godly Paul: “So run, that you may receive” (1 Cor. 9:24). 3) How to carefully guard against love for worldly things: honor, wealth, fame, lust and sins, which hinder and distract us from that blessed inheritance. 4) How to diligently thank God, who has prepared such bliss for us and pray to Him, so that He Himself, in the feat of faith, would help us and strengthen us to the end, and thus open it to those who have preserved the faith. § 492. If such an inheritance is prepared for Christians in heaven, why should they prepare so many treasures on earth, accumulate so much wealth, estates, and acquisitions? After all, it is preached to them by the word of God, the Holy Gospel is revealed, faith affirms. Yes, and they will be forced to leave with a temporary life and a temporary inheritance. Christ does not tell them to do this: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). And those Christians who listen to Christ do not do this, but, leaving earthly things, strive for heavenly things, think about things above, and not about earthly things, according to the admonition of the great Paul (Col. 3:2). Christ says to them: “Fear not, little flock! for it has been your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The apostle says to them: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world: whoever loves the world does not have the love of the Father. For whatever is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is of this world” (1 John 2:15-16). So they, applying their hearts to the earthly inheritance, for where their treasure is, there is their heart, - according to the word of Christ (Matthew 6:21), they do not think about things above and do not care about them, and they must be careful not to be deprived of them with groaning and useless crying. For to those who gather up (treasures for themselves), and not to those who grow rich in God, God says: “You fool! this night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? (Luke 12:20) We, dear Christians, according to the word of Christ, must seek “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added” to us (Matthew 6:33), and remember the apostolic word: “We brought nothing into the world; It’s obvious that we can’t take anything out of it. Having food and clothing, we will be content with this” (1 Tim. 6:7-8). Chapter 5: On Christian Dignity “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). § 493. Just as Christ, the Son of God, in the days of His (appearance in) the flesh and humility was humbled and dishonored more than all the sons of men, as the prophet foretold about Him: “He was despised and humbled before men” (Is. 53:3), and the Gospel testifies to this, so Christians who believe in Him with their hearts and follow Him with love, are nothing but contempt, reproach, humiliation for the evil world. But as for their internal dignity and honor, there is nothing higher than them. Now this dignity is invisible, for it is seen by faith, and not with bodily eyes, but it will be revealed to the whole world, “when this corruptible has put on incorruptibility, and this mortal has put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:54). The Holy Word of God reveals their dignity and presents it to us as a consolation: 1) That God is their Father, to whom they pray: “Our Father, who art in heaven” (Matt. 6:9), and they are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, as the Apostle says: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26). The world considers it a great thing to be a child of an earthly king, but how incomparably greater is the dignity of being a child of God Most High, King of heaven and earth, having a Father without beginning, infinite, immortal, indescribable, omnipotent, King of kings and Lord of lords - the human mind does not comprehend this title! All the glory of this world is nothing before him. Looking at this, a spectator of the mysteries of God, Saint John is surprised and says to the faithful: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). 2) True Christians are brothers of Christ, for “He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brethren” (Heb. 2:11-12; Ps. 21:23). And to the myrrh-bearers he says: “Go, tell my brothers” (Matthew 28:10), and to Mary Magdalene: “Go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God” (John 20:17). Look, dear Christian, to what heights Christians have been raised: they are brothers to the Lord of heaven and earth! There can be no higher dignity than this. But the love for mankind is also inscrutable of the Son of God! It is surprising when the king of the earth calls his subjects his brethren, although he himself is the same person as his subjects. Christ, the Heavenly King and Son of God, is not ashamed to call people His brethren. Who can comprehend the love of the Son of God and the honor of this brethren? Because of this, let the masters be ashamed, who do not want to have their slaves, people like themselves, for their brethren, but instead have them as a footstool. 3) (True Christians) have fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, as the apostle says: “Our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). And Saint Paul: “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9). Therefore, He is not ashamed to call His faithful friends His friends: “You are My friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have told you everything that I have heard from My Father” (John 15:14–15). All of the above reveals the most august nobility, above human words and concepts, above every royal and monarchical title of this world. I don’t attach any more words to this, dear Christian, for the mind is dulled and the word becomes impoverished. Reason about this with faith and be comforted by the grace and love of our God, Who honored man the more, the more man was dishonored. 4) Christians are members of the body of Christ, as the apostle says: “Members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Eph. 5:30). And he also says to the faithful Corinthians: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” (1 Cor. 6:15). And further: “You are the body of Christ, and individually members” (1 Cor. 12:27). What is it like to be a living member of the body of Christ and to have the heavenly Head - Christ! And such a union of the faithful with Christ, as members with their head, is, of course, mysterious and spiritual. 5) Christians are the dwellings of God, as Holy Scripture testifies to. “Whoever loves Me will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him,” says Christ (John 14:23). And the apostle: “Do you not know that you are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16). And further: “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, which you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). And again: “You are the church of the living God, as God said: I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people” (2 Cor. 6:16). And in other places this is evidenced. Oh, how great is this advantage of Christians, that they are the dwellings of the Most Holy Trinity, and the church of the living God! It is considered a great thing to receive an earthly monarch into the house, but an incomparably greater thing is to receive to mortal man, earth and dust, God, the Heavenly King, and not only to receive Him, but also to have Him among the living! This is nothing other than having the kingdom of God within you (Luke 17:21). Blessed and kind is the heart that has been vouchsafed to acquire this heavenly treasure! Think about this, dear Christian, and marvel at the goodness of our God. God dwells in man!.. And know that this is a true Christian. This is his nobility, dignity and advantage! What kind of good and bliss will not be there, where is the highest and infinite Good?! 6) Christians mystically partake of the Body and Blood of Christ and nourish their souls with this spiritual food and drink. How great this is, Christian, you can know if you judge who is participating and to Whom! 7) Christians talk with God in prayer. It is considered no small thing to converse with the king of the earth. Is it a small thing for a person to talk with God, for an earthly person with the Heavenly, and for a creature with the Creator, and for a mortal with the Immortal, and for a slave with the Most High Lord?! 8) God commanded Christian Angels to serve: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb.1:14) - and they guard them and encamp around them: “The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him” (Ps.33:8). If any monarch, having called a subject to him and treated him to plenty, let him go into the house and gave him his servants to accompany and guard him, would not his subject regard him as a great mercy? God, the Heavenly King, having called Christians into His eternal kingdom, gives them His servants - the Holy Angels - to guard them while they wander along the path of this world, and orders them to take up arms around them. Marvelous is this mercy of God towards man! Great is the Christian dignity that the Angels of God are sent to serve them! 9) The high and heavenly nobility of Christians is known both from the fatherland, which is heaven (Phil. 3:20), and from the inheritance, which is incorruptible, pure, unfading and eternal in heaven (1 Pet. 1:4), as mentioned above. This is Christian nobility, dear Christian! This is the dignity of God's faithful servants! This is the advantage of those who worship the Most High God with faith and love! This is their wealth, honor, and glory, and the invaluable treasure that they carry inside themselves! What wealth, honor, glory, title, nobility, dignity, advantage of this world can compare with this treasure of theirs? Like dirt against gold, like pus against fragrant aromas, like darkness against light, or even like nothing against all good. You will recognize this as true when by faith you imagine the glory of the children of God. This highest grace was earned by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who “gave to those who believe in His name the power to become children of God, who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12–13), the Heavenly Father gives, and the Holy Spirit accomplishes. It follows from this: 1) Discussion about the ineffable goodness of God that appeared above us, which was revealed through the incarnation of His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, in the power of the devil and the jaws of hell, and the eternal destruction of the guilty, God, rich in mercy, from death to life, from disastrous darkness to blessed light, from eternal destruction to eternal salvation, and from such damnation to such dignity, returned, not according to our merits, but according to His only grace, love for mankind and mercy. 2) How much we owe to Him for this love of humanity! How earnestly we must give thanks not only with our lips, but also with our hearts and zealous obedience, without which there can be no true thanksgiving! You see, beloved Christian, although for all the benefits that He gives us in His goodness, such as food, drink, clothing and other things necessary for temporary life, but more for the fact that He showed us such grace and called us out of darkness into His wonderful light, we must give thanks from the bottom of our hearts and unceasingly, which happens from everyday reflection on that His high mercy, as was said above. 3) How Christians, who are so called into God’s wonderful light, must beware of all sin! “For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). 4) How zealous should we be in obedience to the Heavenly Father and in doing good deeds, for which the holy apostles and our fathers and holy church teachers so strongly exhort and encourage us? 5) You see for yourself, dear Christian, that those Christians who seek glory on earth, seek honor and glory from people, seek dominion and honor and worship from people over others act badly and foolishly. By this they show that they do not know the dignity common to true Christians, which cannot be combined with vain love of glory, like fire with water, and without knowing it, they do not care about it, but despising it, they turn to imaginary nobility, which, like a bubble on water, or steam, or smoke, appears for a short time and disappears, and so, where their treasure is, there is their heart (Matthew 6:21). ABOUT! How bitterly they will weep, in the opinion of the world, glorious, but, in essence, vile and slaves, when in their time they see the children of God, true Christians in unspeakable glory, deprived of that in shame and sent away to dishonor and eternal reproach! 6) Whoever through negligence has lost the highest Christian nobility must, before time runs out, diligently seek it with true repentance and return to the Heavenly Father, from Whom they have distanced themselves, as the prodigal son did, so as not to be deprived of it forever and then not to regret, cry and sob uselessly. § 494. It is known that flesh and blood are horrified by poverty, dishonor, reproach, reproach and other sorrows that happen to Christians in this world. And therefore many are moving away from true Christianity. Such, apparently, want to reign here in peace and in the next century with Christ, which is in no way possible, no matter how much they flatter themselves. The flesh, that is, carnal lusts, must certainly renounce if they want to be Christ’s, and not be afraid of the hatred of the evil world, which hates and persecutes Christians as well as its own children. The cross and various sorrows are the Christian banner, under which Christians fight for their King, crucified on the Cross. The cross is offered to Christ’s disciples, who are Christians, to everyone: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me,” says Christ (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23). And by Christ Himself he is designated as unworthy of Christ who does not bear His cross and does not follow Him: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). From this, a warrior of Christ is known to be that he denies himself, that is, he crucifies his flesh with passions and lusts, as (the apostle) says: “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24), - he dies to the love of money, voluptuousness, malice, anger, hatred, envy and every passion, and is not afraid of contempt, hatred, bitterness, reproach, expulsion and every calamity that comes from the world to the servants of Christ. Under this banner all those who now triumph in the heavenly fatherland with the hero Jesus fought. Let us stand under this banner, and we, beloved Christian, will not be ashamed of the humility, patience and meekness of Christ, so that “the Son of Man, when He comes in the glory of His Father,” will not be ashamed of us (Mark 8:38). Christ, our King, has humbled himself so deeply; should we, His servants and indecent servants, be proud? Christ, our King, endured innocently; should we, His guilty servants, not endure? Christ, our sinless King, forgave His persecutors, blasphemers and crucifiers and prayed for them: “Father! forgive them” (Luke 23:34), - should we, His sinful servants, be angry with sinners like ourselves? Christ, being rich, became poor - are we, poor and wretched, insatiably seeking wealth? Christ, the King of heaven and earth, had no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20) - should we, a wretched and poor creature, expand the magnificent buildings? Christ, the Son of God, the highest of all honor and glory, despised honor and glory - should we, naturally dishonest, earth, ashes and worms, seek honor and glory? Christ, the Lord of glory, was despised by everyone - should we seek respect from everyone? Christ, our King, was crowned with thorns; should we decorate our heads with colors and aromas? Christ was given vinegar and gall to drink; are we insatiably desirous of the most expensive wines? Vain plans, futile undertakings, and they do not come to a good end! Tell me, please, how can we appear before Him when He comes in His glory to save His faithful servants? With what eyes will we look at Him if we did not want to follow Him? What crown will we receive from our King if we did not want to strive with Him? How can we triumph with Him if we did not want to win with Him? How can we rejoice with Him if we did not want to endure sorrow with Him? How can we be glorified with Him if we did not want to suffer with Him? How will we live with Him if we did not want flesh and sin to die here? How will we be heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), if we did not want to have obedience to the Heavenly Father with Him? What sign, what form will we show Him that we are Christ’s if we did not want to be here with Him, endure and suffer? We must be wary lest His word befit us: “He who is not with Me is against Me; and whoever does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). He who is friends with the world is against Him: “whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). And we squander what His labors, illnesses, sorrows, sufferings, and most holy merits have collected for us. He bought us God's mercy, peace, justification, sanctification, blessing, life and eternal bliss, but when we are friends with the world, we waste all this. He also does not recognize us if we do not know Him now, as we should, although we say to Him: “Lord, Lord!” (Matthew 7:21–23). We will hear (oh, God forbid this!) from Him: “I do not know you” (Luke 13:27), if we do not correct ourselves. Nor will His saints, who followed Him here in a narrow and sorrowful way, recognize us, if we do not want to follow them in the same way, but rather follow the long (path) of passions, whims and luxury. Therefore, beloved, let us turn away from this destructive space and turn to the Christian path, let us join the army of Christ and take refuge under the Christian banner, while there is still time for achievement. Christ is our King, Christ is our leader, Christ is our leader, Christ is our helper, protector, fortress, strength, affirmation, victory, triumph - we just have to hold fast, follow and trust in Him. He, like the omnipotent one, will strengthen the faint-hearted, strengthen the weary, give a helping hand to those who fall, and guide those who doubt. Let us embark on a feat with His help, for there is no victory without a feat, and a crown and triumph without victory. We will strive with Him, conquer with Him, and triumph with Him forever in His kingdom. Without a doubt, this feat, as said above, is scary for us at first. Just as the warriors of this world are at first afraid to enter into battle with the enemy, but those who have begun the battle, and especially those who are accustomed to it, no longer have fear, but the mere jealousy and hope of victory and triumph inflames the hearts, so to those who enter into a feat against the world, the flesh and the devil, the task seems terrible and difficult, but for those who have begun and are trying, with the help of Christ, the victorious King, everything is comfortable. Moreover, although the warriors of Christ the King are despised from the outside by the evil world, as stated above, but inside they are highly respected, and just as their name is “Christian,” so their nobility comes from Christ, their King, and they are conformed to Him. King Christ in the days of humility and humiliation there was nothing more contemptible, but there was nothing higher. He was born in a wretched den, but the Angels sang His birth, and the star led the Magi to worship Him as the king of the Jews (Luke 2:9-14; Matt. 2:1-2, 9-10). He was baptized in the Jordan, but received a testimony from God the Father: “This is My beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17). He had no place to lay his head, but he fed many thousands of people in the wilderness (Matthew 14:20–21). He endured persecution, contempt, and blasphemy from the Jews, but the demons trembled at Him, the winds and the sea obeyed Him (Matthew 8:29, 26–27). Through His voice the dead arose, lepers were cleansed, the blind received their sight, the deaf heard, the paralytic perceived strength and strength (Matthew 11:5, 9:7). He died on the Cross, but after His death “the curtain in the church was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook; and the stones dissipated; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,” and so on (Matthew 27:51–52). He was laid in the tomb like a dead man, but He Himself rose up by the power of His Divinity, as the Conqueror of death and hell. His warriors, true Christians, are also likened to their King Christ. They humble themselves below all, but God exalts them above all (1 John 4:4), they wander on earth, but their fatherland is heaven, they turn on earth, but their residence is in heaven, from where they expect the Savior (Phil. 3:20). They walk around in rags, but inside they are covered with royal purple. They are deprived of human inheritance, but they have God’s: “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). They do not seek or have wealth on earth, but heavenly treasures are opened to them (2 Cor. 4:7). People are cast out, but God accepts them (2 Cor. 6:17). People leave them, but they have fellowship with God (1 John 1:3). The world condemns them, but God will justify them (Rom. 8:30, 33). The world curses them, but God blesses them (Eph.1:3; 1Peter 3:9; Gal.3:9). The world insults them, but God comforts them (2 Cor. 1:4). The world dishonors them, but God glorifies them (Ps. 90:15; 1 Peter 5:10). Behold, beloved Christian, how sweet the service of Christians is, and judge how high their humility, how rich their poverty, how glorious their dishonor, how noble their ignorance, how blessed their exile, how desirable their insult! If the whole world is like nothing before God, then hatred, contempt, malice, cursing, expulsion of it, which happens to the servants of God, is like nothing against the love, mercy, blessing of God, which they are awarded from God. For if an earthly king holds someone in mercy and love, then the hatred and malice of his enemies are nothing to him, although the earthly king, as a person, cannot do everything he wants. Moreover, to whom the Heavenly King loves, has mercy and favors, to him the whole world’s malice and hatred are nothing, for He is incomparably greater than the whole world, and His mercy, blessing, love are greater and more desirable than the whole world of malice and hatred. Chapter 6: About Christian refuge and help “Lord, You have been our refuge for generations and generations. Before the mountains appeared and the earth and the universe were created, from everlasting to everlasting You exist” (Ps. 89:2-3). “God is our refuge and strength, our helper in the severe tribulations that have befallen us” (Ps. 45:2). § 495. The refuge and helper of Christians is God, as he and the Psalmist sing: “God is our refuge and strength, a helper in the grave sorrows that have befallen us.” And He Himself commands His Christian servants to call on Him in the day of their tribulation: “Call Me in the day of your tribulation, and I will deliver you; and you will glorify Me” (Ps. 49:15). And God is the Father of Christians, therefore they resort to God, like children to their father, in all kinds of needs and sorrows. The sons of this age either resort to princes and nobles and their other defenders on the day of sorrow, then they stretch out their hands to their mammon, whom they serve, redeeming themselves with silver and gold from the impending misfortune, then they rely on their strength, cunning and cunning to protect and help themselves. True Christians are not like that: they abandon all this as a refuge, as vain and contrary to God, and resort to the one God with their hearts and hearts and lips crying out to Him: “Lord, You have been our refuge to generation and generation” (Ps. 89:2). “You are my refuge from the sorrow that has come over me. My joy, deliver me from those who surround me” (Ps. 31:7). In this they act like little children who, either suffering from illness, or seeing some kind of misfortune, stretch out their hands to their father or mother and run. So Christians, who are “sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26), without seeking or expecting help from anywhere, run to God as their Father and stretch out their hands, who says: “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” so that we boldly say: “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear: what can man do to me?” (Heb.13:5-6). Christians dare and say: “Some are on chariots, and others on horses; We will call on the name of the Lord our God. They stumbled and fell; but we have risen and corrected ourselves” (Ps. 19:8-9). The forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, resorted to this safe refuge and received help. To this end, their righteous seed and the Israelites stretched out their hands in slavery in Egypt - and were delivered. To this end, three youths cried out in the Babylonian furnace, and were saved. To this, in the new grace, the apostles, saints, martyrs, hermits, reverend fathers and other saints raised their venerable hands - and were not ashamed. Even today pious people approach this by faith and cry out to Him with the prophet: “Our fathers trusted in You, they trusted, and You delivered them; they called to You and were saved; They trusted in You and were not ashamed” (Ps. 22:5-6). And they pray with hope: “May your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we trusted in you” (Ps. 32:22), and are not put to shame. Look, beloved Christian, how great the bliss of Christians is in this age! If God is a refuge and help for Christians, like a father to his children, then who can do anything to them? “If God is for us, who can be against us?” - says the most blessed Paul (Rom. 8:31). The whole world cannot do anything, for the whole world is like nothing against God, to whose command everything obeys. Fire does not burn, water does not drown, the sword does not cut, deadly poison does not kill, the teeth of beasts do not touch the faithful and trusting in the Lord, terrible kings and tormentors with their lawless hordes cannot defeat one Christian, for the Lord of hosts is with him. Therefore they sing with boldness: “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our protector; therefore we will not be afraid when the earth shakes” (Ps. 46:8, 3), which is what this entire psalm testifies to. This safe refuge is open to us, but we must be careful not to close it with sins. The Son of God revealed it to us through His most holy obedience and death, the death of the cross. To him be glory, honor and thanksgiving with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Chapter 7: Christian Song “Your procession, O God, was seen, the procession of my God the King, who is in the sanctuary” (Ps. 67:25). “Sing a new song to the Lord, for the Lord has done wonderful things” (Ps. 97:1). § 496. We see, beloved Christian, the glorious procession of our God in the creation of this beautiful world, when “by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that what is visible was made out of things that are visible” (Heb. 11:3). For “by the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth was all their power. For He said, and it was; He commanded, and it was done” (Ps. 32:6, 9). We see and sing of His almighty power, for He created everything out of nothing, His wondrous wisdom, for He created all things wisely (Ps. 103:24), His wondrous goodness, for He created all this not for His own sake, but for our sake. We see the procession of our God in the Providence of His creation and we sing to Him with the prophet: “Everyone is waiting for food from You, so that You will give them in time. When You give to them, they will accept, when You open your hand, everyone will be satisfied with the good. And when You turn away your face, they will be confused: You will take away their spirit, and they will disappear and return to their land. You will send Your Spirit, and they will be created, and you will renew the face of the earth. Let the glory be to the Lord forever” (Ps. 103:27–31). “The eyes of all trust in You, and You give them food in due season; You open Your hand and satisfy all living things according to (Your) good pleasure” (Ps. 144:15-16). And, following His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess His goodness: “For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). We see His glorious procession in the global flood, in which the lawless were fearfully executed, and the righteous Noah was miraculously saved, and we sing of His truth and mercy: the truth that punishes the lawless, and the mercy that embraces the pious. We see the terrible procession of our God, when, having come to see the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, he burned the unrepentant wicked with fire from above, and snatched up the righteous Lot from among them, and we also sing His righteousness and mercy: “Thou art righteous, O Lord, and thy judgments are right” (Ps. 119:137), and “mercy will surround him who trusts in the Lord” (Ps. 32:10). ). We see the glorious procession of our God in Egypt, when He “sent down signs and wonders in the midst of Egypt on Pharaoh and on all his servants” (Ps. 134:9); “and he brought forth his people in joy, and his chosen ones in gladness” (Ps. 104:43); “And he held back the Red Sea, and dried up, and carried them through the deep as through a desert; and rescued them from the hand of the haters, and delivered them from the hand of the enemies; The water covered their oppressors, not one of them remained” (Ps. 105:8-11). The sea saw him and ran away, the Jordan turned back, the mountains jumped like sheep, and the hills like lambs among sheep. What is the matter with you, O sea, that you ran away, and you, Jordan, why did you turn back? The mountains that you jumped like sheep, and the hills like lambs among sheep? At the presence of the Lord the earth moved, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the stone into a lake of water, and the unmovable into springs of water” (Ps. 114:3-8). We see this glorious procession of Him and sing with His chosen people: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in power; Thy right hand, O Lord, has slain the enemy. By the greatness of Your glory You have overthrown those who rebelled against You. Who is like You, Lord, among the gods? Who, like You, is majestic in holiness, worthy of praise, Creator of miracles? ( Ex. 15:6–7, 11 ). We see the procession of our God in the impenetrable desert, in which He walked before His people in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire: “He spread a cloud to cover them and fire to give them light at night” (Ps. 104:39); “And he led them with a cloud during the day and with the light of fire all night” (Ps. 77:14), - and he performed other glorious miracles, and we sing to Him with David: “God! When You came out before Your people, when You passed through the wilderness, the earth shook and the heavens melted at the presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel” (Ps. 67:8-9). We see the glorious procession of our God when He led His people “upon the mountain of His holiness, this mountain which His right hand had acquired, and drove out the nations from before them, and divided the land for them by lot with a boundary line, and settled the tribes of Israel in their villages” (Ps. 77:54-55). We see that “many times He delivered them; They upset Him with their stubbornness, and were humiliated for their iniquities. And the Lord saw when they were grieving, and heard their prayer: and He remembered His covenant, and repented according to the abundance of His mercy, and extended to them the mercy of all those who had taken them captive" (Ps. 105:43-46), - and we sing His mercy invincible by the sins of men: "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and all the people will say, Let it be, let it be" ( Ps.105:48). We see the procession of God in Babylon, when He descended into the fiery furnace to the Jewish youths and turned the flame into dew, watered and cooled those who loved Him, and burned His enemies with flame, and we sing to Him with His blessed youths: “Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted forever, and blessed is the name of Your glory, holy and praiseworthy and exalted forever" (Dan 3:52). We also see in other glorious miracles the procession of our God glorious. We also see a more obvious procession of our God in His fleshly birth, on earth with people, suffering, death, resurrection, and life-giving flesh ascending to heaven, and we confess with the Apostle: “Unquestionably - the great mystery of piety: God appeared in the flesh, justified Himself in the Spirit, showed Himself to the Angels, preached to the nations, accepted by faith in the world, ascended into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16). We sing gratefully with the Angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:14). We praise and bless with the prophet Zechariah: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, that He has visited His people and brought deliverance to them, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He declared by the mouth of His holy prophets who were from the beginning” (Luke 1:68–70). And since in the ancient births a miracle such as we hear and believe was unheard of - the miracle that God was born of a Virgin, the Word became flesh, the Invisible One appeared, the King of Heaven lived on earth without leaving the throne of His glory, the Lord of glory was crucified on the Cross - and therefore this is a new miracle, and a miracle of miracles, therefore we sing a new song: “A new miracle and divine! For the Lord passed through a virginal door that was shut: naked at the entrance, and God appeared as a flesh-bearer at the exit, and the door remained shut” (Song of the 9th Tone of the 3rd). For our sake, the Lord created this terrible miracle. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). We, beloved Christians, should rejoice over this and sing a new song of gratitude to Him: “Your procession was visible, O God! It was visible in Your holy birth from the Virgin Theotokos, in Your holy life on earth, in Your holy and saving teaching, in Your terrible and supernatural miracles, in Your manifold sufferings, in Your life-giving death, in Your glorious and all-joyful resurrection, in Your solemn and exclamatory ascension to heaven, in the fiery outpouring of the Spirit Thy Saint upon Thy apostles, and those sent to preach Thy Gospel throughout the whole world. Your procession was visible, O God! “Thou hast come forth for the salvation of Thy people, for the salvation of Thy anointed ones. Thou hast broken the head of the wicked house, stripping it bare from the foundation to the top. You pierced the heads of his leaders with spears when they rushed like a whirlwind in joy, as if thinking to devour the poor man secretly. You and your horses made a way through the sea, through the depths of great waters” (Hab. 3:13-15). There are plenty of comforting songs in the holy books. Consider, beloved Christian, how great the consolation of the Christian soul is to glorify God, Whom the Angels constantly and insatiably praise and sing. That is why so many songs, both in the books of the prophets, psalms, and in church books, are composed for our consolation and spiritual joy. Chapter 8: Christian Joy “My heart and my flesh will rejoice in the living God” (Ps. 83:3). “Rejoice in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous” (Ps. 31:11). “Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King” (Ps. 149:2). §497. There is no joy without love, and where there is love, there is joy. And whoever loves something rejoices in it. Whoever loves silver, gold, lust, the glory of this world, sweetness, rejoices in this and is comforted by this. He who loves a friend rejoices in him. And the greater the love someone has for something, the more he rejoices about it. This joy is learned from subsequent sadness. If someone has lost something and is sad about it, it is an undoubted sign that he loved that thing. So a friend grieves, having lost his beloved friend, the husband of his wife and the wife of his beloved husband, the brother of his beloved brother. So, whoever loves the honor, glory, and wealth of this world, when he loses his beloved, grieves and laments. And so, to which the heart clings with love, the heart rejoices. Where one's treasure is, there is his heart, as Christ teaches: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). So, whoever loves God and eternal glory and rejoices in God, there is his heart. §498. Christian joy is: 1) That they believe in the true God. Blinded pagans believe in false gods, soulless, dead, deaf, blind: “the idols of the pagans are silver and gold, the work of human hands: they have lips, but they do not speak; they have eyes, but they will not see; they have ears, but they will not hear; have nostrils, but do not smell; they have hands, but they do not touch them; they have legs, but they won’t walk; They will not utter a voice from their throat” (Ps. 113:12-15). Christians are not like that, but they believe and worship the true, living, eternal, immortal, wise, righteous, all-good God, who listens to their prayers and petitions and fulfills their good desires. 2) That great God, the Creator of heaven and earth, living and immortal, is called their Father, and is their Father, as He Himself promised to them: “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:18), to Whom they pray: “Our Father, who art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Christians and their father Abraham admit that they, being earth and ashes (Gen. 18:27), are unworthy to call God their Father, but He Himself mercifully honors them and sends “the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying: “Abba, Father!” (Gal.4:6). 3) They have the Son of God as their king, “and His kingdom will have no end.” He rules the heavens and the earth, and all are subjected under His feet. He destroyed sin, abolished death, defeated the devil and put him to shame, and, as the Victor, he triumphed over all our enemies, ascended on high and sits on the throne of His glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, worshiped and revered by all creation, visible and invisible. Christians serve this King, great, omnipotent and terrible in glory, with fear and rejoice with trepidation, willingly listen to Him, and fulfill His commands. If the sons of this age rejoice and rejoice in their king, who is brave, strong, famous for victories and famous throughout the world, how much more do the sons of Zion, that is, the sons of the Holy Church, rejoice and boast in their King Jesus Christ, “for He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings” (Rev. 17:14), and truly “great is the Lord, and very glorious, and His greatness has no end, and His kingdom is kingdom of all ages, and His dominion throughout all generations” (Ps. 145:3, 12). He “rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wants” (Dan 4:29). His powers are not only flesh and blood, but also the devil with all his dark hordes trembles (James 2:19). About this great King, strong, strong, righteous, terrible to His enemies, meek and merciful to those who love Him and serve Him, Christians boast and rejoice, and sing with the prophet: “The Lord reigns, He is clothed in splendor; The Lord clothed himself with strength and girded himself, for he established the universe, which will not move. Thy throne was prepared from the beginning: Thou hast existed from everlasting,” and so on (Ps. 92:1-2 et seq.). They cry out to Him with David in joy: “Your arrows are sharpened, O Mighty One! Nations will fall before You; you will pierce the heart of the King's enemies. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The rod of righteousness is the rod of Your kingdom. You loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore, O God, Your God anointed You with the oil of joy more than Your fellows,” and so on (Ps. 45:6-8). They dare about Him and say: “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: whom shall I fear?” (Ps. 27:1 et seq.). 4) This joy in Christians grows and multiplies exceedingly when they think about the bliss that is prepared for them forever in heaven, when they look forward to that God, whom they now see, “as through a glass darkly, then see face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), He will stand before the immortal King and be shone with His glory, Whom now diligently and They willingly serve and are now under His protection, as it is written: “those redeemed by the Lord will return, they will come to Zion with joyful shouting; and everlasting joy will be upon their heads; they will find joy and gladness, and sorrow and groaning will be removed” (Is. 35:10). 5) This joy is a foretaste of eternal joy, of which true Christians now feel some portion. Then they will be completely satisfied from the fatness of the house of the Lord, and will drink from the stream of His sweetness (Ps. 35:9), when “they will neither hunger nor thirst any more, and the sun will not scorch them nor any heat: for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them and lead them to living springs of water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:16–17); when “the servants of the Lord will eat, drink, be merry, and sing with the joy of their hearts” (Isa. 65:13–14); when they are comforted by the Lord, “as someone is comforted by his mother” (Is. 66:13); when they see Him “as He is” (1 John 3:2); when all the treasures of eternal blessings will be opened for them, which “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the things that God has prepared for those who love Him have not entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9); when they lie down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the other patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs and all those who are blessed in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). They strive with David to this sweetest, most joyful and most perfect feast: “When will I come and appear before the face of God?” (Ps. 41:3). 6) Just as the sons of this age, who rejoice over the silver, gold, honor, glory and luxury of this world, have false joy, and only a form of joy, so true Christians have true and eternal joy. The sons of this age are like one who, having found a purse full, thinks that he has found a purse with gold or silver, but, having opened it and instead of gold, seeing something unpleasant in it, he is very sad and denounces himself about the empty former joy. So, having found the wealth of this world and luxury, they rejoice about it, but when they die or find misfortune, having seen that nothing that they had is gone, and knowing that their joy was empty, instead of a false joy, they feel true and immeasurable sadness in their hearts. Worldly things bring this change to their lovers, as chance itself teaches. Not so true Christians. They are likened to someone who has found a true treasure and rejoices over it, who, having opened and seen a true, and not a feigned, treasure, rejoices more and more, so now, looking at God and eternal treasures by faith, they rejoice, but when they see God face to face, and the eternal treasures are opened to them, then “their heart will rejoice, and no one will take their joy from them” (John 16:22). And so the joy of creation appears for a short time, like a dream, and like a dream with sleep, with the taking away of worldly favorite things, it disappears, and spiritual joy begins in time, but is accomplished in eternity, and abides forever, just as God Himself, in Whom those who love Him rejoice, abides forever. §499. – Who will say: “Christians have many sorrows, as the prophet says: “Many sorrows do the righteous have”? (Ps.33:20). True, but these sorrows come to them from the outside, and therefore do not take away their spiritual joy. Their body and flesh are insulted, but their soul rejoices, for these sorrows happen to them not as evildoers, but as Christians (1 Peter 4:15-16). And therefore they are not immersed in these sorrows, but are more exalted and boast in sorrows, “knowing that from tribulation comes patience, and from endurance comes experience, from experience does hope, and hope does not put you to shame” (Rom 5:3-5). Moreover, it is joyful to endure sorrow for the sake of a loved one, as we read about the holy apostles who “went out from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41). We read the same about the holy martyrs. And although it happens to Christians in spiritual temptation to be sad, they overcome this sadness with the hope of God’s goodness, and this grief turns into greater consolation for them when the stormy and stormy time passes. Moreover, the Lord will deliver them from all sorrows, as the prophet sings there (Ps. 33:18). Chapter 9: About Christian Wisdom “Who (Christ) became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). § 500. Christian wisdom is Christ, the Son of God, as Saint Paul says: “he became wisdom from God for us.” He reveals to us the secret of knowing the Heavenly Father. “No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed” (John 1:18). “And no one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son wishes to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). “In whom (Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” says the wise Paul (Col. 2:3). The simplest Christian, who is taught the dogmas of the holy faith, is much wiser than Plato and Aristotle and other pagan sages. Which of them understood what a simple Christian knew by faith? “None of the authorities of this age knew it” (1 Cor. 2:8). It is a riot for Hellenic philosophers to hear about God, who is one in nature, but threefold in persons, about God and man in one person, about the Word made flesh (John 1:14), about the Virgin who gave birth and the Virgin who remains, about the body that died, rotted and crumbled into dust, but rises again and lives “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit. God, because he considers it foolishness and cannot understand” (1 Cor. 2:14). But a Christian, enlightened by holy faith, knows and confesses what the wisdom of the wise and the mind of the prudent cannot even hear, for for them it is madness. “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty boast in his strength, let not the rich man boast in his riches. But he who boasts, boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who works mercy, justice and righteousness on earth; for this alone pleases Me, says the Lord” (Jer. 9:23–24). § 501. Christian wisdom does not consist in the knowledge of God alone, but also includes an immaculate Christian life. He who does not do the will of God does not know God, although he confesses Him with his lips and talks a lot about Him. The Holy Scripture testifies to this: “We know that we know Him by keeping His commandments. Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4). And again: “They say that they know God, but in deeds they deny it, being vile and disobedient and incapable of any good work” (Titus 1:16). Therefore, God through the prophet speaks of such: “This people draws near to Me with their lips, and with their lips they honor Me, but their heart is far from Me” (Is. 29:13). And Christ says: “Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord! Lord!” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Therefore, in the Holy Scriptures, those who do not know God, or those who live lawlessly, are called fools, walking in darkness, and so on, as the reader can see. Therefore, Christian wisdom befits only those Christians who live piously in Christ Jesus, while violence and madness are attributed to those who have godlessness in the language of God, but have godlessness in their hearts, even if they counted the stars or knew all the Holy Scriptures by heart. (See also chapter two of the 1st book of the first article). Chapter 10: About Christian freedom “If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free,” says Christ (John 8:36). “Stand fast in the freedom that Christ has given us” (Gal. 5:1). § 502. Nothing is so pleasant and desirable for people as freedom. Who does not want to be freed from work, from prison, from captivity? Everyone honors freedom more than all this world's treasures. Neither wealth, nor honor, nor sweet food pleases us if we do not have freedom. Birds and other dumb things prefer to be free rather than in captivity and eat ready-made food. Everyone has a natural desire and love for freedom. That’s why no one is so comforted by anything as by freedom. True Christians have this treasure - freedom, I say, freedom that is not temporary, but eternal. Their freedom lies neither in place nor in time. Neither prison, nor captivity, nor work, nor an iron chain, nor anything like that can take away their freedom; Everywhere and always they have this priceless treasure with them, bought not with the corruptible things of this world, “not with corruptible things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19). They work for people, work for enemies who have captured them, are imprisoned, tied in chains, but do not lose their sweet freedom. So lofty, glorious and sweet is Christian freedom! § 503. What this freedom of theirs consists of, Holy Scripture shows. 1) They are free from sin, death and eternal condemnation. “I will redeem them from the power of hell, I will deliver them from death,” says the Lord through the prophet (Hosea 13:14). “He will save His people from their sins,” it is said about Christ (Matthew 1:21). “Having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness,” the apostle says to the faithful (Rom. 6:18). Here comes the consoling word of the Apostle John: “He is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:2). Someone will ask: “How are Christians free from death, but still dying?” They die physically, but will rise again on the last day, and will be immortal forever. “Then the word that is written will be fulfilled: death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? hell, where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:54–55) Someone will ask: “Are Christians really sinless?” No, Christians have sin, but it does not reign over them, and although they sin out of weakness, they are cleansed from sin through prayer, repentance and faith in Christ. “If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and righteous, will forgive us our sins,” says the apostle (1 John 1:9). But Christians who allow sin to reign over them do not have this freedom, for “everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin,” according to the word of Christ (John 8:34). 2) Christian freedom consists in the fact that they are free from the curse of the law, as the Apostle Paul says: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:13-14). And again: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). The legal oath is that the law on anyone who does not fulfill everything commanded by the law of God means the wrath of God and subjects him to eternal condemnation. From this Christians are freed by the grace of Christ the Son of God, Who completely fulfilled the whole law and was betrayed for our sins, and was hanged on a tree like an evildoer, and so became a curse for us. And although they do not fulfill the law at all, their shortcomings and weaknesses are supplemented by the most perfect obedience to Jesus Christ, and these weaknesses are left by His grace for those who repent. 3) Christians are free from the law, for they are “not under law, but under grace,” according to the teachings of the wise Paul (Rom. 6:14). For not under the compulsion of the law, but with a free spirit they fulfill the commandments of God, not as slaves fearing the punishment of their master, but as sons showing willing and loving obedience to their father, bearing “the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). In this sense, it seems, Paul wrote: “The law is not made for the righteous” (1 Tim. 1:9), for by the grace of Christ it does what the law commands. But to whom is it laid down? “For the wicked and the disobedient, the ungodly and sinners, the depraved and the defiled,” and so on, as the same apostle adds (1 Tim. 6:9-10). restraining them from lawlessness, which threatens them with execution. To this word Saint Chrysostom says: “The law is not laid down for the righteous. Why? Since he is not involved in torment, and does not expect from the law to become accustomed to good deeds, having within him the commanding grace of the Spirit. For the law was given so that people could be tormented by fear and threat. A strong bridle is not needed for a well-behaved horse, nor a mentor for one that does not require a mentor” (Discourse 2 on 1st Epistle to Timothy). 4) Christians are free from the Jewish ceremonies that they had: circumcision, animal sacrifice, etc. § 504. Someone will ask: “If Christians are not under the law, but under grace, then why is the law preached?” Answer. 1) It is preached to those who are faulty, so that, having become frightened and felt by the law, they come to repentance. Thus, the holy Forerunner, wanting to lead people to repentance and thus prepare their hearts for the acceptance of the gospel faith, preached: “Already the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). 2) It is also preached to pious true Christians, so that, according to its rule, they would correct their lives, so that, looking at it like a mirror, they would recognize the weakness of their nature and purify them by faith in Christ the Son of God, and so they would put off the old man and put on the new, and would prosper in love for God and neighbor, which is the purpose of the law. “The goal of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). § 505. Someone will ask: “If Christians are called to freedom and have freedom, then they (can) freely do whatever they want?” By no means, Christian freedom does not consist in letting them live according to their will and do whatever they want. This freedom is not Christian, but carnal, and not so much freedom as slavish and hard work, for “everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin,” according to the teaching of the Savior (John 8:34). Those who, following their flesh, turn their care for it into lusts are deprived of Christian freedom (Rom. 13:14), and instead fall under the heavy yoke of the tormentor of the devil and sin, and become the poorest captives of their passions and children of eternal destruction, and are under the legal curse, the wrath of God. Christians, when they have their sweetest freedom, meanwhile recognize themselves as servants of the Most High God, Whom they must serve with fear as the Lord (Ps. 2:11; Phil. 2:12; 1 Peter 1:17), having been delivered from the hands of their enemies, “serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of their lives” (Luke 1:75), serve each other with love (Gal. 5:13), and other. Chapter 11: About Christian work “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; for My yoke is easy and My burden is light,” says Christ (Matthew 11:28–30). § 506. And Christian work is sweet work, beloved Christian! Because this is free work, not forced work. For Christians, just as they are called to this work, do that work without coercion. The masters of this age buy slaves for themselves, although they do not want to serve their masters, and assign them to work from which they abhor, and therefore, just as they enslave them against their will, they are forced to work against their will, and therefore this work is sad, because it happens against the will and desire of man. God, the Lord of all, does not treat us this way. He calls everyone to His work, but He forces no one; attracts with His grace and convinces (Matthew 20:1–7, 22:2–9; Luke 14:17–23), but does not force. This is how Christ the Lord sweetly calls to Him those who labor and are burdened: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” But just as the Lord chooses His servants without coercion, so He leaves their work, which He owes to Himself, to their will. He wants everyone to work for Him as their Lord, Creator and Redeemer. He opens His grapes to work and calls everyone through His servants, prophets and apostles and holy teachers, but does not want to force anyone. § 507. Christian work is comforting. Because: 1) Free and arbitrary, and not forced, as stated above. 2) Christians work not for the sake of man, a weak and weak creature like himself, but for the sake of God, the Creator and Lord of all. All people choose better to serve a high person than a simple one; good and merciful rather than cruel; to the wise rather than to the foolish; the righteous rather than the unrighteous, for from the honor of the person for whom they want to work, they want to get their own bliss. But no matter how master a man may be, no matter how high, great, kind, wise and righteous he may be, he is still the same as his servants, the same earth and ashes as his servants. And all human bliss, highness, kindness, wisdom and truth are soon destroyed by the opposite chance. So, when misfortune comes upon the master, his servants who serve him suffer the same. The Lord for Whom Christians work is not like that - not a man, but God. So great that the whole world before Him is like a drop before the sea or like nothing. So high that there is nothing higher than Him, that is why it is called the Most High. “He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings” (Rev. 17:14). Before Him every knee bows, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, with fear and trembling (Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:10; Is. 45:23). His kingdom is the kingdom of all ages, and His dominion is in all generations (Ps. 144:13), and He is “the only mighty King of kings and Lord of lords, the only one who has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Tim. 6:15–16). His goodness, mercy, wisdom, righteousness and truth are infinite and incomprehensible, like He Himself. To such a great, high, good, wise and merciful Lord, Christians bow their knee and submit their head with love and most willing obedience! Therefore, the holy martyrs boasted with this high title before kings and tormentors: “We are Christ’s servants, we serve the Heavenly King.” And although their tormentors and charmers promised them high honors and many riches so that they would obey their godless will, they treated it all like rubbish. They threatened with death and tormented them like lambs, but they didn’t manage to do anything. A sweet and beautiful song was always heard from them: “We serve the living and immortal God, we worship and honor Him: Him we are servants and slaves; We listen to that command.” “Therefore God is not ashamed of them, calling himself their God” (Heb. 11:16). “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). 3) Human masters accept service from their slaves, but do not help them in their service, but demand help from them in all kinds of needs and cases. Christian work is not like that. Christians serve the Lord their God, but God Himself helps them, strengthens and instructs them, gives them zeal and diligence, encourages their spirit, kindles their heart, enlightens their mind and understanding. Therefore, they are commanded to ask for help: “Ask and it will be given to you,” and those who ask receive, “for everyone who asks receives” (Matthew 7:7-8). 4) People-lords, no matter how great and strong they are, cannot always protect them from the slander of the enemy, or help them in their needs, for they themselves, as people, are weak: not a person can do everything he wants. God the Lord is not like that: He can do whatever He wants, as the omnipotent one, and He wants, as the good one, to help and protect His servants, and He knows how to protect, as the wise one, and protects and preserves them, as stated above. 5) People-masters, no matter how kind and merciful they are, often leave their slaves without reward for their faithful service, either without knowing about their diligent services, or without having anything to reward, or, although they reward, they themselves and the servants are temporary, so their reward is temporary. For a person is forced to leave everything either when trouble occurs, or at the time of death. God does not do this with His servants: just as He knows everyone’s work, He has something to reward them for their faithful service, and He rewards them according to their service, and for temporary service He gives them an eternal reward, He makes them participants in His eternal kingdom: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). 6) The work of God’s servants does not consist in wearing some heavy yoke, such work is imposed on people from their masters, especially inhuman ones, but in wearing the good yoke and the light burden of Christ. God does not command His servants to carry earth from place to place, carry stones, dig ore, and do other similar heavy work. There is nothing like that, the Lord does not command it to them. But what? “This,” he says, “I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:17). And, “the goal of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and an unfeigned faith” (1 Tim. 1:5). What is easier than to love? What is sweeter, more pleasant and more convenient than to love? For love, everything is easy, everything is not hard, everything is bearable, everything is convenient. What is hard and intolerable for others, it is inconvenient, impossible - everything is convenient and possible for her. Her true zealots know this. And although God’s servants are often assigned to hard work by unmerciful authorities and tormentors, for the sake of God’s love they endure everything gratefully and generously, for in this way they serve their Lord, and not people. 7) This sweet and comforting Christian work is learned from the opposite work, which is the work of the passions. There is nothing harder than working with passions. How much an evil person is tormented by his inner tormentor, which we have, that is, anger, how many ways he invents to take revenge and repay an insult with an insult, they themselves know, and court cases testify. The envious person is consumed so much inside by that poisonous and deadly worm, seeing the bliss of his neighbor and grieving over him, looking at the good of others and feeling evil inside and hiding it. He turns pale, withers and fades because his neighbor prospers. Such people themselves know better, although internal evil cannot be hidden outwardly. The work of serving mammon as a vile master is hard for the lover of money - how his heart binds and hardens him, and keeps him to himself, turns his hands away from giving alms and help to those in need, and stretches out to steal, and makes him a slave of wealth, and not a master, an enemy of God and His people, and his own tormentor. What fornication and drunkenness does to their zealots is obvious to everyone: they become beasts from people, and madmen from rational ones, and dumb from verbal ones. The same should be understood about other passions. The apostolic word is clear and firm: “Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave” (2 Pet. 2:19). And so, although such seem to themselves to be free, although they do what they want, they are slaves, according to the Scripture: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34), and slaves are more pitiful than those who work for barbarians and tormentors. For it is better to serve man, a rational creature, than to serve passions as an idol, deaf and dumb. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). And further: “If you live according to the flesh, you will die” (Rom. 8:13). Christian work is not like that. Christ's yoke is easy and His burden is light. And working for the sake of righteousness is glorious, noble and greatest freedom, the fruit of which is holiness, and the end is eternal life (Rom. 6:22). Christians, as servants of a meek, long-suffering, merciful, holy, true, humane God, imitate their Lord: they overcome the evil of the evil with goodness, the embittered do not become angry, the blasphemers do not blaspheme, the deprived do not cry, they rejoice in the good of their neighbor as if it were their own, they weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice, they do not seek honor, but when it is given, then it is spent for the glory of God and the common benefit, (and if) it is taken away, they do not complain. Wealth flows to them - they do not put their hearts into it, clinging to the only Lord, they use it for their own needs and give it to those who need it. They have no wealth in their hands; they are content with what they have. They ask for their daily bread from their Father, they receive it, and they thank the Giver. They eat and drink only to strengthen the body of the weak, and not to indulge in sweet food; they eat and drink as much as the weak flesh requires reinforcement. Food, drink, rest and other actions are intended for one goal - godly work. When they receive food and drink, they remember the Giver, for they receive everything from His generous hand, and they remember the food of eternal life. They rejoice, but about the Lord their God; they sigh and cry, but about the same God. They love each other brotherly, but they don’t hate their enemies either. They are revered and praised by people, but they attribute honor and praise to their only Lord. Whether they are prosperous or suffering evil, healthy or sick, abounding or poor, they give thanks for everything, knowing that everything comes from the Lord. Blissful state! Sweet and gracious is the work of God’s servants! An earthly, but heavenly life! Chapter 12: About the Christian world “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). § 508. How difficult it is for a subject to feel the anger of his Sovereign over himself - it is impossible to explain in words. Nothing pleased him then - neither food, nor drink, nor wife, nor children, nor friends, nor anything else. Therefore, it happens that many, unable to bear that wrath, destroy themselves and wish to die rather than live under that wrath. How incomparably harder it is to endure God’s wrath. As far as God is distant from man - he is infinitely distant - so much more severe is God's wrath in comparison with the king's wrath. Therefore, on the day of God’s Last Judgment and His righteous wrath, the wicked will want to hide in caves and mountain gorges, and will say “to the mountains and stones: fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath has come, and who can stand” (Rev. 6:15–17). But as hard and bitter as it is to feel God’s wrath, it is so comforting and beneficial to feel His goodness and mercy in your heart. This incomparably surpasses all the joy and sweetness of this world. Just as a good-looking and fragrant natural rose is more graceful and favorable than one created from any other substance, or painted by the art of a painter, so the slightest taste of God’s goodness is much better and more enjoyable, more than any amusement and consolation of this world. This is the sweet supper that Christ promises to offer to those who listen to His voice and open the doors of their hearts: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). This is eating the hidden manna, which is promised by the same Lord to the overcomer: “To him who overcomes I will give to eat the hidden manna” (Rev. 2:17). This tasting of eternal joy and sweetness is the smallest particle of that amusement, having tasted which, the servants of Christ forget all the joy of this world and all its amusement, like a swamp, muddy and stinking, or as sorrow they impute, but they desire that one thing more and more. Therefore, the wisdom of God says: “The remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me is more pleasant than a honeycomb. Those who eat me will still hunger, and those who drink me will still thirst” (Sir 24:22-23). This sweetest amusement is felt and known only by those whose hearts delight in it. For just as the sweetness of honey is only sensitive to those who taste it, and unknown to those who do not taste it, so this spiritual sweetness of the heart is known only to those who know it and taste it, but others do not know it. And this sweetness is the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, which the Apostle to the Philippians desired: “Let the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). § 509. This sweetest and most precious peace between God and man was cut short when Satan, the evil serpent, envied the bliss of our first parents, and with his evil and crafty advice plunged them into the ditch of disobedience and from the subsequent wrath of God. With this wrath of God, like a dark darkness, the entire universe was covered, and everyone should have expected nothing less from an angry God than worthy of damnation and eternal condemnation. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the whole world is guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19, 23). But Christ, the Son of God, became the Mediator between God and man; the mediastinum that was between God and people was taken away; He propitiated God for us, and appropriated us to God; He reconciled angels with people, and people with angels; He brought Jews with pagans, and pagans with Jews, into a union of peace, and gathered everyone into one blessed flock, that is, from heaven and earth, Jews and pagans. And so it became, according to His word, “one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). The flock honoring, glorifying with songs and praises magnifying Him with the Father and the Spirit, as the Author of the world, the Shepherd and Visitor of our souls, the Author of the faith, the New Testament Intercessor and the great Bishop who has passed through the heavens, the Author and Finisher of salvation, and all eternal bliss, the Beginning and the End. His apostles preach to us about this sweetest peace: “He is our peace, who made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle, abolishing enmity with His flesh, and the law of commandments with teaching, in order to create from the two in Himself one new man, establishing peace, and in one body to reconcile both with God through the cross, killing the enmity on it. And he came and preached peace to you who were far and near, because through Him we both have access to the Father in one Spirit” (Eph. 2:14–18). And again: “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). His Angels are preaching: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14)! The Holy Church gratefully accepts it, is comforted by it and, giving thanks, sings to the Intercessor: “Thou art an intercessor for God and a man, O Christ God! By You, O Lord, from the night of ignorance, the Imams were brought to Your Father, the Father of Light” (Song of the 5th tone of the 2nd). § 510. Although this peace, precious for everyone, was brought to earth from the Heavenly Father by the Son of God, the Prince and Director of the world, “and came and preached peace to those far and near” (Eph. 2:17), either Himself, fulfilling His Heavenly Father’s great mission on earth, or through His apostles, wise by the Holy Spirit, they are not worthy of that heavenly gift. those who do not accept the Evangelist of peace by faith. Also, Christians who, although they think that they believe in that great Messenger, but have a life contrary to faith, “say that they know God, but deny by deeds, being vile and disobedient and incapable of any good deed” (Titus 1:16). For this world has its own place in the conscience and heart, but the conscience, defiled by vices and irritated by iniquities, proclaims nothing else to the sinner than God, who is grieved by transgression, and the wrath of God, the oath of God and eternal condemnation, which is why this world has no place there, but instead an evil worm, confusion and all anxiety. And those who have this dear and heavenly treasure are those who, having purified their hearts by faith, produce fruits worthy of repentance (Matt. 3:8), crucify “the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24), just as Christ’s servants do not turn care for the flesh into lusts (Rom. 13:14), and serve each other with love (Gal. 5:13), and have peace with each other in Christ ( 2 Corinthians 13:11). And although they are often shaken by the fear and horror of God’s righteous judgment and eternal condemnation, as happens in great spiritual temptation, they overcome that anxiety with the hope of God’s goodness and faith in the Reconciler and Mediator Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and are so sweetly comforted, remembering the apostolic word of comfort: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk in the flesh, but in the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). Chapter 13: About the conversation of Christians with God “Lord, who will dwell in Your habitation? or who will dwell on Your holy mountain? He who walks uprightly and does righteousness speaks the truth from his heart,” and so on (Ps. 14:1-2 et seq.). § 511. Oh, what great consolation Christians through faith draw from the fact that they are worthy to talk with God, it is impossible to explain! A person considers it great happiness to talk with his Monarch, or a prince, or some high person in a friendly manner, although the Tsar, the prince, the nobleman and every high person is the same person as the others, the same earth and ashes as the others, and has the same infirmities as the others, the same sinner as the others, and does not differ in anything from the simple ones, except for one temporary and soon departing title, however, a conversation with such a person is considered bliss from everyone friendly. How incomparably more blessed, comforting and gracious is it before the living, immortal, eternal, great and incomprehensible God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and holding all things in His hand, Who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Lord Almighty, to stand with faith, to look at His most holy face with faith, and to offer heartfelt advice, which He knows even before our proposal, and from Him reciprocally expect appropriate mercy! Christians, true servants of Christ, are worthy of such the highest mercy and honor! How many times they turn in prayer, so many times they are honored to talk to God and ask Him, as the Father of the child, to kindly and with fear and reverence ask for various things. They show Him their sinful wounds and ask Him for merciful healing: “Father, forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:12). They complain about their enemy, who walks “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and, asking for protection from him: “Deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13), they ask for help in the feat of faith and piety. They thank Him for the benefits He has shown and are still providing, and in the future they strive not to be deprived of the same benefits with humility. They present to Him His wondrous deeds, created for His glory and our benefit, and praise His almighty power, incomprehensible goodness and love for mankind. And what is more amazing and blissful is that when they want and where they want, they always and everywhere do it freely. For God is in every place and is always ready to listen to the conversations of His servants. Access to kings and other high officials is not always and everywhere free for those in need. Not so, but everywhere and always, when they want, His servants approach Him. The doors of grace are always open to Him, and mercy is undoubtedly promised to all who approach with faith and reverence. And if everyone, in a single minute, as many people as there are in the world, approached Him in a proper manner, he would be ready to hear everyone. Christians have such a Lord as their King and Father! They converse with Such One, being earth and ashes, and also sinners! Without a doubt, it is known that man is unworthy to talk with God, and Christians readily admit this. For who is worthy to converse with Him, before whom even the angels cover their faces and do not dare to look at Him (Is. 6:2). But God Himself, by the grace of His Only Begotten Son, worthy of them. Christians, thinking about the majesty of God and the terrible glory of their Lord, revere Him, fall and are deeply humbled by the conquest of the spirit, but, looking at His incomprehensible grace and mercy, and the grace of their all-powerful Intercessor Jesus Christ, they do not put aside boldness, as the prophet says: “For we present our prayers before You, trusting not in our righteousness, but in Your mercy is great, O Lord" (Dan.9:18). § 512. They are deprived of this sweetest consolation and every spiritual good: 1) Those who abandon prayers and practice themselves in worldly conversations and other indecencies, from which they experience nothing more than a wounded conscience. 2) Those who pray, but without any reasoning or attention; they read a lot of prayers or psalms, but only with the art of language, and what they read, they themselves do not know; They pray to God with their tongue, but with their mind they retreat from Him and bypass various places, faces and everyday concerns. We approach God with our mind and heart, and not with our appearance; we talk with Him with our mind and heart, and not in one language. The word is nothing other than the messenger of the human heart and thoughts, which, when it cannot fit into the heart, comes out through the word. But a word without mind and thought consonant with the word is nothing other than the voice of a trumpet, or a bird’s voice or a beast’s voice. And God does not listen to the word, but to our heart. 3) Those who want to pray, but do not stop sinning. One must first be reconciled with God through repentance and faith in Christ the Son of God, and so in the name of Christ approach God, who knows the heart. The apostle says: “Let everyone who confesses the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2:19). And the prophet says: “For You are God, Who does not like iniquity, the evil one will not dwell in You, and the wicked will not abide in Your sight: You have hated all those who commit iniquity, You will destroy all who speak lies; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and the flattering” (Ps. 5:5–7). Chapter 14: Of the Comfort of Holy Scripture “The law of Your mouth is better for me than much gold and silver. How sweet are Your words to my throat, sweeter than honey to my lips! I will rejoice in Your words, as one who has found great wealth” (Ps. 119:72, 103, 162). § 513. It is impossible to say what kind of sweetness, spiritual sweetness, the servants of Christ receive from this source, that is, Holy Scripture! 1) They firmly understand and are confident that the Holy Scripture is the truest of their God, Whom they love with their hearts, the word with which they speak mercifully and fatherly, and the message full of love from the King of Heaven, who through the prophets and apostles sent to the human race and revealed His holy will in them. How comforted a person is when he receives a message from his King! How he admires them! He often rereads it, shows it to others, and boasts about it, although the Tsar is the same person. How incomparably the servants of God delight in the message of their Heavenly King to them, when they consider who sent His message to whom, and they understand that He is their God, their Creator, their Father and good Provider, the King and Lord of glory, whom they serve from the heart, love and worship with fear. Such and such a great Lord was pleased to write to His lowly servants by His Holy Spirit and send through His servants chosen for this purpose, the prophets and apostles. 2) Oh, how a son who is on a foreign side is consoled when he receives writing from his father from the house of his fatherland: reading it, he thinks as if he saw his father himself and listened to his sweet conversation. So exactly, and even more than that, the sons of God, true Christians, who are strangers and strangers on earth, are comforted, and from afar with faith they look with tearful eyes at their heavenly fatherland, and sigh, “desiring to put on their heavenly dwelling, and they know that, being settled in the body, they are removed from the Lord, for they walk by faith and not by sight” ( 2 Cor.5:2, 6–7). How, I say, in this vale of weeping they are consoled when they read their Heavenly Father’s kind message, and looking at it and reading it, it is as if they saw Him Himself and heard His sweetest conversation, singing with David and saying: “How sweet are Your words to my throat, sweeter than honey to my lips!” 3) In this most holy and Divine message they read and see God their Father and His most Divine properties, which are not inherent in anyone else except Him: omnipotence, wisdom, goodness, mercy, truth, omnipresence, eternity, majesty, His terrible glory, and so on, and they rejoice greatly in the fact that such a God, Who alone is the true God, God of gods and Lord rulers, the King of kings, who dwells in the unapproachable light, gave their names with their hearts and wrote them down in faith, and in this spiritual joy they exclaim to Him with the prophet: “O Lord my God, You are wonderfully great, You have clothed yourself with glory and splendor. You dress yourself in light like a robe, you stretch out the sky like a skin, you cover your heights with water, you make the clouds your chariot, you walk on the wings of the wind. You create Your angels as spirits and Your servants as fiery flames. He founded the earth on its firmament,” and so on (Ps. 104:1–5 et seq.). 4) In this they see the beginning of the existence of all things and their own, for the one Trinitarian God, in whom they believe, wisely created everything out of nothing. They see that man is a special creature and more perfect than other things; created in an excellent way, with special advice: “Let us create man,” said God; honored with a high and incomprehensible honor: “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). They see and are amazed at the goodness of God that he poured out on man in this great work. 5) Not without sighing and sorrow they read that a man who was so highly esteemed by God fell into such a deep pit of misfortune through the envy of the devil, and who was so loved by God and was gifted above nature, became His enemy, and with humility and regret they confess: “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed lawlessness, we have committed iniquity” (Ps. 105:6). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). But when they reason that the same man who fell in such a miraculous way was restored and exalted by God more than before, they find here a great and most important reason for the incomprehensible goodness of their Creator and Savior to be surprised: how He again so miraculously attracted His apostate with His love to Himself - and in this surprise they worthily exclaim with the prophet: “Lord! What is man that You have revealed yourself to him? or the son of man, what do you think about him?” (Ps. 143:3). They read and see in that Divine and Holy Scripture that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And, feeling this love of the Heavenly Father in their hearts, they are encouraged to mutual love, and say to the prophet: “I will love You, Lord, my strength! The Lord is my strength and my refuge and my deliverer, my God, my helper in whom I trust, my protector, and the horn of my salvation, and my intercessor” (Ps. 17:2-3)! 6) In this holy epistle they see their heavenly calling described, for they were called out of darkness into God’s wonderful light, and from the power of Satan to God (1 Peter 2:9; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13), since they are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people taken for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9). They see their lofty and heavenly nobility, given to them by faith in Christ, but not yet revealed, as the apostle says to them in consolation: “Beloved! we are now children of God; but it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We only know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). And with “hope they wait for the revelation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19), and they boast in “the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2). 7) They see their beautiful, sweet, most beloved fatherland, described differently from the Heavenly Father by His Holy Spirit, and offered to them for consolation and cooling in times of sorrow, like living water in times of thirst. And from this many-troubled world, as from a foreign and distant land, they look at it with tearful eyes of faith and sigh for it, “desiring to be clothed with their heavenly habitation” (2 Cor. 5:2). 8) They see there the saving instruction of their Heavenly Father, how they should live comfortably in this world, in this foreign country, and live in the midst of an obstinate and corrupt generation, without being tempted; as from his adversary, the devil, who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and beware of his evil servants, who all block the path to the heavenly fatherland; and, not relying on their strength, they lift up their mournful eyes to the Father who lives in heaven, praying: “You, Lord, will preserve us and keep us from this generation and forever” (Ps. 11:8). 9) They see there, as in a pure mirror, their shortcomings before their Father, weaknesses and shortcomings, into which they reluctantly, wandering in the weak flesh, fall, but humbly recognizing their weakness, they pray to Him: “Father! forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), and they receive merciful forgiveness. 10) Here they see that both everyone and they, as mortals, must pay their debt to mortal nature, die one day and pass from this world to the next, and appear in the face of God, and thinking about that hour, they prepare for the outcome. 11) They also see there that the flesh is buried in the earth and decays, but on the last day, when God is pleased, it will be united again with the soul and will be clothed in a new, beautiful, incorruptible, immortal form, and will flourish like a lily, and they expect, without a doubt, that beautiful spring. 12) They finally see how their Lord, in whom they believe and serve Him, “will come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, and will sit on the throne of His glory, and all nations will be gathered before Him” (Matt. 25:31–32), “so that everyone may receive according to what he has done while living in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). This coming of the Lord, as much as it will be terrible and unbearable for the wicked and those who have not listened to His gospel (for who can endure the wrath of the Lord?), so it is comforting and joyful for those who believe in the Coming One to judge the living and the dead, for then they will feel and know that their deliverance is approaching (Luke 21:28). And although the fear of that righteous judgment of God strikes in their hearts, the faith with which they cleave to their merciful Savior, who loved them and gave Himself for them (Gal. 2:20), gives living consolation to their troubled hearts. Although they know that no one can justify themselves before Him, and no one can stand if they look at iniquity (Ps. 143:2, 129:3), and they find in their conscience weaknesses and sins against His holy law, but through sincere repentance and hope in the Lamb of God who suffered for the sins of men, who took away the sins of the world, they are confirmed in the unshakable hope of mercy God's And so the servants of Christ find great consolation in the Holy Scriptures. And this scripture is like a pure mirror for them, in which, wandering in a foreign land, they see their Heavenly Father and rejoice in Him. They see His Divine merciful Providence, His unparalleled mercy and kiss it with the kiss of heartfelt love. They see His majesty and terrible glory and humbly worship it. They see wisdom and are amazed at it. They see His most holy truth and glorify it, they see His glorious deeds and glorify Him. They see their Divine nobility, given to them by faith in Christ from the Heavenly Father, and thank Him. In this purest mirror they see their infirmities - and with tears and faith in His Son they wipe them away, they also see their prepared bliss - and with desire they strive for it, they finally see everything that concerns their true bliss - and against all disasters and sorrows, ailments and infirmities, as in a very rich pharmacy, they find life-giving medicines. § 514. Those Christians who: 1) They abandon this Divine treasure and the Heavenly Father, an invaluable gift, but amuse themselves in books that amuse the flesh and incline them to vanity rather than lead them away from it, and act like those who, having left a source of living, clean water, resort to muddy wells and want to quench their thirst. 2) Those who read or listen to the Holy Scripture for the sake of debate, and not for the sake of consolation, just to know where what is written, in order to be smart and appear before people, and not for the sake of being skillful Christians, to know God and His holy will, the beginning and end of their life, the bliss and wretchedness of their beginning and state. Such wise men and cunning talkers do not find the manna hidden in the Holy Scripture, even if they kept it all in their memory, because they do not read it for the purpose for which the words of the Holy Spirit, the Creator of God, were composed and written through His holy servants, the prophets and apostles. (See also chapter 1 of the first article in the 1st book and chapter 2 of the fifth article in the 2nd book). Chapter 15: About the presence of God with Christians in their sorrows “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” says Christ (Matthew 28:20). § 515. Our Savior Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that His faithful servants, true Christians, would be sorrowful in the world, as He predicted to them: “In the world you will have sorrow” (John 16:33), - for this reason He promised, out of His love for mankind, to always be with them, although apparently he was absent; why, to console them, he said this word: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Having this hope, the faithful and the Church joyfully exclaim to Him: “O Divine One! oh dear! O Thy sweetest voice! You have truly promised to be with us until the end of the age, O Christ. Through his faithfulness we have hope, we rejoice” (Song 9 of the canon of Holy Pascha). God declared this dear and sweetest presence of His with the faithful in the Old Testament. God said to Jacob, the holy patriarch: “I am the God of Abraham your father; Fear not, for I am with you; and I will bless you” (Gen. 26:24). And further: “I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring you back” (Gen. 46:4). And he also says to the chosen Israel: “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be troubled, for I am your God; I will strengthen you,” and so on (Is. 41 et seq.). And again: “You are Mine. Whether you pass through waters, I will be with you; whether you cross rivers, they will not drown you; If you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you” (Is. 43:1-2). Thus it is written about Saint Joseph that “God was with him” (Acts 7:9); it is written about Israel: “The Lord your God Himself will go with you and will not depart from you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). This presence of God with His faithful servants is not the same as with other people and creatures, since God, as omnipresent, is everywhere and in every place, of course, but gracious and comforting and keeping them as His children, as Saint Moses says in his song: “he protected him (Israel), looked after him, kept him as the apple of his eye; like an eagle calls its nest, flies over its chicks,” and so on. (Deut 32:10–11). Encouraged by this gracious presence of God, the faithful dare and say to God and the prophet: “If I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You, O God, are with me” (Ps. 23:4). They dare in bonds, prisons, exiles, captivities, battles, sufferings and even deaths, for the Lord is near them, preserving and saving them, and they say with the prophet: “God is with us” (Is. 8:10); - they say with the Psalmist: “The Lord shepherds us and will not deprive us of anything” (Ps. 22:1); exclaim with the apostle: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom.8:31) Consider, beloved Christian, what greater consolation can there be for a God-loving soul than to have God present and to look at Him with the eyes of faith? And where God is with His gracious presence, there is all consolation, joy and joy. The Psalmist felt this himself: “I am always with You; You held me by the right hand, and guided me with Your advice, and received me with glory. What is heaven to me? and without You, what do I want on earth? My heart and my flesh faint, O God of my heart and my portion, O God, forever” (Ps. 72:23-26). The holy martyrs felt it, and in the most severe suffering they rejoiced, and they triumphed over the devil and his servants. All the saints felt and valiantly endured all kinds of sorrows. Those who now work for Him feel with fear, and cling to Him with faith and love, and therefore all the sweetness and joy of this world, like pus, they despise and abhor, being content and comforted with this inner treasure alone. Chapter 16: About the Christian victory “Everyone born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. Who overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). § 516. There is no victory without feat, no feat without battle, and battle without enemies. For Christians, the servants of Christ, the common and everlasting enemy is the devil with his dark horde, demons and his servants. Against this enemy they must endure constant warfare and heroic deeds. When Israel, with a strong hand and a high arm, got rid of the slavery of Egypt, Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, chased after him with his army, wanting to enslave him again. So the new Israel - Christians, who are the spiritual children of Abraham (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:17, 29), is being chased by Satan with his dark army, pursuing those who have been delivered from dark power and slavery by the power of Christ, in order to subjugate them again. Old Testament Israel, going to the promised land, was hindered by many enemies and was not allowed to reach that land. So the new Israel, Christians, is trying to prevent the same enemy the devil from reaching the heavenly fatherland, which God promised to believers in His name. Christians have constant warfare and struggle with this adversary. § 517. It must be admitted that this battle and feat is difficult, as the following circumstances show: 1) These Christian enemies are not visible, but invisible, not blood and flesh, but the spirits of wickedness in high places, as the apostle says: “Our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the high places” (Eph. 6:12). And therefore, in this spiritual warfare it is not the same as in the battle of this world, where enemies see each other and are afraid. But here our enemies see us, they observe what we do, what we begin, what we incline our deeds, words and undertakings to, they take note, but we, like spirits, do not see them. 2) They are beyond measure evil and hostile towards us, and in every way they seek to overthrow and destroy us. 3) They are cunning and cunning, and over so many centuries, having learned the art themselves, they know well how to approach, from which side to attack, with what weapon to hurt whom, they know how to offer us evil and good under the guise, how to offer poison to us under the cover of honey, and under the guise of harm to ward off good, and often with our imaginary good they fight us, leading us to arrogance. 4) They never stop fighting us. We sleep and rest, but they never rest, but are always and everywhere awake to our destruction, and when it seems that they have left us, then with great desire they want to attack us and hurt us more. 5) These enemies find their weapons against us in ourselves and fight us with our weapons. Our corrupted heart is for them like a vagina for all sorts of weapons with which they wound us. “For from the heart come evil thoughts,” says Christ our King (Matthew 15:19). They always shoot at us with these guns. Our mind, tongue, eyes, ears and other members try to perpetrate injustice with instruments, and thus hurt our conscience, and take away victory from us. 6) Thus, rebelling against us, they want to deprive us not of our property, not of our land, not of our cities, not of our head, not of our temporary life, but of what is dearer than the whole world - eternal salvation. Against so many and such enemies, Christians are faced with battle and heroic deeds. They must perform this feat not with a slumbering eye, not with a discouraged heart, but cheerfully and vigilantly, if they want to be unashamed before their Master Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christ our King and Lord exhorts us: “Watch and pray, so as not to fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). His holy apostles, His messengers and our princes admonish Him: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). “If anyone thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). “My brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:10–11). And also Christ: “Hold what you have, lest anyone take your crown” (Rev. 3:11). From these and other admonitions found in the Holy Scriptures, it is clear how difficult the battle is for Christians with these ethereal enemies. And the faithful themselves, every day, experience their fierce attacks, when through evil thoughts they try to either destroy their faith, as the basis of all spiritual bliss, or extinguish love and sow their lawless tares in the field of their hearts. § 518. Although this battle is terrible for us, beloved Christian, we should not despair, for we have such a Leader and King, whose name these enemies of ours tremble. He stands for us and will fight, He knows their intrigues, their plans and tricks against us and, like cobwebs, is strong to break and destroy them. This enemy took away our victory in our first parents, Adam and Eve, and captured us under his dark power, and triumphed over us, like a terrible giant and tormentor over the vanquished, but Christ the Son of God stood up for us, fought with our enemy for us and defeated him with all his dark hordes, took away his stolen self-interest, returned the captivity, and captured the one who captivated us, from his dark power, He brought us out of torment and bitter slavery, and gave us freedom, so that for Him, as a righteous King, “Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom is to all generations and generations” (Dan 4:31; Ps. 144:13), with a free spirit we would fight and serve Him, following with faith and love the hero, the Prince, the King and To our leader. This merciful and all-powerful Intercessor of our enemies, the Conqueror, encourages us with His power and revives the discouraged: “Take courage: I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He promised to be with us until the end of the world, to help us, to take up arms with us against our enemies and to defeat them: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). For He does not abandon His servants and warriors, whom He loved and called to this feat, but helps them, strengthens them, intercedes in necessary cases, and by Himself defeats and defeats His enemies in them. For this reason, He granted His servants and soldiers weapons suitable for this feat. For warfare and heroic deeds are not carried out without weapons, as in the warfare of this world, where flesh against flesh and man fights against man, everyone can see. § 519. The weapon appropriate for warfare and feat is not carnal, just as that warfare is not carnal, but spiritual. The spirit is an enemy, and it is not afraid of carnal weapons, such as swords, spears, arrows, bows and others, for it is not wounded by them, but rather laughs. Therefore, our King and Leader Christ gave us a different weapon against him, as the Apostle Paul, the brave warrior of Christ says: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the destruction of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4). The weapons of the Christian army are as follows: 1) Faith, as the apostle says: “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Faith receives all its strength and strength from Christ, the Son of God, on Whom, as on a solid and unshakable foundation, it is established and struggles against Satan and his servants. Therefore, the apostle further says: “Whoever overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5). Saint Peter teaches us to put on this weapon and resist our adversary the devil: “Resist him with firm faith” (1 Peter 5:9). Faith requires that we, taking up arms against this adversary of ours, not rely on our own strength and reason, strength and art, but on Him in Whom we believe, trust, and expect only help, guidance and victory from Him. There is no faith where there is no hope in Him in whom one believes. And therefore we must despair of our strength in order to be trustworthy in the power of Christ. That is why Saint Paul says: “I will much rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9). And the Psalmist trusts in Him for strength and, daring, says: “With the help of God we will show strength: and He will humiliate those who oppress us” (Ps. 59:14). He girdles His servants with strength (Ps. 17:33); teaches their hands to fight, their fingers to fight (Ps. 143:1), for “The Lord is mighty and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle” (Ps. 23:8). The Holy Church commands her children to trust and dare in this all-powerful Champion: “The champion of the Imam from Her (the Virgin Mary) of the born Lord. Be brave, be brave, people of God! For He will conquer his enemies, for He is omnipotent” (Tone of the 1st Theotokos). And in another place he sings to Him: “You are my strength, Lord, You are my strength!” and so on (Tone 8, Canto 4). But at the same time, we ourselves must not lose heart or be lazy, but be sober and watchful, as Saint Peter exhorts: “Be sober and watchful” (1 Peter 5:8). For Christ helps those who work, and not those who lie down and sleep, and warfare requires achievement. Therefore, the lazy and sleepy rely in vain on the Helper Christ. 2) The Word of God is a spiritual sword, according to the words of the apostle: “And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17), is also a weapon against enemies. With this weapon Christ Himself defeated Satan when he was tempted by him in the desert, and against the intrigues he proposed, he cited the Scriptures, with which he put the tempter to shame (Matthew 4:1-11). So the image gave us, in necessary cases, to fight against it with God’s help with the same weapon. Whether it leads us to despair, let us apply God’s mercy, promised to repentant sinners. Whether he exalts himself in pride, we answer him that we are earth and ashes, and that “everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated” (Luke 18:14), and “God opposes the proud” (1 Peter 5:5). Whether he wants to hurt us with love of money, lust and other arrows, let us collect allowances decent against his arrows from the same Scripture. 3) Against a proud spirit, the spirit of malice, envy and hatred, a strong and effective weapon is humility, meekness and love. With these weapons he is put to shame and yields. It is commendable to be proud against him, to hate him and to be angry at him alone, as the enemy of God and the enemy of the human race. But to humble yourself before God and people, to forgive a person who has offended you, and to love a brother who hates you is a caustic weapon against him. To this end, Christ exhorts: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). And the apostle: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). 4) A strong and effective weapon against this adversary is humble, zealous and pure prayer, with which we should always protect ourselves and prepare and arm ourselves against an enemy attack, but most of all when he attacks us with evil thoughts, and with those, like flaming arrows, he wants to wound our heart and conscience. For prayer asks for God's omnipotent help, and a person, despairing of his strength, hopes for the omnipotent power of God, by which he stands strong against his enemy - and in his own strength he is weak, but in God's he is strong - he shames the proud and highly intelligent spirit, being flesh and blood, which for him is more caustic than any torment. That is why Christ so strongly exhorts us to prayer: “Watch and pray, so that you do not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). And he showed how to pray: “Lead us not into temptation, Father, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11:4). And the apostle says: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Here are the armies of Christian weapons! With these weapons, all the saints took up arms against the common enemy of the Christian devil, they resisted him with them and, by the power of the King and their Lord, defeated him. With these things it is fitting for us to gird ourselves, “so that we may be able to withstand in the evil day” (Eph. 6:13), that is, at the hour of his attack on us. § 520. Christian victory, as can be seen, consists of courageous patience. In the battle of this world, he who drives out his enemy and defeats him wins, but in Christian spiritual warfare this is not the case, but everything is contrary to that. Here the one who wins is the one who, being persecuted, endures, the one who is offended does not take revenge, the one who is slandered - blesses, the one who is deprived - does not seek, the one who is reproached - does not reproach, and generously endures every temptation and ill-suffering that comes his way. The apostle says about this: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). This is Christian victory - to overcome evil with good. Since the battle here is spiritual, for the spirit of faith fights and struggles with the spirit of malice, then the victory is spiritual, for with the spirit of humility the spirit of pride is overcome, with the spirit of meekness the spirit of malice, with the spirit of patience the spirit of anger and vengeance. The Holy Gospel teaches us that Christ, our King and Hero of God, when He entered into a feat for us, defeated these enemies of ours in no other way than by the patience of the cross, that is, of all suffering. He began with patience, with patience he carried on, with patience he ended His holy and long-suffering life on earth. When he began to bear the cross in infancy, persecuted by the lawless Herod, the kingdom of our dark enemy, the devil, began to collapse. He suffered blasphemy and reproach from the lawless for the truth, and the enemy of truth also suffered blows. The unjust appeared before the court, and the Judge of all was judged unjustly - the prince of this world was also condemned, as He Himself says, “that the prince of this world was condemned” (John 16:11). He was nailed to the cross - our adversary was wounded and fell. So our slanderer was deposed and thrown to the ground like a dead man, and victory over him was granted to us. The all-powerful and terrible Victorious Christ, our King, was followed by the apostles, martyrs and all the saints, and the conquered enemy was courageously trampled underfoot by the power of the Victor. Our Savior gave us this image of victory, so that we too would defeat this enemy of our souls with nothing other than patience. That is why Saint Chrysostom says: “Christ taught us that it is proper to defeat the devil not with signs, but with suffering and long-suffering” (Discourse 13 on the Evangelist Matthew). § 521. Someone will say: “It is evil people who persecute us and embitter us, not the devil.” Is it true. People make people angry, but he, as the leader of evil, uses evil people as his weapon. Thus, people persecuted Christ, the Son of God, blasphemed, tortured and crucified, but this was done through his machinations. He led people to this with his evil advice. Therefore, Christ for His crucifiers, as blinded, regretting their destruction, prayed: “Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also, the wicked kings and their envoys tortured the holy martyrs, but he is the leader of all that evil. He tried to lead the slaves and warriors of Christ away from the holy faith and destroy them, but as he could not do this on his own, he invented servants pleasing to himself, wicked people, through whom he embittered and shed the blood of the saints, tormented and crushed their bodies, but he himself, by the faith and power of the crucified Christ, trampled under foot with his lawless servants. The same thing is now being done with the faithful. The same adversary is still teaching people to persecute and embitter the servants of God. First, through various temptations, through the thoughts and delusions of the world, he attacks Christians and wants to take them away from Christ, but when he sees them resisting himself, he finds another way to do his evil work, finds people who obey his will, and through them he persecutes and embitters Christ’s people, so that, unable to endure the suffering, they fall away from faith and Christ and again fall into his dark region. This is why it happens that the righteous have many sorrows (Ps. 33:20) and “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil people and deceivers will continue to do evil, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim 3:12-13). And those who stand motionless in piety, repulse the evil attacks of the enemy through thoughts with faith and the persecutions inflicted through evil people, generously endure, defeat him, and if they are faithful to the end, then they receive the crown of righteousness from the Hero of Christ, according to His word: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). § 522. Truly this feat is difficult, as said above! A lot of work is required to strive against the invisible enemy, to overcome the thoughts that he stirs up in our hearts against us, to generously endure the troubles and misfortunes inflicted by him through evil people, the swelling pride and anger that arises and wants to happen in action, to restrain and humble, and so stand against one’s heart, to overcome natural anger and to renounce oneself (for all this is required by this feat). But glorious is the victory! What is more glorious than to overcome the weak flesh of a strong spirit, trample upon the spirit of pride, malice, envy with the spirit of humility, meekness and love? This is an unbearable ulcer for him, as a proud spirit, and it torments him more than the fire of Gehenna, which is overcome by weak flesh. The Hero of God Christ looks favorably on this victory from heaven and prepares a crown of glory for the winner. The holy angels rejoice over her and glorify their Lord, who strengthened His servants for such a feat. The whole world is surprised about her. Who does not marvel at this, discussing the weakness of the flesh and the strength of the spirit? The wicked tormentors themselves were amazed at the patience of the martyrs, whose flesh they tormented like animals. Therefore, many came to the knowledge of the truth, and Whom they blasphemed and persecuted - Christ, Who with the sufferers glorified and believed in Him. Many of them from all over the world were victors, but one Christian, armed with the power of Christ, was defeated. Also, many were conquerors of the universe, but were defeated and captured by this spiritual enemy, and became his eternal slaves. And what is the use of that? What glory? To defeat people like yourself, but to be defeated by passions, flesh, sin and the devil? To command people, but to submit to the vile tormentor, the demon? This is not what a true Christian is like. He yields to people who persecute him, but thereby stands against the enemy of the devil. He generously endures ulcers from man, but invisibly wounds Satan’s enemy. He is driven out by visible enemies, enslaved, and sometimes mocked, but he drives out and tramples on invisible enemies by the power of Him for whose sake he endures and suffers all this. Just as there could be no greater feat than this, no more glorious victory. You will recognize this truth, beloved Christian, if by faith you imagine who is struggling with whom and what this struggle is about. A humble man fights with Belial and the prince of darkness, and weak flesh fights with a proud spirit! About what? About the honor and glory of our King Christ and about our eternal salvation. One (the devil) wants to dishonor the King of glory, and to subdue and destroy His warrior, while the other (the Christian) stands for it, does not spare his own flesh and blood, exposes his life (to danger), does not give room to the enemy, and so wins. How does he win? Doesn't give him what he wants. Once Christ defeated him and gave him over to be trampled underfoot by His servants, saying: “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). He wants to snatch this victory from the servants of Christ. He who stands strong and holds what is given from Christ, according to His word: “Hold what you have, so that no one takes your crown” (Rev. 3:11), he overcomes him. Saint Chrysostom beautifully teaches and encourages Christians to this feat. “It’s not the same here as in the competition of the wrestlers of this world. There, if you don’t overthrow, you didn’t win, but here, if you don’t overthrow, you won. If you are not deposed, you will be deposed. And truly! There, both try to win, and if one is deposed, the other is crowned. This is not the case here, but the devil is trying to defeat us (to defeat us). When we take away from him what he is trying to achieve, he wins.” And a little lower: “For he has already been cast down and is in destruction. His victory is not in getting married, but in destroying me, therefore, if I do not overthrow, but will not be overthrown, he has won” (Conversation 22 on the Epistle to the Ephesians). § 523. In the battles of this world, it happens that whoever was defeated at first becomes the winner at the end of the war. So in this spiritual battle, many were defeated by the enemy at first, but at the end, having overcome it by the grace of God and strengthened by the power of Christ, they fought hard and defeated him. It is not the beginning, but the end that is praiseworthy and accomplishes every work, and every blessedness is described not from the beginning, but from the end. Blessed is not the one who begins well, but the one who finishes his feat well, and he is adorned with the crown of victory who receives the final victory over the enemy, even if he was first defeated and deposed. Therefore, the defeated adversary the devil should not despair and give himself over to the enemy to the utmost joy, but, calling for help the power of the almighty Christ the Lord, the Victor of death and hell, rise up, and, shaking off the sleep of laziness and despondency, strive with His help. We can do everything while we are in this century, begin the feat in truth and finish it with the power of the omnipotent Christ, for “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). He is strong, and strong, and faithful, who says to all those who believe in Him: “Take courage: I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), and: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). For “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8), who, as in the past He helped His servant, so now helps those who labor and call on Him. § 524. From what has been described above you can see, O Christian: 1) That Christians are faced with spiritual struggle and struggle all their lives until death, for Satan fights them to the end, and constant struggle, for the enemy constantly rises up against them in different ways. 2) Those Christians who do not feel this battle are in a disastrous state, for the enemy does not bother him who submits to his evil will, as we can see in the battle in which man meets man, where the enemy does not fight the one who submits to himself. Otherwise, the spiritual enemy never leaves the one who resists him and cares about the integrity of his salvation. For his desired self-interest is to depose and destroy a Christian man. 3) Those who serve passions, such as fornicators, drunkards, thieves, covetous people, evil-doers, robbers and others like that, are captives of the devil’s obvious enemy, and are in misery under his heavy yoke and dark power. Therefore, if they do not want to drink the bitter cup of God’s wrath and judgment with him forever, they must feel towards Christ, the captive Liberator, sigh and pray, and so by His power free themselves from that heavy and fatal yoke, so as not to perish with him forever, having become his eternal captives. 