Pastoral instructions from St. Grigory Dvoeslov (“Regula pastoralis”)

Since in patriotic literature, in relation to explaining to pastors the duties of their ministry, there are instructive and edifying works of St. fathers: John Chrysostom (347–407) and Ambrose of Milan (340–397), then when presenting the contents of the work of St. Gregory “The Pastoral Rule”, it seems appropriate to pay attention to the relationship of their works to the work of St. Gregory (604). Even in the “Shepherd” of Hermas 1, a work that refers to the improvement of the life of Christians in accordance with the commandments of Christ and contains the calling of non-believers to the life of Christ, instructions are offered to elders. “Now I say to you,” says the “shepherd” of Hermas, “who are in charge of the Church and preside over... How do you want to educate God’s elect when you yourself have no teaching? Therefore, admonish yourselves mutually, and be at peace with each other (“Shepherd” Hermas 1:3, 9). After Hermas, mention should be made of the letter of Bl. Jerome (to Nepotianus on the duties of clergy 2), which letter, in which respect can be considered as the beginning of those instructions to the pastor, in which St. Ambrose and Gregory Dvoeslov; for numerous guidelines from Bl. Jerome to the shepherds of the above-mentioned St. the fathers were revealed in detailed instructions. Although in the letters of Bl. Jerome's instructions to priests occupy a fairly significant place (caused by the circumstances of the time 3), but instructions are also given here regarding the general requirements of pastoral service. So bl. Jerome points out to pastors and clergy in general that the very name they receive (Christ) reminds them of the worthy performance of their service. “When I am the Lord’s share and His inheritance (Deut. 32:9), and therefore I have no share with the other tribes, but as a Levite and priest, I live in tithes” (Deut. 18:1) he says, “when I serve the altar, I receive food from the things brought to the altar (1 Cor. 9:13), then having food and drink, let me be content with this” (1 Tim. 6:8). From the idea of ​​pastoral service of Bl. Jerome deduces the duty of shepherds to be diligent with the Holy Scripture: “read the Divine Scripture as often as possible,” he says, or better yet, do not let the Holy Books out of your hands (Titus 1:9; 2 Tim. 3:14; 1 Pet. 3:15). What you have to teach, learn it yourself. Be careful that your actions do not refute your words; so that while you are preaching in church, someone will not say about you: why don’t you do it yourself, as you teach?” At the same time, he presents to the pastor the following requirements, as directly arising from the duty of his ministry: “When you teach in church, try not to be praised, but to be sighed from the depths of your heart. The tears of your listeners should be your praise.” “We have been entrusted with the care of souls and therefore we must especially love the families of all Christians as our own. Let them rather find us comforters in their sorrows than partners in feasts in happy times.” As for the treatises on the positions of presbyters of St. Ambrose and Gregory Dvoeslov, then they are in some fairly close relationship. The basis on which the first work arose: there was a pagan idea of ​​the morally beautiful in thought and life, but it is only part of the truth that was proclaimed in the Gospel; encouraging this clarification of the invaluable gifts contained in the Christian faith and appealing to pastors to recognize their high service and the diverse and difficult moral responsibilities associated with it; The purpose of the essay is edifying - to cultivate the spirit of shepherding in the primates of the Church. Another work represents an attempt to place the duties of the pastor within the realm of moral jurisdiction. While in the first essay the image of the shepherd is drawn as an abstract ideal that the shepherd must carry in his heart and conform to it, in the second the character of the ideal shepherd is presented as one that must be realized in life if the shepherd wants to be a true shepherd. The relationship between one and the other work is thus such that while in the first the actual moral demands are presented to the shepherd in accordance with the idea of ​​pastoral service, in the second morally obligatory instructions are presented. In particular, St. Ambrose takes as his starting point the pagan idea of ​​the morally beautiful, or honest, which idea, according to Cicero (Amvr. Part 1, Chapter 7), most clearly among the pagan writers who expressed the demands of moral consciousness and conscience, cannot be separated from the idea of ​​the useful. But when St. Ambrose turns to the mind of a natural man and conscience, which testify to us that a happy life consists of honesty; he does not want to say that the demands of the mind and conscience of a natural man are in accordance with the demands of the conscience of a man enlightened by the light of the Gospel teaching, but only that the truth of a blessed life, which according to the Gospel is eternal life (Amv. 2:1), is not in conflict with the mind of a natural man. Philosophers tried to explain what the blessed life of people consists of, and what their positions should be, but they understood this differently, and on that basis they judged positions differently; none of them rose to the point of making the demands of moral life directly dependent on the idea of ​​God as the Creator, Enlightener and Judge of the universe (Amvr. Part 1, Chapter 26 4), therefore St. Ambrose considers his work not superfluous, since Christians, according to him, look more at the future than at the present and do not provide anything useful except to serve for eternal life, and not for the delight of the present (Amv. 1, 9). Some of the philosophers put happiness in the knowledge of things (Plato), others considered pleasure as bliss, like Epicurus, Zeno called only that which is honest the supreme good; Aristotle, Theophrastus and other peripatetics argued that life is blessed, although it consists of virtue, i.e. in honesty, but its bliss is also achieved by bodily well-being and external blessings (Amvr. on duty 2:2). It is obvious that with the help of the natural powers of reason and conscience, without having risen, due to damage to human nature, to the correct concept of God as an absolute Being, they could not correctly judge the positions of man. St. Ambrose, therefore, wants to show that with all the glimmers of truth found in pagan writers when defining the rules of human moral activity, other writers cannot be teachers in this regard, for the morality they offer does not have a life-giving source, i.e. is not in connection with and does not proceed from the correct concept of God. In his exhortations to the elders, aimed at cultivating in them the spirit of shepherding, St. Ambrose often begins his conversations by indicating the pagan rules of morality, but only in order to show how much their rules of revealed morality exceed them, as they seem to be based on the true concept of God, Creator, Provider and Judge of the universe. Although it should be said that St. Ambrose did not omit to point out the false rules of pagan morality, expressed out of some aspiration for truth, co-excited by the inner voice of reason and conscience, despite the fact that there was no corresponding basis for these rules (Amv. 1, 30; 31; 36; 43; 46; 11, 1; 7, etc.). With the goal of determining the relationship between the treatises on the shepherding of St. Ambrose and Gregory Dvoeslov, we must say that St. Ambrose tries to elevate shepherds to an understanding of their duties in relation to their flock 5, often relying on the demands of the conscience of a natural person, although at the same time without omitting when it is necessary to point out the inconsistency of the moral instructions of pagan philosophers with the moral precepts of revealed teaching (on duty, 1, 9), while St. Gregory in this regard stands purely on the basis of the Gospel, turning only occasionally to considerations of a psychological nature for the natural substantiation of his instructions. Why exactly St. Ambrose, when explaining the positions of presbyters and the rules of Christian morality in general, turns to the instructions of the wisdom of a natural person, this is explained by his desire to contribute to the spiritual re-creation of believers: “like Tullius, he said this (he wrote about the positions) for the instruction of his son, and I also take upon myself this for the instruction of you, my children. Nature, for it strives no more for love than for grace” (Obligation 1:7). Pointing to the rules of morality of a natural person, based on the reason and conscience of St. Ambrose wanted to show that Christianity, without being in direct contradiction with these rules, offers the most perfect teaching about morality. Thus, having said that among the initial virtues, the pagans put prudence in first place, which exercises itself in inheriting the truth and expresses a desire for the most contented title. In second place is truth, which gives to everyone what is theirs, does not appropriate what belongs to others, and despises its own benefit in order to preserve justice for everyone. On the third is courage, which appears in military and domestic affairs through special generosity; and on the fourth - moderation, which preserves measure and order in deeds and words. He asks whether the saints of the Old Testament (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Job, David) did not fulfill the duties associated with these initial virtues of a natural man, and shows that these virtues were not alien to the saints of the Old Testament (Ham. 1, 24 6). Thus, it may not be an exaggeration to say that in the age of St. Ambrose, when paganism had not yet completely disappeared and the opinions of philosophers on moral issues had not yet lost their influence over the minds of some people, with little acquaintance with Christianity, when in general ties with the past were still too alive, St. It was not useless for the pastor of the Milan Church to point out at other times what, in the opinion of a natural person, does not contradict the revealed teaching of God, in order to thereby facilitate access to the Church for the weak. In the age of St. Gregory there was no longer a need to cultivate the spirit of shepherding in the primates of the Church, through explaining the unconditional superiority of Christian teaching over pagan moral teaching; At this time, when the service of the primate of the Church was no longer considered to involve danger, but was even considered honorable in the opinion of the world, there was a duty to thoroughly explain the difficult responsibilities associated with the high title of shepherd. As for the labor relation of St. Gregory to the “words on the priesthood” of St. Chrysostom, their relationship is as follows: the main point of St. Chrysostom’s words about the priesthood represent to those seeking holy orders the great sublimity and responsibility of this service, in the discussion of the subject and object of the service, for which St. Chrysostom, by the way, tries to reject the suspicion of himself on the part of some people that he had been moving away from this ministry for some time due to worldly pride and the desire for worldly glory. Explaining, on the one hand, that the priesthood is a terrible service for a person, “entwined with blood and flesh,” for shepherds are “entrusted with the reign of heaven,” and therefore one must approach pastoral service with a pure soul, filled with self-sacrifice, and prepared for vigilance in this service, and on the other hand, showing that pastoral service is as honorable as responsibly: “they (shepherds) are those, he says, to whom spiritual birth is entrusted, and by baptism the command to give birth... Not only when they regenerate us, but also after rebirth they have the power to forgive sins” (Golden Holy Book, 3, 6). It is true that St. Gregory pointed out the sublimity of pastoral service in relation to the subject of service, but justice requires saying that the ideal side of pastoral service is revealed in him more in relation to the flock. Meanwhile, St. Chrysostom wants to highlight the need for caution and self-care when choosing a pastoral field in view of the special significance of pastoral service, St. Gregory reveals the hardships of this ministry in relation to the creation of the salvation of the flock. The immediate reason for writing a treatise on pastoral ministry, as can be seen from the preface to St. Gregory was inspired by a letter to him from John the Bishop of Equals, in which he expressed disapproval for his evasion of pastoral service. The real motivation for the presentation of pastoral duties, as is revealed from the same preface, was for him a moral need, matured under the influence of the circumstances of his arduous pastoral service, to explain the difficulty and importance of shepherding to people who would decide to desire this without having either appropriate training or a true understanding of the height of this. Thus, they could begin this service frivolously, without fear and trembling, not fully imbued with the consciousness of their responsibility for the great work of shepherding. In contrast to the frivolous view of the sacred service of people who could seek the priesthood not for the sake of serving the Church of God, but for worldly motives to acquire honors and glory. St. Gregory sets himself the task of explaining the difficult duty of pastoral service, especially from the point of view of the moral and religious education of the flock, by indicating how many qualities are required from the pastor by the duty of pastoral teaching of this essential part of pastoral service, and how exalted he must be both in the pastoral department and in life if he wants to bear the name of shepherd not only by name. The essay under consideration can be divided 7 into four parts: the first part explains what it means to begin pastoral service worthily and how dangerous it is for unworthy people to desire this; the second shows what qualities should distinguish the life of a shepherd as a leader of his flock; in the third, it is indicated how correctly he should behave in preaching the Word of God and edifying his flock; and in the fourth, it is explained with what feeling a shepherd should bear the lot of pastoral service that has fallen to him. Bearing in mind the conditions under which someone can have the boldness to begin sacred service, St. Gregory explains (in the first part) that no one should dare to take on pastoral service without thoroughly preparing for this service, “since governing human souls is the art of arts” (chapter 1). This is why shepherds are appointed, to provide for everything and to guide the flock. And how high and great is their service; if we take into account that “mental illnesses are more hidden and more dangerous than physical illnesses.” Thus, those preparing to begin sacred service must carefully study the Rules of Spiritual Science and carefully monitor the improvement of themselves in the knowledge of God. But if the teachings and edifications of shepherds, which are not confirmed by life, or even contradict it, do not have the expected beneficial effect on the souls of the flock, then those seeking holy orders should know what responsibility shepherds are subject to, drawing their teaching from the pure source of truth, but not conforming their lifestyle and behavior with the height of the preached teaching (Ezek. 34:18-19). The flock hunger and thirst for pure teaching, and with all the respect for the dignity of the clergy, when the preached doctrine is not reflected in their lives by pious behavior worthy of their dignity, it loses its strength and effectiveness (chapter 2) 8). Imagining the difficulties and responsibility of pastoral service, some shy away from it out of sheer humility, while in their thoughts they allow that they will not be given preference over those more worthy. Such humility with other virtues then has some moral significance when someone, hearing and understanding the will of God calling him to rule others, does not stubbornly resist the voice of God (chapter 6). What to do in this case is shown by the circumstances of the calling of the two prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. So Isaiah, to the question of the Lord: “Whom will I send, and who will come to this people?” answered: “Behold, send me” (Is. 6:8); and when Jeremiah was sent to preach, he rejected this assignment, apologizing for his inability: “O Lord, behold, we know not to speak, for I am a child (Jer. 1:6). The answers of these two prophets flowed from the same source of love; for love is commanded to us by two commandments: to love God and neighbor (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37–40). Isaiah, full of thoughts about the salvation of his neighbors, expressed his readiness to take on the mission of a preacher, and Jeremiah tried through a contemplative life to become more and more established in his love for God, and with deep humility retreated before the difficult field that awaited him. It should be noted that in this case, the one who refused did not resist at all (Jer. 1:9), and the one who agreed to accept the ministry entrusted to him had previously already been “cleansed with a burning coal from the altar” (Is. 6:5-7). This suggests that someone who has not been purified should not begin pastoral service (chapter 7). When someone comes to us with a request to intercede for him before this or that boss, who is angry with him and is dissatisfied, but is briefly unknown to us, we immediately answer him: “No, my dear, we cannot intercede for you before this gentleman, because we ourselves do not enjoy his special favor.” If a person in front of a person, in relation to whom he has little hope, does not dare to be an intercessor for anyone, then how dare he take upon himself to intercede before God for the sins of the people, who cannot have confidence in whether he has earned God’s favor towards himself with his life? Or how will he ask God for forgiveness and mercy for others, if he is far away from the hope of having forgiveness and mercy from Him for himself (chapter 10). Therefore, everyone who wants to begin pastoral service must impartially examine with spiritual eyes whether there are any reprehensible shortcomings or even vices that expose sinful impurity, for it is not permissible for someone who has not cleansed himself of his own to think about interceding for the sins of others. Therefore, the following command was given to Moses from above: shout to Aaron, saying: a man from your generation among your relatives, if anyone has a blemish on him, let him not come to offer the gifts of God and let him not approach the altar, as if he has a blemish; and then the most shortcomings or vices are calculated that should not be allowed in persons of the priestly rank: a person is blind, or lame, or snub-nosed... or a person has a broken hand, or a broken leg, or a hunchback, or a suppurating eye, or a cataract, or a person with the marks of divia, or lichens on him (Lev. 21:17-23). Explaining then the spiritual properties that should be inherent in a minister of the New Testament, St. Gregory derives this instruction from the above text. Blind in the spiritual sense, he says, is one who is unfamiliar with the light of higher contemplation, who, suppressed by the darkness of real life, although he sees the light illuminating him, but without having his heart attached to it, does not know how to direct his activity. Chrome, according to the explanation of St. Gregory, one who, although he knows where he should strive, but due to unsteadiness of mind and will cannot always adhere to the straight path that he sees. Snub-nosed - you can call someone who is not capable and does not know how to distinguish good from evil, since with the bodily organ of smell, we distinguish incense from stench, only when this organ is not damaged in us. The name of a person who has contrition in his hands or feet obviously means one who is not able to walk along the path of God and is not capable of good deeds, even though he cannot hold on like a lame man, who, although unsteadily and with deviations, still holds on and strives forward. The name of the hunchback can be given to one who is bent under the weight of earthly worries to such an extent that he cannot raise his gaze upward, but constantly directs it to those objects that are trampled under his feet. By having purulent eyes we mean the one; whose soul, although it yearns to know the truth, is soon darkened by carnal thoughts. After all, in people with pus-filled eyes, as you know, the pupils of the eyes are healthy, but from the often flowing phlegm they weaken and become dull, and the eyelids themselves become heavy and stick together. The name thorn indicates someone whose pride, self-delusion from imaginary wisdom and righteousness prevents them from seeing the light of truth. The one who understands that he is violent and a sinner sees and knows himself well, and whoever ascribes to himself the brilliance of righteousness or wisdom is far from proper self-knowledge and the more he moves away from the true light, the more he dreams of himself, as it is said about some in Scripture: “those who say they are wise have become fools” (Rom. 1:22). A person who has divya marks on his body is, without a doubt, one who slavishly fulfills the whims of the flesh, in whom, like a carnivore, internal corruption, not meeting curbs in the soul, comes out. And under a person covered with lichen it is necessary; understand covetous. Just as lichen disfigures the body, so covetousness distorts the beauty of the soul. From this vice, spiritual virtues can dry up and in their place various kinds of sins can grow, according to the words of the Apostle (1 Tim. 6:10), “the love of money is the root of all evil things” (chapter 11). Firmly remembering the word of the Apostle that shepherds must always be ready to answer everyone who asks about the hope (1 Peter 3:15), St. Gregory, in the second part of his treatise on duties, depicts the life of a shepherd in relation to his flock, in the features that it should appear in accordance with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe duty of pastoral service. Here he points out that the life, behavior and behavior of a shepherd must bear in itself the features of moral dignity and sublimity, since from the point of view of correct action and good qualities, the shepherd has this name in relation to his flock. And first of all, he explains to the pastor the duty to read St. Scripture and delve into it through meditation 9 . The words of divine instructions will renew in him the strength to bear pastoral care and awaken a sense of outlook on the future heavenly life - a sense of piety, which is significantly weakened by communication with people of a worldly nature, and in opposition to the carnal life, to which the old man is drawn by his relationship to the world, will renew his spirit with a breath of love for the higher, spiritual fatherland. In the midst of worldly conversations, our heartfelt impulses fall and dissipate, and after external worldly pursuits and anxieties distract us from caring for the soul, the more steadily the shepherd must renew himself by the study of the Divine Word. Therefore, St. The Apostle Paul, having appointed his disciple Timothy as the shepherd of the spiritual flock, said to him: Until I come, pay attention to reading and teaching (1 Tim. 4:13). Therefore, King David exclaimed: “If I have loved Your law, O Lord, I am my instruction all day long” (Ps. 119:97). And the Lord commanded the prophet Moses to place four golden Rings on the four sides of the Icon of the Covenant. What does the Irk of the Covenant represent as not the holy Church. And aren’t its four rings the essence of the four gospels, through the light of which it spreads throughout all the countries of the world? And since the supports on which the Ark was carried tomorrow can only signify preachers and teachers, then shepherds and teachers, by the duty of their calling, must always stand, as if on guard over the preaching of the word of God, and first of all, they themselves must study the word of God without laziness, so that through reading and thinking about what they read, they should always be ready to fulfill their duty (chapter 11). Explaining to the shepherd the path by which he can best bring edification to his flock, St. Gregory explains that the shepherd who rules the spiritual flock is obliged to observe the frequency in his thoughts! For the one who has taken upon himself the duty of cleansing the souls of creatures like himself must avoid sinful impurity, just as the hand with which one washes the impurities of the flesh must be clean, so that what is being cleansed does not become darkened by contact with impurity. Therefore, the Lord says through the prophet: “Cleanse yourself, you who bear the vessels of the Lord” (Is. 52:11). After all, the vessels of the Lord are carried by those who take on their responsibility to represent human souls and must present them into an eternal dwelling (chapter 2). To preserve integrity in thoughts, just as Moses ran to the sanctuary to reflect on the mysterious ways of God’s economy, and before the Ark of the Covenant he turned to the Lord, in case of doubt, with a prayer for enlightenment; so the shepherds, for whom he serves as an example, in perplexing circumstances, must turn to their conscience, and, as if before the Ark of the Covenant, must prayerfully ask the Lord for advice and admonition, so that the words of truth will be clearly written in their soul (chapter 5). So, the shepherds, reading St. Scriptures and internal self-deepening, turning to their conscience, which is the voice of God, in their service they must be filled with fear of that Supreme Judge, who is above all and sees everything, so that, thus, humbling and purifying themselves internally, they can govern their flock away from painful temptations from the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. Standing on the point of view that the shepherd stands higher in his rank, the more he tries to lead his flock in life by teaching and example of pious behavior, and accordingly, the more he can correspond to the sublime nature of his ministry. St. Gregory takes on the difficult task of outlining the behavior of a shepherd in relation to his flock. First of all, the pastor must remember that “the soul of a clergyman should not be occupied with vain thoughts, but should be the seat of the word and reason; as Aaron was commanded by God through Moses to place, when vesting on the Persians during the sacred rite, “the word of judgment and to bear the judgments of the sons of Israel on the Persians always” (Ex. 28:15–30). So the shepherd, by his very position, must always and before everyone demonstrate how reasonable and sublime the inner thoughts and feelings are, and that he does not seek his own (1 Cor. 10:24), and most of all he cares about the good of his neighbors (chapter 2). The shepherd must be distinguished by his good actions, so that he can show the path of life for those entrusted to him, and so that the flock, following the voice and direction of the life of the shepherd, learn and improve more from his manner of behavior than from words 10. For if by the height of his position he is obliged to speak about the highest and salutary, then by the same obligation he is encouraged to show sublime action in life (Chapter 3). With regard to the discovery of teaching activity, the pastor must remember that he must be careful and discerning in silence and words 11 . For just as rash speech can mislead listeners, so inappropriate silence can also leave them in error, while with prudent intelligibility one can get rid of both shortcomings. If the shepherd must firmly stand guard over the house of Israel, if he must not condone the lulling of the conscience of his flock, but with words of admonition and correction turn them to contrition of heart and repentance, according to the word of the Apostle, who demands that the shepherd be strong and instruct in sound doctrine and rebuke those who resist (Tit.1:9; Mal.2:7; Is.58:1), then, on the other hand, he must be attentive and careful in preaching, so as not to confuse their conscience with a strictly weighed word and not to dissolve the union of unity 12, remembering the words of the Savior to His disciples (Mark 9:50): have salt in yourselves (chap. 4). Pastor, following the example of St. Apostle Paul, must be imbued with a watchful zeal for the spiritual welfare of the flock (2 Cor. 11:29); but must remember at the same time that with other offenses a meek and moderate reproof is required, because a person often sins not out of malignancy, but either out of ignorance or weakness, in which case, when reproaching and correcting guilt, prudent moderation must be observed. After all, all of us, while we remain in this mortal body, are not exempt from the weaknesses of our damage, therefore, everyone must judge for himself with what sympathy he should treat the weaknesses of his neighbor, according to the word of the Apostle: “Brotherly, even if a person falls into some sin, you spiritually correct him with a spirit of meekness” (Gal. 6:1). More serious crimes, of course, should be pointed out with jealousy, so that the guilty, who do not notice the importance of their guilt, can at the same time be convinced of how seriously they sin, and after strict reproof, not counting their sins as unimportant offenses, they themselves feared them and cared about their correction (chapter 10). Remembering that oral preaching is most effective when the preacher and in life discover commendable examples 13 the shepherd who rules the spiritual flock must compassionately take an active part in the life hardships of each of his flock, there is no need to fear that attention to the hardships of the earthly existence of his flock will take away his time for self-deepening, St. Paul was lifted up in contemplation to the third heaven and, during the mysterious contemplations of heavenly things, did not stop taking a living part in the infirmities of people. Moses also, entering the sanctuary, reflected on the mysterious ways of God's providence, and upon leaving it, he shared with others the burden of carnal infirmities. Ap. Paul says about himself that he was like a Jew to the Jews (1 Cor. 9:20), of course, not changing the faith at the same time, but expanding and testifying to his love, since based on his own experience he could imagine what kind of condolences unbelievers deserve. That’s why he adds in another message: if we lose our temper, it’s for God; if you are modest, then for you (2 Cor. 5:13). Thus, both high spiritual contemplation and caring compassion for carnal infirmities can be combined. Shepherds must present themselves to their flock as such, so that the latter are not afraid to confide in them their secret ailments, so that in all temptations, no matter what they are exposed to, they run to them, like babies to their mother’s womb, seeking to wash themselves with tears of repentance and receive consolation through them (chapter 5). Out of a sense of humility, they should be friendly towards good workers, and against the vicious and erring ones, out of zeal for the truth, they should show due severity; for if the shepherd, mindful of the unity of conditions; human existence, should not extol himself in front of his flock with the dignity of his position, then on the other hand, in relation to the vicious, he should not forget about his power of seniority and the right of moral correction, following the example of St. the Apostle Paul, who, in humility, said: “Not because we take power over your faith; but we make you happy: for by faith you are strong (2 Cor. 1:24). At the same time, for moral correction, I respected the dogmas of my teaching: to appear with forgiveness, what do you want? He writes to the Corinthians: “Will I come to you with a club, or with love?” (1 Cor. 4:21). St. instills in pastors the need for humility. Peter, saying: “Feed the flock of God, not as those who have rank, but be like the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2-3). The Teacher of Truth Jesus Christ, commanding the shepherds, pointed out humility as the pinnacle of Christian virtues. He told his disciples: “You know that the princes of the tongue rule over them and the greats possess them. The skin will not be the same in you: “But whoever wills to be in you will be your servant, and whoever wills to be first in you will be your slave. For the Son of man did not come and let them serve him, but that he should serve” (Matthew 20:25–28). But at the same time, the Lord denounces the shepherds through the prophet for negligence and neglect of authority, saying: “Ole shepherds! do not return to the erring; do not oblige the brokenhearted” (Ezek. 34:4). In shepherds, severity and condescension must be inseparable in relation to their flock, so that pastoral severity is dissolved in humane condescension and with condescension the legitimate power of correction is not neglected, since both of them lose a lot without the other. Shepherds must love their flock, but not pander to them. The psalmist says: “Your rod and Your staff—they give me peace” (Ps. 22:4). We strike with a rod, and support ourselves with a club. Therefore, if shepherds should be zealots of righteousness, then on the other hand they should show condescension towards the flock, then in their relations with the flock “mercy and truth will meet, justice and peace will kiss each other” (Ps. 84:11). Striving to combine in his care for his flock the demands of pastoral zeal with humane condescension towards human infirmities, the shepherd must remember that it is necessary to choose a favorable time for admonishing and admonishing the sinners of his flock, since medicine, if taken at the wrong time, can lose its healing power 14 ; In this case, he, as it were, carries the weight of the sins of his flock on his shoulders, patiently waiting for the favorable time to admonish the wicked (chapter 10); on the other hand, the shepherd must take care in every possible way so that the desire to win the hearts of his flock does not lead him into people-pleasing. Although the shepherd is obliged not to neglect his duty in regard to kind, friendly treatment of his flock, nevertheless, he must keep in mind so as not to turn out to be a thief of the rights of the One Whom he is obligated to serve without hypocrisy for a long time of his calling. Ap. Paul gives the necessary instruction to the shepherds in this regard when he says (1 Cor. 9:22, 10:32-33; Gal. 1:10): “Be without offense, Jew and Greek and the Church of God... If he had pleased others, he would not have been a servant of Christ” (chapter 8). On the difficult path of shepherds assigned to perform their sacred service in close relationship with the world, two dangers may be encountered: either in worries about everyday affairs and the interests of themselves or their flock, they may forget a strict attitude towards the direct and highest duties of their ministry, or, firmly remembering these and sincerely thinking and being concerned about carrying them out properly, they may forget about the external needs of the flock and not pay attention to them no attention. St. warns against this danger of stumbling while performing pastoral service. Gregory, pointing out that while diligently carrying out one’s direct duty as a steward and guardian of souls, it is consistent with the idea of ​​pastoral service not to neglect the external needs of the flock, and that neglect in this regard can detract from the effectiveness of pastoral service in relation to the flock. It happens that shepherds, as if losing sight of the fact that they are primarily tasked with caring about the eternal salvation of the souls entrusted to their care, are capable, in oblivion, of especially indulging in worldly concerns with the goal of only temporary well-being. Immersion in worldly worries and addiction to them darkens the spiritual eyes of the leaders of souls. The Savior has these sad consequences in mind when he reminds: “no one can serve two masters: for either he will hate one and love the other; or he will be zealous for one and neglectful of the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Similar to the ap. Paul, turning away pious and God-fearing people from addiction to worldly concerns, says: “a warrior of no worth, being (God) obliges himself with the purchases of this life, so that the commander may be pleased” (2 Tim. 2:4). Shepherds are the leaders and teachers of their flock on the path to eternal salvation; and in order for the legs (subordinates) to step straight, the head must obviously look straight at the road, otherwise, when the head bows down to the ground, then the legs may deviate from the proper direction and go astray. On the other hand, says St. Gregory, one cannot approve of those shepherds who devote their studies exclusively to spiritual subjects, so that the external needs of the flock do not exist for them, who not only put the needs of the soul above the needs of the body (as it should be), but completely neglect the external needs of the flock, paying no attention to helping them. The consequence of this may be that the flock, not seeing in the shepherds sympathy for their needs, will listen to pastoral instructions with a not entirely open heart, and hence the effect of these instructions on the minds and hearts of the flock may not be entirely edifying. The seed of the Word of God easily penetrates the hearts of the flock, grows and bears fruit only when the preacher waters it with compassionate mercy towards them. St. ap. Paul says: “If anyone does not provide for his own, much less for those close to him, he has denied the faith, and he who is unfaithful eats” (1 Tim. 5:8), instilling on the one hand attention to the external needs of the flock, and at the same time pointing out that caring for the spiritual benefits of the flock should be the subject of greatest importance in the eyes of the shepherd (chapter 7). Having explained what qualities a shepherd should distinguish in life and in his relationships with his flock, St. Gregory in the third part of the “pastoral rule” aims to indicate in what direction preaching and religious teaching in general should be done, in view of the different social status and conditions of existence, and given the unequal moral state of people. “The same teaching is not suitable for everyone,” he says, given the different conditions of people’s conditions. Every word of teachers must be adapted to the state of the listeners, so that it is suitable for creating the salvation of one and all, and at the same time does not deviate from the general requirements of edification, i.e. This word should edify the hearts of the hearers with one teaching, changing only in tone 15.” In this part of his treatise, St. Gregory gives pastors pedagogical and didactic instructions of the kind that St. the father, on the one hand, understanding the grave infirmities of the human soul, and at the same time caring attention to ensuring that the shepherd’s care follows the flock in all the alarming circumstances of their earthly existence, listening to their spiritual state and not abandoning them either in the joyful and favorable conditions of their life, or in the midst of need and sorrow. The detailed instructions and instructions offered here were caused by the circumstances of the time, when, with the strengthening of the position of the Christian Church in the state, the title of pastor became honorable and, at the same time, the understanding of the idea of ​​pastoral service and the responsibilities associated with it decreased in the consciousness of some individuals, who began to seek the priesthood not by calling; sick about the situation of the flock, so that, due to the carelessness of the shepherd, they would not be deprived of the pastoral teaching word, and at the same time, the shepherds themselves would not be blind leaders of the blind (Matthew 15:14) and would not be subject to special responsibility for negligence and inattention to their duties (Is. 56:10; Jer. 2:8, 8:10). St. Gregory takes it upon himself to explain the path along which the teachings of the shepherd should be directed for the edification of the spiritual flock. As an example of pastoral instructions, St. Gregory regarding the preaching of the Word of God, we will present some of them that have the greatest points of contact with life. Precisely instructions on how to speak to young men and old men; to the poor and the rich, to those who rejoice and those who mourn, to servants and masters, the healthy and the sick, the intemperate and the abstinent; to those who are hostile and those who are peace-loving, to those who lead a married life, and those who lead a celibate life; and finally, how to speak to those who repent of their sins, but do not lag behind them (chapter 2). When it is said that pastoral instructions to men should be somewhat different in comparison with instructions to women, it goes without saying that heavier burdens should be placed on the former, and better and lighter burdens on the latter; the latter should be affirmed in the goodness of meekness, treating them condescendingly, as “the weaker vessel of women” (1 Pet. 3:7). Likewise, elders should be admonished with respectful and respectful admonition, but young men are always, almost more conveniently, guided to perfection by the severity of warnings. This is what Scripture says about elders (1 Tim. 5:1): “Do not harm an old man, but comfort him as a father does” (chapter 3). In relation to the poor and rich, we must not forget that shepherds are obliged to give consolation and joy to the poor, so that they do not lose heart under the weight of disasters and humiliation, and to instill fear in the rich, so that they do not become proud and exalted. And the Lord says to the soul of the poor through the prophet: “Fear not, for you are ashamed; be ashamed, for you are reproached” (Is. 54:4), and then, as if wanting to show her regret about her fate, he adds: “She who was humble and wavering had no consolation” (Is. 54:11). Finally, he shows her this consolation in the following words: “I took you out of the cave of misery” (Is. 48:10). On the contrary, St. speaks about the rich. ap. Paul (1 Tim. 6:17): “Admonish those who are rich in this present age, so that they do not think highly of themselves and do not trust in unfaithful riches, but in the living God, who richly gives us all things to enjoy” (chapter 4). And in relation to those who rejoice and those who mourn, a certain difference in instructions must be observed. Those who are having fun should be reminded that they must have the fear of God, those who are mourning should be instilled with a comforting thought about the joys of the heavenly kingdom (Luke 6:25; John 16:22). Likewise, those in power must be reminded not to be proud of their power, to rule meekly and not to give orders beyond what is due, and to subordinates - not to be overwhelmed by their subordination and not to disobey the orders given to them. The first should indicate that their power “is from the Lord and strength from the Most High,” who will require from them the greater responsibility, the higher place they occupied in society (Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13–14; Wisdom 6:3–7); and lastly, that to resist against the rulers means to rebel against the Lord.” Who gave them power and put them in charge, as evidenced by the God-seer Moses, who said in response to the message about the murmur against him and Aaron (Ex. 16:8): “What are we? Your murmuring is not against us, but rather against God” (chapters 5, 6 and 7). In relation to the healthy and the sick, good health should be taught in accordance with their condition. Healthy people must be constantly reminded to use their physical health for the benefit of their souls: otherwise, by using this gift of God for evil, they will become unworthy and may lose it. It is necessary to strictly confirm them so that they do not neglect the well-being of health, remembering the inspiration of the Apostle: “Now is the time acceptable, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2), and being zealous for deeds pleasing to God while a person is able and circumstances are favorable for this, for the wisdom of God, warning people who have long rejected the call to the path of righteousness, as if with with condolences he says: “I called, and did not listen, and stretched out my words, and did not heed” (Proverbs 1:24). On the contrary, the sick and infirm must be instilled with the idea that the punishments they experience are sent to them for their own admonition. So the Lord speaks through the angel to the seer John: “I, even those whom I love, I rebuke and punish” (Apoc. 3:19) And the psalmist says: “There are many sorrows for the righteous, and I the Lord will deliver them from all of them” (Ps. 33:20). And ap. Paul says: “For any punishment at this time is not thought to be joyful, but sorrowful: but be sure to reward those who have been taught with the fruit of the world of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11). And so let the sick and weak know how beneficial bodily suffering is for the salvation of the soul, which brings it to self-awareness and let them remember how often a flourishing state of physical health eliminates the very thought of mental infirmities, so that the soul, proud of the strength of its church, does not find it necessary to think about the state in which it is, while suffering awakens the soul from slumber. Let the sufferers never cease to reflect on the fact that our Savior suffered and endured all his sufferings with patience from those who received being and life from His creative hands. Who, daily snatching the souls of captives from the power of the primordial enemy, received from those who mocked Him for his teaching. Who, washing away our sinful impurities with the water of salvation, did not hide His face from the spitting of unbelievers. Who, delivering us through His intercession and intercession from eternal punishment, unquestioningly and with deep humility endured scourging. Who, saving us from painful punishments for our sins, Himself did not refuse to bow His head under the crown of thorns. Who, the venerable one, prayed to God the Father for us, who, having prepared eternal life for mortals, Himself, being the source of life, partook of death. And so, can the sick see unmercifulness in the suffering sent by God at other times for sins, when in this suffering, as in a crucible, they are cleansed of their ailments, both mental and physical? And can the sick, without sinning, grumble against the suffering they experience, when the Savior also endured suffering and death on the cross without being involved in sin (chapter 12)? In relation to the abstinent and incontinent St. Gregory instills in pastors the following admonition: those who are incontinent indulge in excess in words, display frivolity in deeds and luxury in life, but those who are abstinent are not always free from impatience, and often also pride. According to this teaching of St. Gregory, intemperate people should be reminded that frivolity in actions and luxury in life arise along with intemperance; for when the flesh becomes fat, then all the passions of carnality are kindled. Those who are abstinent should be reminded of the words of St. ap. Peter: “Give to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, and to self-control patience” (2 Pet. 1:5-6), and further, Apostle. Paul would not have said: “Let him who is not poisonous condemn him who eats” (Rom. 14:3), if pride were not often attached to the thoughts of the abstinent. For, according to the instructions of St. Gregory, by the mere mortification of the flesh, humility is shown only on the outer side, and with this external humility the arrogant pride can be combined in the soul. After all, if the mind were not sometimes puffed up by the virtue of abstinence, then the proud Pharisee would not list his forgiveness as a special merit, would not say: “I fast twice on Saturday” (Luke 18:12). Let the intemperate not forget that every time their desires are satisfied, they, so to speak, each time repeat the fall of their ancestors, the fault of which was intemperance. Let those who are temperate watch themselves vigilantly and constantly, so that, while avoiding bodily intemperance, they do not allow other vices to arise in themselves, so that, while mortifying the flesh, they do not indulge in irritation and anger, but suppressing impatience and anger in themselves, they must take care to ensure that no place is opened in the soul for a new guest - proud complacency. Therefore, God, through the prophet Isaiah, says to the Jews: “If I fast in the court of svareh, and beat the measured palms, I will fast. This is not the fast I have chosen, says the Lord, but break your bread for the hungry, and let the bloodless drops settle into your house” (Is. 58:4-7). Those who are incontinent must take care not to upset themselves and relax themselves physically and mentally by intemperance, remembering the words of the Savior: “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be burdened with overeating and drunkenness and the sorrows of this life, for after this it is added and that day will suddenly come upon you; for a snare will come upon all who live on the faces of all the earth” (Luke 21:34–35). And let those who are abstinent heed what is written: “they will also depart from the faith... those who are forbidden to marry and are commanded to abstain from food, which God has made for the faithful to eat with thanksgiving to those who know the truth” (1 Tim. 4:1-3), and also “it is good not to eat meat, nor to drink wine, so that your brother stumbles or is offended or faints” ( Rom.14:21) 16). There are people who love enmity and discord, according to the instructions of St. Gregory, these people should be reminded that no matter what virtues they adorn themselves with, they will never achieve spiritual perfection, but will remain carnal until they enter into peace with their neighbors; according to Scripture: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gal.5:22); therefore, whoever does not care about preserving the world rejects spiritual fruit. Therefore ap. Paul also says: “For if there is envy, strife, and disagreement among you, are you not carnal? and are you not acting according to human custom? "(1 Cor. 3:3); and in other epistles he explains: “Be diligent to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14), “trying to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:3-4). This means that there is no part in the single hope of calling for one who does not observe unity with everyone. Wisdom without peace does not serve for salvation, but for destruction; for the more someone boasts of knowledge, the more guilty he is of his sins in comparison with the ignorant, and the more convenient it is for him to avoid sin, he is subject to greater punishment. “Even if there is bitter envy and zeal in your hearts,” says St. ap. Jacob, “Do not boast, do not lie about the truth. This wisdom does not come from above; For wisdom from above is first pure, and then peaceable” (James 3:14–17). And the good deeds of those who are hostile cannot serve as a sacrifice pleasing to God as long as they move away from peace and love with their neighbors. “If you bring your gift to the altar,” the Savior says to the disciples in the conversation on the mount, “and remember that, as if your brother had something against you; leave that gift of yours before the altar, and go first and reconcile yourself with your brother, and when you come, bring your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). In relation to those who love peace, it should be pointed out that the world must be loved for the sake of the Lord, and that therefore, out of passion for a peaceful temporary life, they should not shy away from Christian admonitions of the vicious regarding their vices (especially if they are called to do so). According to the teachings of St. Gregory, we should value not so much the external world, but the internal one, when the first is broken and it is not in our power to restore it. A guiding rule in this regard can be the words of St. ap. Paul: “If it is possible from you, have peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18). Urging us to keep peace with everyone, it was not in vain that the apostle first said: if possible, and added to this: it is from you. For when admonishing the ungodly, it is difficult to preserve external peace, and therefore he disposes us to preserve internal peace, as if to say: peace consists in the agreement of two parties: therefore, if those who are admonished violate the peace, you who admonish will preserve it in your soul (chapter 24). As for those leading married and celibate lives, first, according to the instructions of St. Gregory, we should recall the following words of the apostle Paul: “Let those who have have be like those who have not” (1 Cor. 7:29). While caring for each other, spouses must remember that their caring for each other should not create obstacles for them to please the Lord; must participate in worldly affairs so that these affairs do not drown out their desire for activity along the path indicated by the Law of God. Remembering the words of the apostle, having a wife, it is as if he does not have one, when, out of affection for her, he does not deviate from the Law of God, and takes care of the material needs of the family, filled with the thought that the days of earthly life are days of coming, and longing for eternal consolation (Rom. 8:28). The unmarried should be reminded that they should fulfill the heavenly commandments with greater readiness and accuracy, the less they are motivated to think about earthly things and indulge in worldly concerns, since they are not related to family responsibilities, that if they shirk the yoke of marriage, which is not forbidden to anyone, then all the more should they not burden themselves with worldly cares, an addiction to which is forbidden. And moreover, if they are in a struggle between the temptations of the flesh and the difficulty of salvation, then let them be saved in marriage as a reliable haven (1 Cor. 7:9). The state of celibacy is dangerous in the sense that those who are celibate can fall into the grave sin of gratuitous pleasures (1 Cor. 7:9). St. testifies to the danger of this sin. ap. Paul, saying (1 Cor. 6:9): Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (chap. 29). St. Gregory gives pastors proper instructions on how they should fulfill their pastoral duties in relation to those flocks who repent of their sins, but do not stop sinning. Such people should be reminded that those who repent of sins, but do not stop sinning, are subject to severe punishment. The prophet Isaiah says: “wash yourself and you will be clean” (Is. 1:16); those who wash away the filth of sin with tears of repentance, but again indulge in a vicious life after washing in repentance, should think about what it means to mourn sins, if not to humble yourself before God and express a desire to follow the will of God? St. testifies to how those who do not care about correcting their lives after washing in repentance sin. ap. James: “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). And ap. Paul, having presented to the Corinthians their life in paganism and their crimes, which alienated them from the life of God, after this says: “And such were some of you; but they were washed, but they were sanctified, but they were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11), and this indicates that sinners are justified by the righteousness of God and are sanctified when they change the image of their sinful life and direct it along the path of righteousness, bearing fruits worthy of repentance, contrition for sins and humble submission to the will of God. Therefore, the psalmist says (Ps. 74:5): “I say to the foolish: “Do not be foolish,” and to the wicked: “Do not lift up your horns” (chap. 32). In the final part of his work (chapter 65), St. Gregory explains to pastors the need for strict attention to themselves, since, being placed at the height of service and bearing the burdens of pastoral rule, pastors at other times, due to human weakness, can fall into the disease of conceit regarding their virtues and thus fall into a kind of moral carelessness 17. And when the soul allows conceit regarding its beauty and kindness, and stops at thinking about its virtues, it already loses its merits before the Heavenly Teacher of humility. For forgetting its relationship to the Supreme Ruler, the soul seeks its own praise, instead of giving praise to the Giver of all good things. In view of human weakness for self-praise, St. Gregory offers the following advice: “when we are seduced by the thought of the richness of your virtues, then the eye of our mind should turn to the review of our sinful actions and humbly bow down, meaning not what good we have done, but what we have neglected to do or have done bad, so that in this way the heart, crushed by the remembrance of weakness, may be stronger strengthened in a virtuous life.” It is considered most likely that the writer of the book under the name “shepherd” is the Hermas mentioned by the apostle. Paul in the letter to the Romans is among the welcomed persons (Rom. 16:14). See In memory of the ancients. Christ. letters. In adj. Orthodoxy Review. vol. 2, p. 212. Feedback from Rev. Philaret of Chernigov: his letters to Nepotian contain excellent thoughts about the sacred title and fully deserve to be often read by persons of this title. Historical teaching about the fathers of the church, vol. 2, p. 283. We mean here the letter of Bl. Jerome to Nepotianus, printed in Chr. Thurs. for 1836 Among the private instructions, the following are noteworthy: “When, as part of your spiritual duties, you must visit a widow or a girl: then alone, do not enter her house at all; whether a reader, or a priest, or a singer walks with you: see that they are distinguished by good morals.” “Don’t be alone with a woman, secretly, without a stranger or a witness.” “Don’t wear black clothes or white ones. Avoid panache as much as untidiness: because luxury is visible in one, and vanity is hidden under the other.” Don’t have feasts with secular people, especially with important dignitaries. You are a priest of Christ crucified who lived in poverty.” “Be careful that you never smell of wine, otherwise, when you greet someone, they might say to you, in the words of one philosopher: you are not giving me a kiss, but wine.” “Impose on yourself as many fasts as you can bear. Your fasts must be pure, immaculate, unfeigned, moderate and non-superstitious.” “Also beware that your tongue is not intemperate and your ears are open to everything, i.e. Do not speak to insult others, nor do you listen to gossip from others.” Christ. Read 1886, part 2, Letter to Bl. Jerome to Nepotianus was written from Bethlehem, not earlier than 385. Aristotle argues that God has no concern for the world and is content with his own boundaries; and Epicurus says that He does not care about people (Amvr. book 1, chapter 13). Quotations from “de officiis ministrorum” by St. Ambrose are given according to the edition of St. Synod of 1786 0 that the treatise of St. Ambrose is closest to the shepherds, as his words testify: we must be an example to others not only in deed, but also in word, in purity and faith (Amv. 2:19). Comp. Hieron. (Chronicle Thu. 1836): “acquire prudence, justice, temperance and courage. In these four virtues, as in the four countries of the world, the whole world of your activity should lie. This four-horse chariot should lead you to your goal, like the charioteer of Christ.” We adhere to the division into chapters and parts, which is in the “Pastoral Rule”, published in Russian by Prof. Kyiv Academy D. Podgursky., K.–1874. We used the same publications when compiling the contents of the “Pastoral Rules”. St. says about the height of pastoral service. John Chrysostom in the words “about the priesthood” (περί ερωαύνης), 2, 4: “he who learns the feat only brings benefit to himself, and the acquisition of the pastoral title passes on to all people. Yes, and the one who distributes money to the poor or others who are offended in some way, the intercessor also benefits his neighbors, but only less than the priest, since the body is prophetic before the soul. However, the Lord decently showed Himself to be a sign of His love for the care of the sheep” (a quote from the words of St. Chrysostom about the priesthood is given according to the publication of the Holy Synod, 1884). Wed. Ambr. about offices, 2, 12: a praiseworthy work, so that we may be hydrated by the words of the divine scriptures. Zlat, oh saint. 4, 3: “The Church of Christ, according to St. Paul, is the body of Christ, and it behooves the one to whom it is entrusted to exercise its power and unfeigned kindness: to inspect everywhere to see if there is any filth, or blemish, or any other stain that dishonors its beauty and splendor (Colossians 1:18, Esther 5:27). And what does this mean if not that the body belonging to His immortal and blessed head, according to human possibility, is worthy to reveal to us? St. Ambre. about due 1, 3: “Bind your word, so that it will not be intemperate and insolent, so that by speaking too much you will not accumulate sins for yourself: let it be moderate, and stop within its boundaries.” Zlat. about the priest 4, 1:6: “We (priests) must strive everywhere to fulfill (duties) to the best of our ability, and have a tongue that is praised by God along with thought... Let someone be insufficient in speech and simple in the style of words, I am not trained: but only in reason and correct knowledge of dogmas would I not be ignorant.” Zlat. about the priest 4, 8: “This is the most perfect subject of teaching, when priests, by all that they do and what they do not say, lead those they teach to that blessed life established by Christ. For it is not enough to do only so that you can teach others how to do it. This word is not mine, but the Savior Himself, who says: “Whoever does and teaches this will be called great” (Matthew 5:19). He inspired pastors that they should be careful and diligent in preaching the Word of God, and should consider with all care and caution the “word” that they intend to offer to their listeners, St. Gregory points them to the admonition of St. Paul to his disciple Timothy: “preach the word, the truth is timely and timeless (2 Tim. 4:2), and you explain: “meaning to say, timeless, the apostle sent timely, obviously because the sermon is diminished in its benefit to the soul of the listeners if the preacher does not know how to put pastoral zeal in the correct relationship with the requirements of timeliness.” Zlat. about the priest 6, 4: “a priest must be very intelligent and skillful in many ways: and he must be knowledgeable about all everyday behavior no less than those who are converted in it. And since he needs to talk with husbands, who have wives and raise children, and keep servants with them, and abound in wealth: then what kind of person he should show himself to them. By other I mean neither a caresser nor a hypocrite, but also supportive and strict... These differences belong to the same end to the glory of God and the building up of the Church.” Pastoral rule ch. 21. Comp. Ambr. about obligated. Rev. 1, 3: “Good and precious acquisition is integrity, good thoughts; protect the poor from this acquisition, so that bodily passions do not captivate him. Guard your inner man."