Глава VI. Побуждение к христианскому подвигу и утешение в нем

Knowing from experience how difficult the feat of living according to God's commandments is, Saint Tikhon not only indicates how it should be accomplished, not only warns of dangers, admonishes to avoid deviating from it, but also consoles those who endure sorrow, inspires those who are weakened, and convinces those who waver 121. Found in many of the saint’s works, these “consolations” are especially collected in the 8th article of the second book “On True Christianity.” Considering them an important means of achieving the Christian moral ideal, in conclusion we will dwell on them separately (especially since, in order to avoid repetition, this topic has so far remained almost untouched). In the preface to this article, the saint writes: “For a Christian, as far as his external state is concerned, there is nothing more humble and poorer in this world. Faith is subject to many different temptations. But when you delve into the inside of a Christian, there is nothing more blessed than him” (4, 371). Just as the Holy Scripture not only contains what Christians must fulfill, but also contains the promise of blessed reward for the righteous, so the saint, describing what the feat of Christian life consists of and how it is accomplished, in conclusion shows “the comforting fruits of the holy faith.” What can and at the same time should encourage a Christian to complete the course of life worthy of his high calling and console him on this difficult path? Memory and reflection on the following. 1. Christians “believe in the true God, worship the living, eternal, wise, righteous, most good God, who fulfills their good desires.” Thus, “true faith itself provides living and real consolation to the soul” (4, 391; 27, 1060). 2. Christians “call the great God their Father” and from Him they receive “spiritual Christian birth” (as the saint calls holy baptism 122); he who is worthy of it, being washed from sinful filth, puts off the “old man” and “puts on Christ.” Having been sanctified, a person becomes a child of God, an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven and, according to the word of Holy Scripture, a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). The memory of such mercy of God should “turn a Christian away from sin and move him to piety”, to life “in this new spiritual birth, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit” (3, 249; 4, 372). 3. A Christian is encouraged to live a pure and immaculate life by thinking “about the properties of God” and remembering that “God is the Father of true Christians.” The Lord, as omniscient and omnipresent, has “a clear vision not only of deeds, but also of our secret thoughts and intentions. Every sin brings dishonor and annoyance to God,” writes the saint, “for which the offender will be rewarded according to his deeds on the Day of Judgment” 123. But if the fear of punishment turns a person away from sin, then love for God, the memory of the suffering of Christ, like nothing else, according to the thought of the saint, moves a Christian to a virtuous life. “In the suffering of Christ,” he writes, “we see the inexpressible mercy of the Heavenly Father toward us,” Who “although God is the Father of all people, yet His faithful ones are called in a special way and are the Father.” And then, if “God Himself is a refuge for Christians, then who can do anything to them?”; if we have such a Father, “then who is against us?” for “what father does not stand for his sons?” Finally, “what cannot we ask of Him, when we ask Him according to His will and in faith?” “If His love for us is great,” the saint writes, “how should Christians thank the Heavenly Father for this ineffable love for mankind, love Him out of unfeigned faith, love each other, and shun all sin; those who have separated and moved away from Him should not hesitate, but return to Him with repentance and tears” (3, 245-248; 4, 374-375, 387). 4. Having God as their Father, Christians have heaven as their fatherland. “Christians in this world are strangers and strangers,” says the saint. “If life here is our pilgrimage, then it is certainly our fatherland.” This Fatherland is such that the very thought of it should encourage Christians to overcome the most insurmountable obstacles, endure the most unbearable sorrows on the way to it - the path of earthly life. “The Christian fatherland is heaven,” the saint continues. – There the Heavenly Father brings joy to His sons with the sight of His most holy face; there the prophets, apostles and saints rejoice; there the bright army of the martyrs triumphs; many venerables and ascetics rest there; there shines the Sun of Truth, which does not know the West - Christ... In this fatherland there is no fear from foreigners, there is no danger from illness, death, famine, cold, poverty, enmity, hatred, malice and other evils. There is life without death, peace without labor, joy without sorrow, health without weakness, honor without danger and fear, contentment without poverty... There is day without night, sun without clouds, light without darkness, there is no lame, blind, paralyzed, but everything in blooming youth, red kindness and the age of her husband is perfect. There no one envy anyone, everyone is happy with what he has; he doesn’t want more than what he has. In this glorious and most blessed citizenship there is the most perfect silence, peace, love between the blessed citizens, joy, consolation and cheerfulness about each other. Into this fatherland, beloved Christian, Christians are migrating from this troubled world, who with faith and love work for the Heavenly Father, the King of heaven and earth and all creation” (4, 376-377). Remembering this beautiful heavenly Jerusalem, the “Christian heritage” prepared by God for those who love Him, the Christian “has the need to work, struggle, and endure various disasters during his journey; dangerously avoid the love of worldly things: honor, wealth, glory, sensuality and sins, so as not to lose the heavenly and most blessed citizenship; often raise your eyes to Him who lives in heaven (Ps. 123:1), thinking on high, not on earth” (3, 249; 4, 377–379). 5. Christians should also remember their high dignity. They have God as their Father, the Son of God, who calls them His brothers, the Savior. They are members of the Church, which has Christ Himself as its head. Receiving the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments, in the Holy Eucharist “Christians mysteriously partake of the Body and Blood of Christ and nourish their souls with this spiritual meat and drink.” Christians in prayer talk with God, “show Him their sinful wounds, complain about their enemy, ask for help in the feat of faith and piety, thank Him for His benefits. And, what is more amazing and blessed, when they want and where they want, they always and everywhere do it freely. God commanded them to serve the angels... This is Christian nobility, dear Christian! This is the dignity of God's faithful servants! This is their wealth, honor, and glory, and an invaluable treasure that they carry inside themselves! (3, 249–251; 4, 380–386). 6. A Christian is also consoled by the joy that the “Christian title” gives rise to in him, as the saint calls a person’s calling “by the grace of God from darkness into God’s wonderful light.” This is joy “true and never inherent” 124, the joy of anticipation of eternal joy (4, 392). Therefore, “Christians should have this spiritual joy in prosperity and adversity” (4, 230). And although “there may be Christian joy about temporary blessings, for example, about the goodness of the air, about the abundance of the fruits of the earth, about the health of oneself and one’s neighbor, and about other things, but this joy, as it originates from God, the Giver of all blessings, must be related to Him and rest on Him alone” 125 (4, 231). The Christian soul finds joy in the sorrows and temptations themselves, when they are endured “for the sake of righteousness, and not for the sake of crime,” with the consciousness that the Lord loves him, punishes him, and beats every son who accepts him (Heb. 12:6), and that in voluntary crucifixion a Christian will follow his Lord and Savior, blessed by His promise: blessed are you when they revile you, and destroy you, and say all kinds of evil things against you, a liar, for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven (Matthew 5:11–12)” (6:128–130). 7. Christians also take comfort “from Holy Scripture.” They are consoled by the fact that they “firmly understand and are confident that this Scripture is more true than their God, the word they love with their hearts.” They are also consoled by the fact that “in this most holy and divine message, wandering in foreign lands, they see their Heavenly Father and rejoice in Him; they see His divine merciful Providence, His unconditional mercy and kiss it with the kiss of heartfelt love; they see His majesty and terrible glory and humbly worship it; they see wisdom and are amazed at it; they see His most holy truth and glorify it; they see His glorious deeds and sing to Him; they see their divine nobility, given to them by faith in Christ from the Heavenly Father, and thank Him. In this purest mirror they see their infirmities and wipe them away with tears and faith in His Son; they see their prepared bliss and strive for it with desire; Finally, they see everything that concerns their true bliss, and against all disasters and sorrows, ailments and infirmities, as if in a very rich pharmacy, they find life-giving medicines” 126 (4, 404-407). 8. And in general, the life of a Christian person, which the saint calls “Christian work,” can and should become a source of joy and consolation, “for it is free and voluntary, and not forced. Christians work not for a man like themselves, but for God, who Himself helps, strengthens and instructs them, protects His servants from the slander of the enemy and, for temporary service, makes them participants in His eternal Kingdom.” “This sweet and comforting Christian work,” writes the saint, “is known from this contrary work, which is the work of the passions. The work of God’s servants consists in bearing the good yoke and the light burden of Christ” (4, 397-400). 9 . But that's not all. “The work of truth is glorious, noble and the greatest freedom,” says the saint. The property of Christian freedom is such that it is also available to those “who work for people, work for the enemies who captivate them, are imprisoned, but do not lose their sweet freedom.” Moreover, this freedom is eternal, and no one can deprive a Christian of it, unless he voluntarily enslaves himself to sin, and, ceasing to be a servant of God, becomes a slave of the enemy of his salvation. What are Christians free from? According to Saint Tikhon, from the legal oath, which “consists in the fact that everyone who does not fulfill everything commanded by the law of God is subjected to the wrath of God to eternal condemnation.” Christians are also free from the law, in the sense that “not under the compulsion of the law, but with a free spirit, they fulfill the commandments of God,” which is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said: the law does not lie with the righteous (1 Tim. 1:9). Believers in Christ are also free “from Jewish ceremonies, such as circumcision, animal sacrifice, etc.” 127. At the same time, Christian freedom does not mean permissiveness, which the saint calls “true and hard work, for everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin, according to the teaching of the Savior (John 8:34). Christians, when they have their sweetest freedom, meanwhile recognize themselves as slaves of the Most High God, Who must work with fear (Ps. 2:11), like the Lord” (4, 394–396). 10. The soul freed from passions finds the peace so desired for every person. Tasting the sweetness of reconciliation with God, with one’s neighbors, with one’s conscience “is far better and more enjoyable than all this world’s entertainment and consolation.” But “just as the sweetness of honey is only sensitive to those who taste it, so this spiritual sweetness of the heart is known by the thing itself only to those who taste it; others do not know it” (4, 400–402). Everything that was discussed above consoles the ascetic already in temporary life. But “in consolation, consolation and inexpressible joy,” writes the saint, “follows God’s chosen ones” after their death. The very departure of the pious from earthly life is “a dream, a rest from their labors. Deprived of temporary and earthly blessings, they inherit eternal and heavenly ones,” and through labor, sorrow and illness they move to rest in the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22), where they await the general resurrection. Having ceased to live temporarily, they begin to live forever, “and so death is gain for the pious (Phil. 1:21)” (4:416–417). 11. The good news of the general resurrection of the dead is also delightful for true Christians. It “will be comforting, joyful and desirable for the pious servants of Christ, just like a beautiful spring in winter. Just as during spring, grass comes from the bowels of the earth and is dressed in various fragrant flowers, so the bodies of the pious from the coffins, in which they were crushed by the filth of death, were covered, at that time they will emerge animated and will be clothed in a new beautiful form of immortality and eternal glory. For, the Apostle of Christ teaches, it is sown into corruption and raised into incorruption (1 Cor. 15:42-43). Consider this beautiful spring, beloved Christian, and strive through the grace of Christ to reach the righteous at the resurrection” (4, 417-418). 12. After the resurrection there is new consolation. “Having put on the robe of immortality and glory, the righteous will appear in joyful hearts to the King of glory, Whom here in this world they served with faith and truth, and they will hear from Him the longed-for voice: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Then “God’s chosen ones will go with triumph and shouting into the eternal belly, they will enter into the joy of their Lord (Matthew 25:21), they will see God their Father face to face (1 Cor. 13:12) and they will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). God will also look at them, as a loving Father looks at His beloved sons.” And so the pious “will be filled with all gifts, consolation, joy and sweetness of the Holy Spirit, like a living and life-giving source” (4, 419-420). We have completed the presentation of the teachings of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk on Christian morality. However, it will be incomplete if we do not at least briefly dwell on the question of the influence of the theological trends of his time, in particular, on the work of the saint, undoubtedly clearly original. Prot. G. Florovsky writes: “Not every influence is dependence, and dependence does not mean direct borrowing... In any case, reference to “influences” should not obscure the independent activity of the thinker” (38, 274). The above remark must be fully followed when studying the theology of St. Tikhon. The biblical, as well as the patristic element in the works of the saint is obvious and is often indicated by the author himself. Among the theological trends of modern times, the influence of pietism is undeniable, which attached “greater importance to inner piety, active love, moral improvement and sincere repentance than to strict observance of church rules and regulations” (40, 346). The influence of quietism is also noticeable with its teaching about the absolute peace of the soul, its removal from all thoughts, feelings and desires as a necessary condition for the action of grace on the human soul and the union of the soul with God 129. Orthodox spiritual experience allowed the saint to avoid the extremes of both pietism, “degenerating into religious fanaticism with its disdain for the “unregenerate,” extreme rigorism and stereotyped piety,” and quietism with its “typically Western mysticism, going back to the “secret conversations of God with the soul” of Teresa of Avila and the complete indifference of Francis de Sales” (40, 722–723). The saint “acquainted himself with the property of heterodoxy, but on everything alien he imposed the Russian, original stamp of Orthodoxy and the creative freedom of his holy individuality... In the works of Saint Tikhon, “Lutherans, Calvinians, Papists” are definitely named and are decisively called “our opponents” (33, 289-290). The influence of Western theology on Saint Tikhon was expressed, in particular, in the borrowings found in his works from the named theologians of the 17th-18th centuries, in the noticeable legalism of the saint’s terminology, as well as in external manifestations, for example, in the detailed rubrication of some of his works. However, familiarity with Western theology did not make the saint a follower of its ideas. On the contrary, it served to churchize Western experience and create Russian theology itself, at the origins of which stands St. Tikhon. Thus, borrowing from non-Orthodox authors occurs mainly when it comes to Christian morality, in which the teachings of various confessions largely coincide. In addition, the number of parallels with the writings of Western theologians is incommensurate with the number of passages quoted from the works of the holy fathers (St. John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, St. Augustine, St. Macarius the Great and others). And even if certain passages from the works of one or another author (for example, Arndt) are given verbatim, the structure of thoughts and language of the saint give these quotations, in the context of creation as a whole, uniqueness and Orthodoxy, as evidenced by the numerous reprints of the saint’s works. Some “legalism” of their terminology can be explained in part by the saint’s continuation of the biblical and patristic tradition (it is manifested, for example, in the letter of the holy Apostle Paul to the Romans, and in the works of St. John Chrysostom, so revered by St. Tikhon); partly - by the influence of the worldview of the society contemporary to the saint, whose consciousness at that time had not yet been influenced by humanistic ideas so strong as to significantly change it; partly due to the influence of Western theology, the education that St. Tikhon also received, which was still largely scholastic. These factors, while leaving their imprint on the style and language of the saint’s works, did not affect his understanding of the essence of Orthodox religious and moral teaching 130 . Regarding the division of some of the saint's works into articles, chapters, paragraphs, paragraphs, etc. It should be noted that this form of presentation, although characteristic of more Western science, does not turn the saint’s theology into scholastic: it is devoid of interest in abstract issues, schematism, and speculative constructions, but, on the contrary, is alive, relevant, and practically oriented 131. The saint’s works include theological treatises and reflections of varying lengths, sermons, letters (both sent and “cell letters”, in which the epistolary genre itself is used), liturgical (albeit intended for cell use) works (“The Penitential Canon”, etc.), translations (relatively few), normative documents (decrees, instructions, resolutions). In style, most of the saint's works are a combination of a theological treatise and a sermon, which was characteristic of the theology of the 2nd half. XVII – 1st half. XVIII centuries in the West (Bossuet and others), XVIII century. – in Russia (F. Prokopovich). The combination of Church Slavonic and the Russian language itself gives the saint’s works the power of imagery of ancient Russian literary monuments and at the same time makes the presentation understandable to the modern reader. The feat of Saint Tikhon is evidenced by his canonization among the holy saints of God. This is a feat on a church-wide scale. By the providence of God, Saint Tikhon was placed in the priesthood of the ministry of the Russian Church at a time when the new “Russian state” was ready to plunge it into the same stream of reforms and transformations to which it itself was subjected. This is a feat of archpastoral service for the arrangement of a new diocese, the education and correction of the morals of the clergy and the entire flock of the vast region entrusted by God to the care of the saint. This is a feat of serving your neighbors with works of mercy, animated by the warmth of faith and Christian love, a feat of genuine enlightenment with the light of the truth of Christ of those who are in darkness and the shadow of death (Matthew 4:16). This, finally, is a feat of the height and purity of monastic, Christian life, by imitating which many generations of Christians have reliable guidance in their spiritual life. "Save yourself!" – this is how Saint Tikhon often ended his letters. And in his life everything was directed towards the fulfillment of this holy call. The saint’s work is an indication of what Christian perfection is and how it is achieved, and his holy life is the realization by his own deed of the ideal of “true Christianity” outlined by him. 1. Bible. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments: In Church Slavonic. – M.: Russian Bible Society, 1997. – 1658 p. 2. Tikhon of Zadonsk, saint. Creations. – Reprint. – Publication of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, 1994. – T. 1: 1760–1768. – VIII, 244, XIV p. 3. Same. T. 2: 1770–1771. About true Christianity. – II, 359 p. 4. Same. T. 3: 1771. About true Christianity. – II, 420 p. 5. Same. T. 4: 1777–1779. Spiritual treasure. – IV, 388 p. 6. Same. T. 5: 1769–1782. – 345, 19, 59 p. 7. Instructions of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk to the Novgorod Theological Seminary // Voronezh Diocesan Gazette (unofficial part). – 1890. – No. 13. – P. 576–582. – Signature: V.S. 8. Unpublished letter of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk and notes about this letter // Proceedings of the KDA. – Kyiv, 1893. – T. 3. – P. 3–10. 9. One of the unpublished sermons of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Christian Reading. – St. Petersburg, 1878. – Part 2. – P. 413–422. 10. Letter from St. Tikhon to Ensign A.F. Zamakhaev // Voronezh Provincial Gazette. – 1856. – No. 33. – P. 1–2. 11. Letter communicated by S. Zverev // Voronezh Diocesan Gazette (unofficial part). – 1887. – No. 24. – P. 1024. 12. Letter from St. Tikhon of Zadonsk to A.A. Zhemchuzhnikov. From the decrees and resolutions of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Voronezh antiquity. – 1912. – Issue. 11. – pp. 167–174. 13. St. Tikhon’s petition to Empress Catherine II for his dismissal from the administration of the diocese // Wanderer. – St. Petersburg, 1872. – T. 3. Part 2. – P. 203. 14. Resolution of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (from the archive of the Kharkov spiritual consistory) // Church Bulletin. – St. Petersburg, 1891. – No. 30. – P. 480. 15. Tikhon of Zadonsk, saint. Brief instructions to the priest // Additions to the Tula Diocesan Gazette. – 1862. – No. 17. – P. 252–253. 16. Arzhaev A. Instructions of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk on the spiritual growth of a Christian: Course essay. – Zagorsk, 1966–1967. – 153, 3 p. - Typescript. 17. Arndt I. About true Christianity: Ed. Soikina. – St. Petersburg, b.g. – 556, VII p. 18. Bronzov A.A. , prof. Feedback on the course essay: priest. A. Kurennov. The teaching of morality according to the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Christian reading. Appendix: Council Journals for 1912–1913. – St. Petersburg, 1914, April. – pp. 359–360. 19. Barnabas (Belyaev), bishop. Fundamentals of the Art of Holiness. Experience in presenting Orthodox asceticism. – N. Novgorod: Brotherhood in the name of Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, 1997. – T. 1. – 472 p. 20. Same. T. 4. – N. Novgorod, 1998, – 412 p. 21. Vvedensky D.I. , prof. Feedback on the course essay: priest. M. Ilyinsky. Moral and Christian teaching of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Theological Bulletin. Appendix: Council Journals for 1912. – Sergiev Posad, 1913, January. – pp. 262–263. 22. Dal V.I. Explanatory dictionary of the living Great Russian language. – M., 1881. – T. 2: I-O. – 779 p. 23. Zarin S. M. Asceticism according to Orthodox Christian teaching. Ethical and theological research / Preface. A. I. Sidorova. – M., 1996. – 693 p. 24. Zelepugin F. Morality revealed by the guidance of the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. – Astrakhan, 1900. 25. Ilyinsky M., priest. Moral and Christian teaching of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk: Course essay. – b.m., b.g. – 243 p. - Manuscript. 26. John (Maslov), schiarchim. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk and his teaching on salvation. – M.: Samshit, 1995. – 512 p. – Articles from different years: pp. 373–499. 27. John (Maslov), schiarchim. Symphony based on the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. – M.: Samshit, 1996. – 1180, 19 p. 28. Klimenko L. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk as a teacher of Christian morality 132 // Orthodox visnik. – Lviv, 1957. – No. 6. – P. 188–191. 29. Same. No. 7. – pp. 206–209. 30. Michael (Chub), archbishop. The teaching of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk about true Christianity // ZhMP. – M., 1971. – No. 10. – P. 60–75. 31. Pankov V. Disclosure of the doctrine of Christian morality in the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk: Dis. ...cand. theology. – L., 1958. – Typescript. 32. Popov T., priest. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk as a moral teacher // Voronezh antiquity. – 1912. – Issue. 11. – P. 3–141. 33. Popov T., priest. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk and his moral teachings. – M., Type. Kushnerova, 1916. – 411 p. 34. Popov T., prof., prof. Ethical and theological worldview of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // ZhMP. – M., 1957. – No. 5. – P. 47–57. 35. Sagarda N.I. , prof. Feedback on the course essay: priest. A. Kurennov. The teaching of morality according to the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Christian reading. Appendix: Council Journals for 1912–1913. – St. Petersburg, 1914, April. – pp. 360–361. 36. Dictionary of scribes and bookishness of Ancient Rus' / Rep. ed. D.S. Likhachev. – L., 1988. – Issue. 2 (second half of the XIV-XVI centuries). – 515 p. 37. Theodore, bishop. Feedback on the course essay: priest. M. Ilyinsky. Moral and Christian teaching of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk // Theological Bulletin. Appendix: Council Journals for 1912. – Sergiev Posad, 1913, January. – pp. 260–262. 38. Florovsky G., prot. Paths of Russian theology. – Reprint. – Paris: YMCA-PRESS, 1983. – 599 p. 39. Christianity / Encyclopedic Dictionary. – M., 1995. – T. 1: A-K. – 861 p. 40. Same. T. 2: L-S. – 670 s. 41. Same. T. 3: T-Ya. – 781 p. 42. Berry T. Dostoyevsky and St. Tikhon Zadonsky 133 // New Zealand Slavonic Journal. – 1989–1990. – P. 67–72. 43. Gorodetzky N. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Inspirer of Dostoevsky. – Crestwood: St. Vladimir''s Seminary Press, 1976. – 318 p. – Biographical Notes, Bibliography: P. 245–295. The saint writes: “Man in himself is lazy, and for this reason he needs encouragement; He is decrepit and sad, and therefore he needs consolation; there is a seeker, and for this he requires reinforcement” (27, 908). In order to highlight those ineffable benefits that a person is granted in this sacrament, the saint compares spiritual birth and its fruits with carnal birth (4, 372-373). The thought that “even in the very act of lawlessness and disorder can be struck by the righteous judgment of God” should especially keep one from sin. “Inherent” even with the sorrows that are inevitable in earthly life: although Christians “the body and flesh are offended, the soul within them rejoices, as these sorrows do not happen to evildoers, but to Christians. It is joyful for a man to endure sorrow for the sake of a loved one; we also read about the holy martyrs. And although it happens to Christians in spiritual temptation to be sad, they overcome this sadness with the hope of God’s goodness, and this sorrow turns into greater consolation for them” (4, 393). “The flesh also requires its consolation,” the saint writes, “in some way: in the hunger for food, in the thirst for water, in the labors of repose, and so one must please the flesh,” but “not in lust.” In this sense, “Christian consolation does not consist in food and drink, but in spiritual joy. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but truth and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17)” (27, 1060). Here too the saint continues the division between the “condemning law” and the “justifying Gospel” characteristic of his theology. “The law itself is to expose, to show weakness and to frighten lawbreakers with the wrath of God; The Gospel’s work is: to heal weakness, to show Christ the Physician, to console, to take away fear and to promise the grace of Christ” (27, 902). However, the Church of Christ, and not just the Old Testament, preaches the law of God - “to the defective, so that they, fearing and feeling, come to repentance; pious true Christians, so that they can correct their lives according to his rule,” without interfering with the preservation of Christian freedom. Due to its breadth and significance, this issue requires separate consideration. But, on the one hand, not being able to pay more attention to it than has been done, especially since it has repeatedly become the subject of study and has been studied in great detail (see, for example, about the “sources and manuals” of St. Tikhon: 33, 257–290), on the other hand, not considering it legitimate not to touch upon it at all, as being relevant to the topic of the work, we place its brief coverage in the first part of the conclusion. The saint could become acquainted with the ideas of pietism by reading the works of the German theologian and teacher A. G. Franke (1663–1727) and his followers, with the ideas of quietism through the sermons of the famous abbot (later archbishop) Fenelon (1651–1715). Among other authors, J. Arndt (1555–1621), J.B. had a noticeable influence on the work of the saint. Bossuet (1627–1704), I. Mosheim (1694–1755), Buddey (1667–1729), etc. Thus, the question of parallel passages in the essay “On True Christianity” by Arndt and the creation with the same name by St. Tikhon was studied, in particular, in the work of St. T. Popova (33, 283–287). Thus, speaking about God’s mercy towards fallen man, the saint writes: “We sinned against Him, but He not only did not take revenge on us, but also had mercy on us. We were His enemies, but He not only was not at enmity with us (God, because He is good, or rather goodness itself, is never at enmity - we emphasize), but He also sent His Son to reconcile us to Himself” (3, 282). Elsewhere: “The Father punishes children for their mistakes, but with love: so God, the Heavenly Father, punishes Christians not out of anger, but out of love, for their sins (Heb. 12:6-7)” (4:9). Similar instructions were made in the work itself. Let's give just one detail. Despite the pronounced systematicity of presentation and the rigor of the development of thought, in some places of the saint’s works there are repetitions of the same provisions, sometimes almost verbatim. (Some of these places in the work “On True Christianity”: §248, 2) and §268, 1) (about the words “God judges him”); §258, final and §261 (about the words “what do I care about his needs?”); §248, 1), §316, 6) and § 437, 13) (about the proverb “by God!”); §272, final, §319, 2) and § 347, final. (about the insufficiency of only external worship of God). We believe that they are caused not so much by the vastness and diversity of the saint’s writings; not only by the impossibility of constructing a mathematically accurate and unambiguous system of what actually constitutes Christian life in all its fullness, complexity and diversity, but also by the zealous desire of the saint to express more fully and, most importantly, more clearly imprint the basic truths of Christian moral teaching in the minds and hearts of his readers and listeners. The translation of this article is placed in Chapter. V appendices to this work.