4) All such captives do not have the Christian faith, although they are called Christians. For faith struggles against all sin and does not give room to the devil, resisting him, as the apostle teaches: “Resist him (the devil) with firm faith” (1 Peter 5:9). And when they do not have faith, they are called Christian in vain. For what good is a name without the thing itself? Very bad! Rather, it leads to greater condemnation, for they were called Christians, but in essence they were pagans, even worse than pagans, many of whom withdrew from such deeds due to the enlightenment of natural reason, which errant Christians dare to do. 5) You can also see from this, dear Christian, why pious true Christians find themselves in all sorts of calamities in this world. Because Satan rebels against them, and what he himself cannot do, through evil people, his servants, brings them into action and embitters them. For they resist him, and therefore he does not cease to rebel against them in order to overthrow them and bring them under his power. 6) It is also clear why evil people, for the most part, live prosperously. For they are the dear children of this age and please the prince of this age, therefore he leaves them alone. Chapter 17: About the death or death of Christians “The death of His saints is honorable before the Lord” (Ps. 116:6). “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). § 525. As for the external appearance of death, the righteous and the sinner, the pious and the wicked are equal in death, and in this there is no difference between the pious and the wicked. For equally the pious and the wicked suffer, groan and lose this life; Likewise, the head, hands, and feet of a martyr of Christ are cut off, just like a villain; likewise, the martyr is burned, crucified, pierced with a spear, drowned in water and departs from this life as a murderer, a villain and a robber; in the same way, everyone is buried equally in the ground, as Holy Scripture testifies to this: there is one “entry into life for everyone and the same outcome” (Wisdom 7:6). Even cattle, no different from people, expire and cease to live. But if we penetrate into the inner state and judge what the holy faith represents to us, we will see the difference in the death of the pious and the wicked, since their lives in this world were different. § 526. Distinction between the death of the pious and the wicked. 1) Although the pious and the wicked are called sleeping in the Holy Scripture, as it is said: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to eternal life, others to everlasting reproach and shame” (Dan 12:2), because with the trumpet of the Archangel, all will be awakened and come to life from death as if from sleep, yet the death of the pious in a special sense is called sleep, for they rest from their labors ( Rev.14:13). Just as those who worked during the day rest peacefully in the night, so the pious, who worked in the feat of faith and piety in this world, sweetly fall asleep after their blessed labors, rest and rest until they are awakened by the Archangel’s trumpet. 2) The pious are deprived of temporal and earthly blessings, but inherit eternal and heavenly ones, while the wicked, having lost temporary ones, are also deprived of eternal ones. 3) The godly cease to live temporarily, but begin forever, and the wicked, ceasing to live temporarily, cease to live forever, but change temporary life to eternal death (Rev. 21:8). 4) The pious, after labors, sorrows and illnesses, move into peace, coolness and joy, and are carried “by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22), and the wicked, after their fun and luxury, are found in hell, in torment (Luke 16:23). 5) The pious, comforted in the bosom of Abraham, await the general resurrection, in which, having heard the voice of the Son of God, they will come to life in the flesh, and, like the grass that has vegetated with beautiful flowers in spring, coming from the graves, they will be clothed in a new, incorruptible and beautiful appearance, and thus will receive the most perfect bliss from the hand of the Lord. The wicked, tormented in hell, expect the most perfect reward and torment for their deeds, after being united with the bodies with which they committed lawlessness. So, the death of the godly is gain (Phil. 1:21), for through this death they acquire eternal life, but the death of the wicked is destruction, for by a temporary death they die eternal. Chapter 18: About the Resurrection of Christians “Our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it will be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil. 3:20-21). “It is sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; “it is sown in humiliation, it is raised in glory,” and so on (1 Cor. 15:42–43 et seq.). § 527. The human mind, not enlightened by faith, cannot understand the resurrection of the dead. He imagines that just as bestial bodies, rotted and crumbled into dust, do not rise, so do human ones. From here many harmful opinions arose about the resurrection of the dead, because people followed their own reason, which is blind without the enlightenment of faith. Therefore, the word about the resurrection of the dead seems like a riot to unfaithful and carnal people. Hence the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and they ask Christ about this, but they are convicted by Him as not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God (Mark 12:18–24 et seq.). That is why the Athenians called the Holy Apostle Paul vain, because he preached the Resurrection to them. “What does this fusser want to say?” And “when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, they mocked” (Acts 17:18, 32). But holy faith complements the deficiency and impoverishment of the mind, and what the blind mind does not comprehend by itself, it enlightens it, and so the mind enlightened by faith sees how it would already be in reality. This is also demonstrated by similarities taken from nature, as Christ says: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, then only one remains; but if he dies, he will bear much fruit” (John 12:24). And Saint Paul: “Foolless one! what you sow will not come to life unless it dies” (1 Cor. 15:36). But holy faith, by the word of Christ the Son of God, Who is the eternal Truth, affirmed, takes away all doubt. The dead will be resurrected, and will be resurrected with those bodies that rest in the tombs. Those bodies that have fallen will rise, those that sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken (Dan 12:2). Those who are sown will rise (1 Cor. 15:37). The same bodies with which they did either good or evil will arise, “so that everyone may receive according to what he did while living in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). “For the time is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil into the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). Christ rose from the dead, and rose with the body with which he suffered and died, “and He is the firstfruits, the firstborn from the dead” (1 Cor. 15:20–23; Col. 1:18). The dead will also rise with the bodies with which they died. § 528. Just as the resurrection will be sad and bitter for the wicked, for having copulated with the bodies with which they committed lawlessness and were fierce in this world, they are cast down into hell to receive according to their deeds, according to the Scripture: “Let sinners return to hell, all the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9:18), - so it is comforting, joyful and desirable for the pious servants of Christ as after winter has a wonderful spring. Just as during spring grass emerges from the bowels of the earth and is dressed in various fragrant flowers, so the bodies of the pious from the tombs in which they were crushed by the filth of death were hidden, at that time they will emerge animated and will be clothed in a new, beautiful form of immortality and eternal glory. For “it is sown,” the apostle of Christ teaches, “in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in humiliation, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power” (1 Cor. 15:42–43), for Christ “will transform our lowly body so that it will be like His glorious body,” as the same apostle preaches ( Phil.3:21) And the Apostle John: “Beloved, we are now children of God; but it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We only know that when it is revealed, we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2), so that “then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” according to the word of Christ (Matthew 13:43). A wonderful spring in which such flowers will appear on earth! Blessed and blessed are those whose humble bodies are so vegetated! What joy and sweetness will be in their hearts when their bodies are so adorned! “Then the word that is written will be fulfilled: death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? hell, where is your victory" (1 Cor. 15:54–55; Hos. 13:14)? Think about this beautiful spring, beloved Christian, and try to reach the righteous with the grace of Christ at the resurrection. Chapter 19: About the Second Coming of Christ § 529. After consolation - consolation and after joy - inexpressible joy follows the elect of God. Having put on the robe of immortality and glory, their hearts will appear in joy to the King of glory, Whom here in this world they served with faith and truth and fought with faith for the honor of His name. They will hear from Him the longed-for voice: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). They will hear praise from their righteous Judge and King for their faithful service, which they rendered to Him, struggling against sin; They will see their virtues as spiritual treasures, revealed to the whole world, which they did in secret before the Heavenly Father for His glory. They will see the house of their Father in Heaven opened to them, and many mansions (John 14:2), and “they will come to Zion with joyful shouting; and everlasting joy will be upon their heads; they will find joy and gladness, and sorrow and groaning will be removed” (Is. 35:10). And so the faithful servants of Christ will enter into the joy of their Lord (Matthew 25:21, 23), and begin a blessed eternity with triumph and shouts of spiritual joy. § 530. It is true that even the pious are troubled by the fear of God’s judgment, for no one is without sin. Therefore, with humility they pray to God: “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living will be justified before You” (Ps. 142:2). However, holy faith, by which they serve their King Jesus Christ and look at His rich grace, softens this fear and gives the comforting news that “whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Rom. 9:33). Therefore, Saint Chrysostom, speaking about that day, says: “As much as that day is desirable for those who live right, it is so terrible for the lawless” (Discourse 90 on the Evangelist Matthew). Therefore, so that we, dear Christian, are not afraid, but desire that day, we must talk about it more often and appease the righteous Judge with diligent repentance, and henceforth, beware of sins that create fear of that judgment in our conscience. Chapter 20: About the triumph and eternal glory of God's chosen ones “And I heard as it were the voice of a great people, as the sound of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunder, saying: Hallelujah! for the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory; For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And it was given to her to be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright; and the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints” (Rev. 19:6–8). § 531. At the end of the righteous judgment of Christ, the elect of God will go with triumph and shouting into eternal life: the faithful servants will enter into the joy of their Lord (Matt. 25:21, 23), they will receive an incorruptible, pure, unfading inheritance, stored in heaven for them (1 Pet. 1:4); “They will receive the kingdom and the crown from the hand of the Lord” (Wis. 5:16). “They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun beat down on them nor any heat: for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them and lead them to living springs of water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:16–17); will dwell in the holy, heavenly Jerusalem, which has the glory of God (Rev. 21:11). “And there will be no night there, and they will have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God gives light to them; and they will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5). Then the servants of the Lord will eat and drink, will rejoice and be glad with gladness of heart (Isa. 65:13-14). “As his mother comforts someone, so will I comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. And you will see this, and your heart will rejoice,” says the Lord (Is. 66:13–14). “They will rejoice in the Lord, saying: “Let my soul rejoice in my God; for He has clothed me with the robe of salvation, He has clothed me with the robe of righteousness, just as He has placed a crown on a bridegroom and adorned me with ornaments like a bride” (Isa. 61:10). The Lord will also rejoice in them: “And as the groom rejoices in the bride, so will your God rejoice in you” Isa.62:5) They will see God their Father “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12) and they will see Him “as He is” (1 John 3:2). God will also look upon them as a loving Father upon His beloved sons. They will see Christ, the Son of God, who redeemed them with His Blood. and they followed with patience, as He Himself prayed for this: “Father, I want them to be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory, which You have given Me” (John 17:24). Then they will triumph gloriously and cheerfully in the joy of spirit over death, hell and the devil: “Death, where is your sting? hell, where is your victory" (1 Cor. 15:55)? They will sing a sweet song: “Hallelujah! Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him!” To him be glory, honor and thanksgiving from us, the unworthy, now and ever, and forever and ever, Amen! O God the Father, the Only Begotten Son of God, and the Holy Soul, Trinitarian God, my Creator, Savior and Provider, unflickering Light, unfalse Truth, eternal Love, endless Goodness, incomprehensible Omnipotence, incomprehensible Wisdom, always existing in Eternity, beginningless Beginning, all active Power, the Life of all living! Live me, enlighten me and enlighten me, so that I will see Your love and goodness, which You have shown to the human race. Amen! You might be interested in: