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...I advise you to apply the words “godly wise, chaste, reverent and righteous” to the four main spiritual and moral virtues, towards the fulfillment of which, according to the word of the humble Nikita Stifat, the four most basic powers of the human mind should be directed: reason, wit, comprehension and firmness of mind. These virtues are wisdom, chastity, courage and truth, with which a person must protect himself in order to repel and overcome the three main passions: voluptuousness, love of fame and love of money. When reflecting each of these three passions, it is necessary to have both a godly mind and great firmness of mind... Wisdom is characterized by not only wit, but also foresight, and forethought, and at the same time the art of how to act (2, part 1, pp. 83–84). Among the main virtues there are four virtues: wisdom, courage, chastity and truth. The humble Nikita Stifat writes that each of these virtues is between the others: courage, on the one hand, has patience, and on the other, strong resistance. You are being vilified publicly and even in print. Although it is very difficult and offensive to bear this, in the nine beatitudes of the Gospel the last is placed as the main and highest one, i.e. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:11–12). And on the other hand, the Lord says in the Holy Gospel: Who will be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, and I will be ashamed of him when I come in the glory of My Father with the Holy Angels (see Mark 8:38) (2, part 1, p. 192). Thy rod and Thy club are my comforters 22 (Ps. 23:4). The rod is the cross, sorrow, and the club is the Jesus Prayer. The rod is the active part of virtue, and the club is mental prayer (3, p. 219). The three apostles - Peter, John and James - depict faith, hope and love. John depicts love: he was closest to the Savior and at the Last Supper reclined on the Savior’s chest. Although Peter was behind the doors with the maids, he was then given the Church and given the right to shepherd the flock of Christ - he portrays faith. Very little is said about Jacob at all. He is not even visible anywhere, but he, along with the other two apostles, was honored to see the glory of God - he depicts hope, since hope is not visible, it always lurks for others invisibly in a person and retains its power, and hope does not shame (6, p. 188). Your rod and your staff - they comforted me. You might be interested in: