Беседа 7

2 Corinthians 3:7–8. If the ministry of the deadly letters inscribed on the stones was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look at the face of Moses because of the passing glory of his face, then should not the ministry of the spirit be much more glorious? How does the law cause death? – The law ended with Christ. – The Holy Spirit is equal in dignity to the Father. – Real life is like a storm. - A way to eradicate lust. 1. (The Apostle) said that the tablets of Moses were of stone and written in letters, but (the New Testament tablets, i.e.) the hearts of the apostles were of flesh and written by the Spirit; He also said that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Finally, it remained to add something more important to this comparison, namely, about the glory of the face of Moses, which glory no one saw in the New Testament with bodily eyes. Therefore, the first seemed to be a great glory, since it amazed the senses and was contemplated by bodily eyes, although at the same time it was inaccessible. And the glory of the New Testament is spiritual. But the comprehension of this superiority of the latter was inaccessible to the weak; therefore that (Old Testament) glory more admired and attracted them to itself. And since he has already made such a comparison, he tries to show the superiority (of the New Testament glory). But since this was very difficult due to the weakness of the listeners, look at what he does and what method he uses to achieve his goal: first, he shows this difference and superiority through the conclusions that he draws from the above. If that (Old Testament) ministry, he says, was the ministry of death, and this (New Testament) ministry is the ministry of life, then there is no doubt that the glory of the latter ministry is greater than the glory of the first. Since he could not imagine it (the New Testament glory) to the eyes of the body, he showed its superiority through inference, saying: “If the service of deadly letters inscribed on stones was so glorious... then should not the service of the spirit be much more glorious?” ("shall the ministry of death... come to glory...: how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be in glory"), meaning by the ministry of death the law. And look how great caution he observes in comparison, so as not to give any reason to heretics. He did not say: (the law) is the author of death, but: “the ministry of death,” since the law serves death, and did not give birth to death. The cause of death was sin; but the law condemned sin, and only revealed sin, and did not produce it; he revealed evil more clearly, and only punished evil, and did not encourage evil; and served not to produce sin or death, but to punish the one who sins. And thus he was also the destroyer of sin. In fact, when he showed sin so terrible, he obviously forced him to run away. Just as the one who takes a sword in his hands and kills the condemned serves only as an instrument of the judge pronouncing the sentence, and although he kills, however, is not a murderer, just as the one who pronounces the sentence and condemns the guilty, but through the guilt of death is the crime of the person punished - so here it is not the law that kills, but sin. He both killed and condemned; the law, while punishing the criminal, took away the power of sin, taming it with the fear of punishment. But (the apostle) was not satisfied with this comparison alone, in order to convince of the superiority (of the New Testament), but added another thing, saying: “written on stones” (“writings formed in stones”). See how he again overthrows Jewish pride. In fact, the law was nothing more than writing. But letters of no help, like what happens in baptism, were not delivered or communicated to those under the law; but the tablets and writings brought death to those who transgressed the writings. You see how he corrects the Jewish controversy, and by the very names he takes away the superiority of the law, calling it “stone”, then “letters”, then “the ministry of death”, and also “educated” or “inscribed”. By this he shows either that the law is attached to a place known only, and not like the spirit, which is present everywhere and breathes great power into everything; or that writings breathe great threats, and such threats that cannot be destroyed, but always remain as if carved in stone. Then, although, apparently, he praises the ancient (law), but at the same time he again denounces the rudeness of the Jews. Having said: “that which was written on the stones was so glorious,” he added: “that the children of Israel could not look upon the face of Moses,” which exposed their great weakness and carnality. And again he says that (the Jews) could not look, not because of the glory of the tablets, but “because of the glory of his face that is passing away.” With these words he shows that it was not the tablets that were glorified by glory, but the one who brought the tablets. He did not say that they could not look at the tablets, but says: “on the face of Moses,” just as not for the sake of the glory of the tablets, but: “because of the glory of his face.” But having exalted this glory, see how he again humiliates it with the word “transitory.” However, with this word he does not humiliate Moses, but only shows the temporary nature of his glory. He did not say that she was somehow unclean or evil, but only said that she was perishable and had an end. “Should not the ministry of the spirit be much more glorious?” ("How much more will the ministry of the Spirit be increased in glory?"). Now he boldly expresses the superiority of the New Testament, as no longer subject to doubt. And look what he does - he opposes the stone to the heart, and the letters to the spirit. Then, having pointed out the consequences that should come from both (the covenant), he still does not say what actually happened from both; but having shown the consequence of the letter (writing), that is, death and condemnation, he is still silent about the fruits of the Spirit - life and truth, and speaks only about the Spirit itself, which gave him the opportunity to widely spread speech. The New Testament not only gave life, but also communicated the Spirit who gives life, which is more important than life itself. That's why he said: "the ministry of the Spirit." Then he returns to the same thing again, saying: “For if the ministry of condemnation is glorious” (“if indeed the ministry of condemnation is glory”) (2 Cor. 3:9). 2. Showing more clearly the meaning of the words: “the letter kills,” (the apostle) says what we said above, that is, that the law only reveals sin, and does not produce it. “Then the ministry of justification abounds all the more in glory” (“The ministry of righteousness abounds much more in glory”). Those tablets revealed only sinners and punished them; and this (the ministry of righteousness) not only does not punish sinners, but also makes them righteous, because baptism grants this (justification). “That which is glorified is not even glorified on this side, because of the preponderance of glory” (“For that which was glorified in this part was not glorified for the glory that surpasses it”) (2 Cor. 3:10). First he showed that this (the ministry of justification) is in glory, and not only in glory, but also abounding (in glory). He did not already say (as above): “Will not the ministry of the Spirit be much more glorious?”; but - “abounds in glory” (“abundant in glory”), deducing this from their above-mentioned conclusions. Now he already shows how great this superiority is, saying: “If I compare this (glory) with that (Old Testament), then the glory of the Old Testament will not even be glory. However, by this he does not completely take away the glory (from the Old Testament); but he speaks of it comparatively in this way, which is why he added: “from this side” (“in this part”), i.e. comparatively. And saying this, he does not condemn the Old Testament, on the contrary, he still approves of it, because things that are similar in some way are usually compared. He goes on to give yet another conclusion, showing in a different way the superiority (of the New Testament). Which one exactly? Borrowed from time: “For if that which passes away is glorious, how much more is that which remains glorious” (“if that which ceases in glory, much more remains in glory”) (2 Cor. 3:11). That (Old Testament ministry) has ceased, but this continues constantly. “Having this hope, we act with great boldness” (“Having this hope, we act with much boldness”) (2 Cor. 3:12). Since the listener, having heard so many important things about the New Testament, would like to see this glory with his own eyes, then see how he turns it to the future age. For this purpose, he puts out hope, saying: “Having such hope.” “This” – what kind? The fact that we are worthy of more than Moses, and not only we, the apostles, but also all believers. “We act with great boldness” (“We act with much boldness”). Before whom, tell me? Before God, or before the disciples? “Before you,” he says, “to whom we preach,” i.e. e.: “We preach everywhere with freedom, without hiding anything, without any pretense, without fearing anything, but speaking clearly, and we are not afraid to strike your eyes, just as Moses struck the eyes of the Jews.” And what exactly he wanted to say, we will see further. But first it is necessary to tell the story itself, because the apostle himself constantly refers to it. What's the story? When Moses, having received the tablets another time, came down from the mountain, some glory emanating from his face shone so much that the Jews could not approach him or speak to him until he put the veil over his face. It is written about this in the book of Exodus: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of revelation were in Moses’ hand as he descended from the mountain, Moses did not know that his face began to shine with rays... and they were afraid to approach him. And Moses called them... and Moses talked with them... And when Moses stopped talking with them, he put a veil over his face. When Moses went in before the face of the Lord to speak with Him, then he took off the veil until he came out" ("When Moses came down from the mountain, both tables were placed in his hand... and Moses did not know how glorified the form of the flesh of his face was; and he was afraid to approach him. And Moses called to them... and spoke to them... And when he stopped speaking to them, put a veil on his face. Whenever you come in to speak before the Lord..., you remove the veil until you leave” (Ex. 34:29–34). Bringing this story to mind, (the apostle) says: “and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the children of Israel would not look at the end of what is passing” ( “and not as Moses put a veil on his face, for the sons of Israel were not able to look at the end of what is passing away”) (2 Cor. 3:13). These words of his have the following meaning: “We do not need to cover ourselves like Moses: you can look at the glory with which we are surrounded, although it is much greater and brighter than that (of Moses).” Do you see the progress (of the students)? In the first letter he said: “I fed you with milk, and not with solid food” (“you gave milk to drink, not meat”) (1 Cor. 3:2); and here he says: “we act with great boldness” (“we act with much boldness”), and brings Moses onto the stage, continuing to talk about him comparatively, and thus elevating the listeners to the highest. And firstly, he places them above the Jews when he says that we (the apostles) do not need a veil, like Moses did before his people. And then he elevates them to the same dignity as the (Old Testament) legislator, or even higher. Let us now listen to what he says next. “But their minds were blinded: for the same veil remains untaken until now in the reading of the Old Testament, because it is removed by Christ” (“But their minds were blinded: even to this day the same veil does not remain openly in the reading of the Old Testament, but ceases because of Christ”) (2 Cor. 3:14). Look where he directs his speech. What then once happened to Moses remained in his law forever. However, what was said does not refer to the accusation of the law, nor to the accusation of Moses that he then covered himself, but (to the accusation) of the rudeness of the Jews. The law has its own glory, but the Jews could not see it. So, why are you surprised, he says, if they cannot see the grace-filled glory, when they did not see the lesser glory of Moses, they could not look at his face? Why are you troubled if they do not believe in Christ, when they do not believe the law? That is why they did not know grace, because they did not know either the Old Testament or its glory. The glory of the law is to lead to Christ. 3. Do you see how he destroys the pride of the Jews here too? In fact, what they thought to have an advantage in the glory of the face of Moses, he turns the same thing into an exposure of their ignorance and rudeness. So let them not boast about this: what praise and glory do the Jews have in that which they could not enjoy? That is why he so often turns to this subject - then saying that “the same veil remains untaken to this day when reading the Old Testament, because it is removed by Christ” (“the same veil does not remain openly in the reading of the Old Testament, it ceases to be in the knowledge of Christ”); the fact that “to this day, when they read Moses, a veil lies over their heart” (“even to this day, whenever Moses is revered, a veil lies over their heart”) - showing that it lies both over the reading and over their heart (2 Cor. 3:15). And above he also said: “they could not look on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face that was passing away” (“for the son of Israel did not have the power to look on the face of Moses’ glory because of his face’s passing away”). What could be worse than this, when they cannot look at the glory that is not only transitory, but even in comparison with the New Testament, it is almost non-existent, when it is hidden from them, so that they do not see the end of what is transitory, that is, the law that has an end? “But their minds were blinded” (“But their thoughts were blinded”). “What is the connection between this (blinding) and the veil of that time?” - someone will say. That it foreshadowed the future. Not only then did they not see the law. But even now they don’t see him. And the reason for this is in themselves, because blindness depends on an insensitive and coarse heart. Only now we see the law, but what is hidden from them is not only grace, but also the law itself. “For to this day the same veil,” he says, “remains not taken off when the Old Testament is read, because it is removed by Christ” (“For even to this day the same veil does not remain openly in the reading of the Old Testament, but ceases because of Christ”) (2 Cor. 3:14). His words have the following meaning: (the Jews) do not know that this veil has been destroyed, because they do not believe in Christ. In fact, if it is destroyed through Christ, as it really was destroyed, as the law itself predicted in advance, then how can those who have not accepted Christ, Who abolished the law, know that this law has been abolished? But if they do not know this, then, obviously, they do not know the power of the law itself, which speaks of this, and all its glory. But you ask: “Where did the law say that it has an end in Christ?” He not only said it, but actually showed it. And firstly, he showed that he confined all the sacrifices and all consecration in one place - in the church, and later destroyed this very church. In fact, if he had not wanted to abolish these sacrifices and all the laws on sacrifices, he would have done one of two things: either he would not have destroyed the church, or, having destroyed it, he would not have prohibited making sacrifices in other places. Now he has made such sacred rites impossible both throughout the universe and in Jerusalem itself. Having designated only one temple in Jerusalem as a place for them, and then destroyed that too, the law itself finally showed that the legal decrees ceased in Christ - Christ condemned the church to destruction. If you want to see from the very words how the law should receive an end through Christ, then listen to the lawgiver himself, who says this: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me - listen to Him... I will raise up for them a prophet from among their brothers, like you, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything that I command Him... But whoever does not listen to My words, which [that Prophet] will speak in My name, of him I will require it” (“The Lord will raise up a prophet for you from your brethren, just like me; listen to him according to everything that he speaks to you: and it will be that every soul that does not listen to the prophet will be consumed from people”) (Deut. 18:15, 18-19; Acts 3:22–23). Do you see how the law showed that it had an end in Christ? This prophet, that is, Christ according to the flesh, whom Moses ordered to listen to, abolished the Sabbath, and circumcision, and all the Old Testament rites. And David, foreshadowing the same thing, said about Christ: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek”) (Ps. 109:4), and not the order of Aaron. That is why Paul, interpreting this passage, clearly said that “because with the change of the priesthood there must be a change of the law” (“that which is set before the priesthood, according to need and law there is a change”) (Heb. 7:12). And in another place he says: “You did not desire sacrifices and offerings... Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin are displeasing to You. Then I said, “Behold, I am coming” (“thou didst not desire sacrifices and offerings,... You did not favor burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then reh: behold, I go” (Heb. 10:5–7). Besides these, many other testimonies can be cited from the Old Testament, which show how the law receives its end in Christ. Thus, when you leave the (old) law, then you understand the law well; and as long as you continue to adhere to it and do not believe in Christ, you do not even know the law itself. That is why (the apostle), wanting to show this more clearly, says further: “Until now, when they read Moses, a veil lies over their hearts” (2 Cor. 3:15). Since (the apostle) said that a veil remains in the reading of the Old Testament, so that no one would think that these words mean the darkness of the law, he tried to show this before, albeit in other words (precisely with the words: “their minds are blinded,” he shows that the Jews themselves are to blame), and now in this very saying he shows the same thing. In fact, he did not say that there is a veil on the letters, but “while reading,” and reading is the work of those who read; just as he says: “when they read Moses” (“Moses is always venerated”). He showed this most clearly by saying directly that this “veil lies over their heart.” So it was exactly on the face of Moses not for the sake of Moses, but because of the rude and carnal understanding of the Jews. So, having sufficiently rebuked them, (the apostle) shows them the way of correction. Which one exactly? “But when they turn,” he says, “to the Lord,” - that is, leave the law, “then this veil is taken away” (“Whenever he turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away”) (2 Cor. 3:16). Do you see now that that veil was not for the face of Moses, but for the eyes of the Jews? It was not laid to hide the glory Moses, but so that they would not look at it, because they themselves, therefore, were guilty of this. And it did not hide anything from Moses, but from the Jews. And although he did not say directly: when they leave the law, he clearly indicated this, saying: “but when they turn to the Lord, then this veil is removed.” Jews, covered his face, and when he turned to God, he took off the veil. And this foreshadowed what was to happen later, that is, when we turn to the Lord, then we will see the glory of the law, and the unveiled face of the lawgiver, and moreover, we will even stand along with Moses. Do you see how he calls the Jew to faith, showing that he can not only see Moses, coming to grace, but also stand on the same level with this lawgiver? “You will not only,” he says, “behold the glory that you did not see then, but you yourself will partake of the same glory, and even much better - one in front of which the first is not even glory. How and in what way? So that you, having turned to the Lord and received grace, will enjoy such glory, in comparison with which the glory of Moses is so small that it is not even glory. However, no matter how small it is and no matter how far it is from that (gracious glory), you, remaining a Jew, would not have been awarded it (just as neither the Jews of that time nor those of today saw it); having become a believer, you will be rewarded with contemplation of a much better glory.” When (the apostle) addressed his speech to the faithful, he said: “That which is glorified does not even turn out to be glorious” (“that which is glorified is not glorified”); but here he said the opposite: “but when they turn to the Lord, then this veil is removed.” Thus, little by little he raises (the Jew) to heights; first places him alongside Moses, and then makes him a participant in even more. Indeed, when you see Moses in glory, then you will turn to God and will enjoy the better and higher glory (of Moses). So, reconsider from the very beginning how many distinctive features he indicated of both covenants, distinguishing them from each other and showing the superiority of the new over the old, and not the disagreement and contradiction of one to the other. He said that the old one is a “letter” (writing), a stone, a ministry of death, and has an end, and yet the Jews were not awarded even such glory to him; The New Testament is written on tablets of flesh, and is a spirit, truly, and abides forever; and we all are rewarded with his glory, and not just one, as Moses alone was rewarded with less glory. “But we all,” he says, “behold with open face, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord” (“We all with open face behold the glory of the Lord”), and not at the glory of Moses (2 Cor. 3:18). But since some, contrary to firm confession, think that these words - “when they turn to the Lord” - are spoken about the Son, let us examine this saying more carefully and more accurately, starting with what they think they base their opinion on. They say: in what sense does Scripture say “God the Spirit” (πνευμα ο Θεός), in the same sense it says here “Lord Spirit”. But (the apostle) did not say: “The Lord is the Spirit” (πνε ˜ υμα ο Κύριος), but the Lord is the Spirit (ο Κύριος τό πνε ˜ υμά εστι). And there is a big difference between this and that combination of words. When Scripture wants to do as you say, then it does not add a clause to the subordinate name. However, in another way you can find out about whom (the apostle) said everything that he said above. For example, when he said: “the letter kills, the Spirit gives life”; and again: “it was not written with ink, but it lives by the Spirit of God” - did he say this about the Son, or about the Spirit? It is obvious that it is about the Spirit, because he raises the Jews to Him from the “letter”. But so that someone, having heard about the Spirit, and reasoning with himself that Moses turned to the Lord, and this one to the Spirit, should not think from here that (the apostle) is lower than (Moses), then he, warning such a thought, says: “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17), i.e., the Spirit is the Lord. And so that you know that he is talking about the Comforter, he added: “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (“where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”) - so you can no longer say that his words mean the same thing as “where the Lord is.” He mentioned freedom here in contrast to the former slavery. Then, so that you don’t think that he is talking about a future time, he adds: “But we all with unveiled face... beholding the glory of the Lord” ( “but we all with unveiled face behold the glory of the Lord”) (2 Cor. 3:18), i.e., not that transitory, but abiding, “we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Spirit of the Lord” ( “into the same image Let us be transformed from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Do you see how he again places the Spirit in the place of God, and them (the Corinthians) on the same level with the apostles? He said above: “you are the letter of Christ” (“you are the message of Christ”) (2 Cor. 3:3), and now he says: “we are all with open faces,” although some of the apostles, like Moses, walked around carrying the law with them. “But just as we,” he says, “did not need a veil, so do you who accepted (the gospel). Although the (New Testament) glory is much greater than the (Old Testament), because it is not the glory of our face, but of the Spirit, nevertheless, you can look at it in the same way as we do. The Jews could not see even with an intermediary; you, even without an intermediary, can contemplate a much greater glory. They could not even behold the glory of Moses, but you can behold the glory of the Spirit.” So, if the Spirit were lower, he would not have placed the New Testament above the Old Testament. 5. What does it mean: “beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image” (“beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image”)? This was clearer then, when the gifts of miracles were in effect; However, he who has the eyes of faith will not find it difficult to understand this even now. As soon as we are baptized, our soul, purified by the Spirit, becomes brighter than the sun; and we are not only able to look at the glory of God, but we ourselves also receive some radiance from it. Just as pure silver, lying opposite the rays of the sun, itself emits rays not only from its own nature, but also from the brilliance of the sun, so the soul, purified by the Spirit of God and made more brilliant than silver, receives a ray from the glory of the Spirit and reflects it. That is why (the apostle) says: “Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image from the glory of the Spirit into the glory” with which we are rewarded, into the glory that is due “from the Lord’s Spirit.” You see how here too he calls the Spirit Lord. But in other places you can see that He is Lord. So - “When they served,” it says, “the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2). This is why it is said, “When they served... separate for Me,” to show His equal honesty. Again, Christ says: “The servant does not know what his master is doing” (John 15:15). But the Spirit knows God in the same way as a person knows what belongs to him, and, moreover, without teaching; otherwise there would be no similarity (1 Cor. 2:11). And the very fact that He acts as He wants (1 Cor. 12:11) shows His power and dominion. He transforms us; He does not allow us to conform to this age; He is also the Creator of such a creation. And just as it is said: “created in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:10), so it is precisely said: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb”) (Ps. 50:12). Do you want me to show you this more clearly on the apostles? Just think of Paul, whose clothing had a (wonderful) effect; about Peter, whose shadow revealed (miraculous) power. If they did not carry the image of the King within themselves, and some incomparable brilliance did not emanate from them, then their clothes and shadows would not have revealed such power. After all, royal clothes are terrible for villains. Do you want to see how the same image was reflected on their body? “Looking,” they say, “at the face of Stephen, they saw his face like the face of an angel” (“Looking at him... you saw the face of an angel”) (Acts 6:15). But this was nothing compared to the glory that shone within. What Moses had on his face, they carried the same thing in their souls, or better yet, much more, because the glory of Moses was sensual, but this one is immaterial. And just as bodies that have the ability to reflect light, illuminated by luminous bodies, themselves spill the light reflected in them onto other bodies closest to them, so it happens with the faithful. That is why those who achieve this already leave everything earthly and live only in heaven. What about us? We can only moan bitterly about the fact that, having been awarded such a high title, we do not even know what they tell us about it, because we too soon destroy (spiritual) objects in ourselves and become attached to sensual ones. This ineffable and terrible glory remains in us for no more than one or two days; and then we extinguish it again, overwhelmed by everyday affairs, and obscuring its radiance with thick clouds. Everyday affairs are truly bad weather, and even worse than bad weather. Although from them there is no cold, no rain, no mud, no deep swamp; but what’s worse is that from these deeds comes Gehenna with all its torments. And just as during a severe cold all members become numb and frozen, so the soul, frozen from the cold of sin, cannot carry out its affairs, being shackled, as if by frost, by conscience. Indeed, what is cold for the body is a bad conscience for the soul. This is where fearfulness comes from. No one fears as much as one who cleaves to the things of life. He lives the life of Cain, trembling every day with fear. And is it necessary to talk about (his fears of) death, loss, strife, deceit and flattery? He is already afraid of a thousand vicissitudes. And although his treasury is full of gold, his soul is not free from the fear of poverty. This is very natural, because all his desires are directed towards perishable and fleeting objects. If he himself has not yet experienced vicissitudes, then, seeing it in others, he considers himself already lost; that is why he is very fearful and cowardly. And it is not only in dangers that he is so fearful; it is the same in all other cases. If the passion of love of money attacks him, he does not repel its attack, as a person free from this passion does, but does everything, like a bought slave, to please his cruel mistress - love of money. If he sees a pretty girl, he is immediately captivated by her, trembles and runs after her, like a mad dog; while it should have been done differently. 6. When you see a beautiful woman, do not think about how to satisfy your lust, but how to free yourself from this lust. “How is this possible,” you say, “is it possible? It’s not up to me to love.” And from whom, tell me? From the slander of the devil? So be it, blame it on the devil alone; fight the devil and resist passion. “But I can’t,” you say. Well, then, first of all, we will tell you that your passion came from your negligence, and that you yourself, even before you received passion, gave access to the devil. But even now, if you wanted, you could very easily drive him away from you. Tell me what makes adulterers commit adultery - is it the desire for troubles for themselves, or love? Obviously love. Well, should they therefore be excused? No way. Why? Because this sin depends on them. “But why do I need such philosophizing,” you say, “I recognize in myself the desire to free myself from this passion, but I cannot, because it attacks me strongly, torments me and cruelly torments me.” I agree that you want to free yourself from this passion, but you are doing the wrong thing to drive it away; You are doing the same thing that someone obsessed with fever does when he drinks cold water, and he also says: no matter how much I come up with ways to get rid of fever, not only do I not succeed, on the contrary, I intensify the fever in myself even more. So let's see: wanting to extinguish your passion, aren't you doing something that inflames it more? “No,” you say. Tell me, what means do you use to quench your passion? And what actually increases this passion? Although not all of us are subject to this passion, because more can be found infected with the love of money than with carnal love, but a common medicine is offered to both. Both loves are equally vile; the latter is only stronger and more harmful. So, when we overcome the strongest, then obviously the weakest can easily be destroyed. But if carnal love is stronger, then why, you say, is not everyone infected with this vice, on the contrary, the majority love money to the point of madness? This is, firstly, because the last passion seems safe to many, and also because carnal love, although stronger, passes quickly. Otherwise, if it were as constant as the passion for money, then everyone infected by it would lead to death. So, let's take a closer look at carnal love, and find out what intensifies this passion. Then we will see whether it depends on us or not on us. If from us, then we must make every effort to free ourselves from it; if not from us, then why torture yourself in vain? Why should we blame? Shouldn’t we rather excuse those who are captivated (by this passion)? So, why is this love born? “From the beauty of the face,” you say, “that is, when the one who hurts is beautiful and comely.” But you are unfair and reckless when you say this. In fact, if the beauty of the face attracted love, then everyone would love such a girl. If not everyone loves her, then this love depends not on nature and not on the beauty of her face, but on her shameless eyes. When you, looking intently at her, are overly surprised by her and become kindled in your heart, then you are already wounded. “But who can,” you say, “when looking at a beautiful woman, not praise her? If, therefore, it is not up to our will to be surprised in such cases, then love does not depend on us either.” Take your time, man. Why do you mix everything up and, wandering everywhere, do not want to see the root of this evil? I know a lot of people who are surprised and praise, but don’t like. How is it possible to be surprised by beauty and not love? Don’t worry, this is what I want to talk about now, but be patient and listen to how Moses is surprised at the son of Jacob, saying: “Joseph was handsome in stature and handsome in face” (“and Joseph was good in appearance and handsome in appearance”) (Gen. 39:6). Did the one who spoke like that really love together? Not at all. You will say that Moses did not see the one whom he praised. However, we fall into love not only when we see beauty, but also when we hear about it. But so that you no longer argue with us about this, I ask you: wasn’t David handsome and very good-looking, especially in the beauty of his eyes? And what most of all constitutes a powerful feature in the beauty of the face is precisely the beauty of the eyes. So what? Was anyone passionately in love with him? Nobody. Therefore, love is not inextricably linked with wonder. Many also had mothers blooming with bodily beauty. So what? Did the children really love them with a passionate love? It won't happen! Although they are amazed at what they see, they do not fall into shameful love. But (you will say again, what) is the law of nature holding here? Tell me what is the law of nature? “The one,” you say, “is that they are mothers.” But haven’t you heard that the Persians, without any outside coercion, live with their mothers as with wives, and not just one or two of them do this, but the whole people? However, even without this it is already clear that love passion comes not simply from physical beauty and appearance, but from relaxation and delusion of the soul. There were also many who, having passed thousands of beautiful women many times, gave themselves up to the ugly ones. From this it is clear that love does not depend on the beauty of the face. Otherwise they would have chosen the beautiful rather than the ugly. So where is the reason (passion)? “If this love does not come from the beauty of the face, then where,” you ask, “does it come from, and where to look for its source? From an evil demon? That's right, she's from here too. But that’s not what we’re looking for; The question is, are we also the cause? Indeed, it is not only the slander of the devil, together with him and, above all, we ourselves are the culprits of it. Truly, this evil disease is not born from anything so easily as from habit, from flattering words, from idleness, laziness and from the fact that we have nothing to do. 7. The power of habit is great, truly great, to such an extent that it even turns into a necessity of nature. But if habit gives birth to it, then it is obvious that it can also extinguish it. Many, carried away by love, were freed from it by not seeing the faces they loved more. At first it seems difficult and very unpleasant, but over time it becomes pleasant, and finally, even if desired, it becomes impossible to evoke passion again. “And why,” you say, “is it that even without habit I am still captivated at first sight?” And this also happens either from bodily idleness, or from luxury, or from carelessness about one’s duties, or because a person does not even do things that are necessary for him. Such (a person), wandering everywhere, as if lost on the way, is easily carried away by all kinds of evil; and his soul, like the soul of a scattered youth, is drawn into slavery by anyone who wants to. Since the essential property of the soul is to constantly be in action, then if you stop its activity in good, it, as it cannot remain inactive, necessarily rushes to another (type of activity). Just as the earth, if it remains not sown or planted, produces grass by itself, so the soul, when it does not engage in the affairs necessary for it, as by its nature constantly striving for activity, necessarily indulges in evil deeds. And just as the eye cannot stop looking, and therefore necessarily sees the bad when it has no good in front of it, so the mind, when distracted from necessary objects, certainly begins to revolve around useless objects. And that constant exercise and wakefulness can ward off even the first attack of passion is known from many examples. So, if, when looking at a beautiful woman, you feel passion for her, then don’t look at her anymore - and you will be freed (from passion). “But how can I,” you say, “not look at her, being carried away by passion?” Engage in other useful objects that attract the soul, read books, take care of your needs, intercede, defend the offended, pray, think about the future century - direct your soul to these objects. By doing this, you will not only free yourself from a new wound, but you can easily heal even a hardened and old one. If bad rumors, according to the proverb, sometimes convince a lover to abandon his love, then all the more these spiritual melodies can suppress evil, if only we ourselves want to leave it. But if we always turn and talk with those who strike us with the arrows of this passion, and even in their absence we talk about them ourselves, and listen to the stories of others, then we ourselves feed our illness. How do you want to put out the fire, fanning the flames every day? Let the young men take advantage of everything that we have said so far about the habit. As for husbands and those who know how to think, what they most need in this case is the fear of God, the memory of Gehenna and the desire for the kingdom of heaven. This is enough to extinguish the flame of criminal love. But besides this, imagine that what you see is nothing more than moisture, blood and pus of decomposed food. “What about a fair complexion?” - you say. But there is nothing brighter than the flowers of the earth; and they also wither and rot. So here, too, do not look at the color, but penetrate with your thoughts into the depths, and, ignoring the beauty of the skin, think about what lies underneath it. And those suffering from water sickness have a light body, and there is nothing ugly on the outside; but when we think about the moisture hidden inside, we cannot love such people. And the gentle and playful eye, beautifully placed eyebrows, black eyelashes, the gentle apple of the eye, a cheerful look? But know again that all this is nothing more than nerves, veins, membranes and arteries. Just imagine this beautiful eye sick, old, withered from sadness or burning with anger: how ugly it will seem to you, how all its charm will suddenly disappear and immediately disappear! Instead, direct your thoughts towards true beauty. “But I don’t see,” you say, “the beauty of the soul.” In vain: if you want, you will see. Just as one can mentally be surprised at absent beautiful faces without seeing with one’s eyes, so one can also see spiritual beauty without the help of one’s eyes. Didn’t you sometimes imagine some beautiful face, and didn’t you feel something towards this image you created? So accurately imagine the beauty of the soul, and enjoy its beauty. You will say: “I cannot see the incorporeal.” But with the mind we contemplate the incorporeal even better than the body. Thus, we are surprised at the angels and archangels, although we do not see them, as well as at good morals and spiritual virtues. So, when you see a meek and sedate person, marvel at him rather than at one with a beautiful face; and if you notice that someone endures unnecessary insults without grief, then marvel and love him, even if he is an old man. The beauty of the soul is precisely such that even in old age it has many lovers, because it never fades and always blooms. So, in order for us to acquire such beauty, let us begin to catch and love those who have it. Thus, we ourselves, having received the same beauty, will be able to achieve eternal blessings, which may we all be worthy of through grace and love for mankind (our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen). You might be interested in: