Слово 32

About maintaining good order in an interview and the fact that not every person and not at all times can talk about God Since you came diligently and the meeting is crowded, and therefore now is the best time for work, I will offer you something for purchase, if not worth the general diligence, at least not sufficient for my strength. Your zeal requires more, but my strength offers the average, and it is better to offer what is possible than to refuse everything. For in both Divine and human affairs, those who could not do something are equally not subject to condemnation, but those who did not want to do something are subject to responsibility. I am a small and poor shepherd, not even pleasing to other shepherds (I will put it more modestly), whether out of prudence and right teaching or out of cowardice and disputes, I don’t know this, “God knows,” says the divine Apostle (1 Cor. 2:11), but the day of revelation and the last fire will clearly show by which all our deeds will be tested or purified; however, I will try, to the best of my ability, not to hide the talent, not to hide the candlestick under a bushel, not to bury the talent in the ground (which, as I often hear, everyone blames me, blaming my inaction, being angry at my silence), but to instruct you with the word of truth and make you conform to the Spirit. Where should I begin to edify you, brothers? What word can be used to honor the Ascetics, for whom a real celebration has been established? What should I say as the first, or as the most important? What is most beneficial for your souls? Or what is most appropriate for the present time? We find out this in the following way: what in our teaching is most excellent, I will add, and most useful? World. And what is most vile and harmful? Disagreement. But having proposed such a question and given an answer to it, I will ask again: what has most disrupted the peace and what has introduced discord? I will ask in order to, as one does with illnesses, stopping the causes, blocking or drying up the sources of suffering, blocking their flows and consequences, for it is impossible to know the ending well without correctly examining the beginning. So, do you want to discover and explain the cause of the disease yourself, or will you leave it to me, the doctor, to both discover and cure the disease? For I am ready to speak to those who wish, and even more ready to listen to those who speak. But I know well that you will leave it to me; because perhaps you consider me not a bad doctor and not unskilled in healing souls. So, whether your opinion about me is wrong or correct, do not be surprised if I say a strange word. Although it is strange, it is nevertheless fair, as I affirm, as you yourself will agree, if you are patient to listen to the end and the very thing that I do not approve of happens to you, that is, out of vehemence, you do not get up before the end of the word. The reason for this disorder is natural ardor and greatness of spirit; however, not simple ardor and greatness (I do not at all condemn that ardor, without which it is impossible to succeed either in piety or in any other virtue), but firmness, combined with imprudence, ignorance and the evil offspring of the latter - insolence, for insolence is the fruit of ignorance. Souls weak in relation to virtue and vice are equally slow and motionless, they do not lean much on either side, they have the same movements as people suffering from torpor. And solid souls, if they are guided and controlled by reason, are a great acquisition for virtue; with a lack of knowledge and reason, they are the same for vice. Likewise, a horse needs to be strong and courageous so that he can subsequently win a victory in war or on the lists, but nothing good will come of him if he is not tamed with a bridle and accustomed to meekness through arduous exercise. And this unreasonable ardor for the most part dissolved members, divided brothers, outraged cities, infuriated the mob, armed peoples, set kings, priests against the people and against each other, the people against themselves and against the priests, parents against children, children against parents, husbands against wives, wives against husbands and everyone united by any ties of friendship against each other, also slaves and masters, students and teachers, elders and young people, and she, despising the law of shame - this is the greatest benefit for virtue, introduced the law of arrogance. And we not only became “every tribe separately” (Zech. 12:14), for which we reproached ancient Israel, or Israel and Judah - two parts of one people and that small one, but we were divided into houses and close societies, and, as it were, each with himself; We were divided, I say, we - the whole Universe, the entire human race - everyone to whom God's word reached. And the multi-principal became anarchy, and “our bones are poured into the jaws of the underworld” (Ps. 141:7). It was necessary, after we had won victory over external enemies, to endure destruction from each other, like madmen to torment our own flesh and not feel, but rejoice in evil more than others - in the world, consider disaster itself an acquisition, and think - with this destruction “we serve God” (John 16:2); it was necessary to divide and ignite with a division that is not commendable, but reprehensible, a flame that is not purifying, but destructive. For it is not a sharp word - the sword of Christ (Heb. 4:12) that separates the faithful from the unfaithful; It is not fire that is thrown in and kindled, but faith that destroys and consumes matter and the burning of the spirit; but we are eaten and dissected in the opposite manner as before. This is what made the one Church begin to have many parts, and a division occurred not between one Paul, or Cephas, or Apollos, or such and such a waterer, and such and such a waterer (1 Cor. 3:6), but many Pauls, and Apollos, and Cephas were revealed, and instead of being named from Christ - the great and new name, we are called by their name and are considered their disciples. And oh, if only this were to be said! On the contrary (which is scary to say), instead of one Christ, many appeared, born, created, beginning from Mary, resolving into the same thing from which he came into being, a man without a mind, truly existing, visible; also many Spirits, uncreated and equal, creature, action and bare name. One must know one God the Father, without beginning and unbegotten, and one Son, and one Spirit, having being from the Father, conceding ungeneracy to the Father and begottenness to the Son, in all other respects co-natural and co-throne, of the same glory and equal in honor. One must know this, confess this, stop there, and leave unnecessary idle talk and “foul talk” (1 Tim. 6:20) to idle people. But what prompted this? Heat without reason and knowledge, restrained by nothing, and the voyage of faith without a helmsman. Knowing this, brothers, let us not be lazy in doing good, but let us burn in spirit, so that we do not fall asleep little by little into death, or so that during our sleep the enemy does not sow bad seeds (for laziness is associated with sleep); Let us not be inflamed with recklessness and pride, so as not to get carried away and deviate from the royal path. Otherwise, we will certainly fall into one of the extremes - either we will need incentives, due to laziness, or we will fall down, due to ardor. Let us borrow from both what is useful in them, from the first meekness, from the second jealousy, and let us avoid what is harmful in them, in the first - slowness, in the second - insolence, so as not to remain fruitless from lack and not to be in danger from excess, for both inactive idleness and inexperienced zeal are equally useless; one does not come close to good, and the other transgresses the limits and does something to the right of the right. Knowing this well, the divine Solomon says: “Do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Prov. 4:27), so as not to fall through the opposite into equal evil - into sin, although he, in praise of what is right by nature, says: “The Lord watches the right ways, but the left ones are corrupt” (Prov. 4:28). How then does he praise what is right, and again lead him away from what is right? Obviously, it takes away from the right, which seems so, and is not the right. This is what he means, and in another place he says: do not “be too truthful and do not show yourself to be too wise” (Eccl. 7:17). For both for righteousness and for wisdom, one thing is dangerous - ardor in deeds and words, from excess, transgressing the limits of perfection and virtue. Both deficiency and excess, as a rule, addition and decrease, are equally harmful. Therefore, let no one be wiser than the subject, nor more legal than the law, nor more brilliant than the light, nor more direct than the rule, nor higher than the commandment. And we will achieve this somewhat if we understand the world, praise the law of nature, follow reason and do not despise decorum. “Look up and look down” (Is. 8:22), and consider how and what the Universe was made of, what it was before it was created, and what it is called now. Everything was arranged in order, and arranged by words, although everything could be produced suddenly, as something unified. For whoever gave existence to the non-existent, and forms and outlines to the created, was not powerless to both produce and arrange everything. But for this reason, one thing is considered first, another second, another third, and so on, so that order is immediately introduced into creatures. So, order created the Universe, order maintains both earthly and heavenly things - order among intelligible beings, order in sensory things, order among angels, order in the stars, in their movement, size, mutual relationship and luminosity. “There is another glory of the sun, another of the moon, another of the stars; and star differs from star in glory” (1 Cor. 15:41). There is order in the parts of the year and in the seasons, which come and pass sedately, and with their intervals soften their steepness. Order in the continuations and intervals of day and night. Order is in the elements from which bodies are made. Order circled the sky, spread out the air, laid down or laid down the earth, poured out and gathered together the moist nature, let out the winds, but did not give them complete freedom, bound the water in the clouds and did not hold it, but in due time evenly scatters it across the face of the entire earth. And all this does not last for a short moment, not on one occasion and not at one time, but from beginning to end, it is directed and follows one path, although one is unchangeable and the other is changeable, in the first case relative to the law, in the second - to the flow. “He set them for ever and ever; gave a statute that will not pass away” (Ps. 149:6), - this is immutability; and what happened, or will happen, is a consequence of the flow. And just as under the rule of order there was order and unchanging beauty in everything, so disorder and disorder gave rise to storms in the air, upheavals on the earth, shipwrecks on the sea, discord in cities and houses, illnesses in the body, and sins in the soul. All these are not names for order or peace, but for confusion or disorder. And even that destruction, known to everyone and expected by everyone, I consider nothing other than an increase in disorder; because order binds, and disorder destroys, if it pleases the One who tied it together, the Universe can be destroyed or transformed. The order legitimized for all animals the way of birth, food and the place of residence characteristic of each; no one has seen a dolphin cut the reins, or an ox dive into the water and swim, or the sun wax or wane at night, or the moon shine during the day. “High mountains are sernams, stone cliffs are a refuge for hares. He created the moon to indicate the times, the sun knows its west” (Ps. 103:18-19). It is night, and man is bound by sleep, and the animals have received freedom, and everyone is looking for the food that the Creator gave him; day, - and the animals “gather, and” man hurries to “his work” - so we give way to each other in order, according to the law and charter of nature! I will add what is even more important and closer to us: the order from the mixture of the irrational with the rational formed man - a rational animal, mysteriously and inexplicably connected the finger with the mind and the mind with the spirit. And to show even more miracles in his creation, the same thing both preserves and destroys, introduces one, steals another, as in a river stream, and gives immortality to a mortal through destruction. Order distinguished us from the dumb, built cities, gave laws, honored virtue, punished vice, invented the arts, combined marriages, ennobled life with love for children and implanted in man something more than low and carnal love - love for God. And is it necessary to talk in detail? Order is the mother and fence of what exists, and he alone could perfectly say what the Word of Creation proclaimed everything, if he had said this: when the Universe was realized and arranged by God, “I was when He drew a circular line across the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above,” when he founded the earth, “and when he strengthened the fountains of the deep” ( Proverbs 8:27–28 ), and “with the breath of His mouth” I bestowed all power ( Ps.33:6). But why did I talk about all this, and why has my word been hastened for a long time? He also distributed order in the Churches, so that some were flocks and others were Shepherds, some were in charge, and others were subordinates; who formed, as it were, the head, some the legs, some the arms, some the eye, some another of the members of the body - for the structure and benefit of the whole, both lower and higher. And in bodies the members are not separated from each other, but the whole body is one of different parts put together; Not all members have the same way of acting, although they all equally need each other for friendly and mutual action. Thus, the eye does not walk, but shows the way; the foot does not look, but steps over and carries from one place to another; the tongue does not accept sounds, for this is a matter of hearing; the ear does not speak, because it is a matter of the tongue; the nose senses smells; “The larynx discerns the taste of food” (Job 34:3), says Job; the hand is a tool for giving and receiving; and the mind is the leader of everything: from it is the ability to sense, and to it all sensation returns. It’s the same with us – in the common body of Christ. For we are all “one body in Christ,” and in one Christ we are also members of “another” (Rom. 12:5). One commands and presides, and the other leads and is governed; both act differently, unless to rule and to be under authority are not the same thing, but both are made one in one Christ, composed and constituted by the same Spirit. And again, what a distance between subordinates who differ in education, training, and age! What a difference there is between the leaders! “And the spirits of the prophets are obedient to the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). Don't doubt it because Paul says it. “And others,” it is said, “God appointed in the Church, firstly, apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly,” shepherds and “teachers” (1 Cor. 12:28); the first for truth, the second for shadow, the third for observing moderation in use and enlightenment. And although there is one Spirit, the gifts are not equal, because the receivers of the Spirit are not equal. To “one” is given “by the Spirit the word of wisdom” and contemplation; to another the word of reason or revelation, to another firm and undoubted “faith, to another the gifts of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the gifts of healing, help,” that is, protection, “government,” that is, teaching the flesh, “diversities of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:8-28), higher and secondary gifts, according to the measure of faith. Let us, brothers, respect and observe this order. Let one be the ear, another the tongue, another the hand, or something else; let one teach, another learn, and another do good with his own hands, to give to those who demand and those in need. Let one rule and receive honor, and the other be justified by his service. Let the teacher teach decently, “and let two or three prophets speak, and then separately, but let one explain” (1 Cor. 14:27, 29). When another receives the revelation, then let the first give way to him. Let the student learn in obedience, let the giver give with good will, and let the one who serves serve with diligence. We will not all be tongues, always ready, not all prophets, not all apostles, not all interpreters. Talking about God is a great thing, but it is much more important to purify oneself for God, because “wisdom will not enter an evil soul” (Wisdom 1:4). We are commanded to “sow in righteousness and reap mercy” in order to be enlightened by the light of knowledge (Hos. 10:12). And Paul wants us, out of our love for the Lord, to be known from the Lord (1 Cor. 8:3), and through this knowledge we ourselves learn (1 Cor. 13:13); and he considers this path of knowledge better than the arrogant opinion that boasts. Teaching is a great thing, but learning is a safe thing. Why do you pretend to be a Shepherd when you are a sheep? Why do you become a head when you are a leg? Why do you undertake to lead an army when you are placed among the warriors? Why do you chase great, but dubious benefits at sea, when you can safely cultivate the land, although with less gain? And if you are a man of Christ (Eph. 4:13), your senses are trained (Heb. 5:14), and you have the clear light of knowledge, then impart God’s wisdom “among the perfect and in secret, hidden” (1 Cor. 2:6-7), and, moreover, when an opportunity opens, you will have an assignment for this. For what have you of yourself that has not been given to you, or that you have not received (1 Cor. 4:7)? If you are still a baby, if you are dragged along by your mind and do not have the strength to ascend to higher knowledge, then be a Corinthian and eat milk. Why do you demand solid food, which your members, due to weakness, are not yet able to consume and make nutritious? – Speak when you have something better than silence, love silence, where silence is better than speech; you know that it is commendable to “command an order” with your mouth (Proverbs 31:26); talk about other things, only listen to others, approve others, and reject others, but without grief. You don’t know, brothers, our sorrow! When we preside here with greatness and give these laws to you - the many, then, perhaps, most of us ourselves (which is worthy of tears) do not know how every thought, every word and deed is weighed by God, even not only by God, but also by very many people. People are slow judges of their own affairs, but quick torturers of the affairs of others. It is easier for them to excuse others in the most important things than for us in the unimportant; and if they still have ignorance, they will rather accuse us of wickedness than themselves of mediocre ignorance. You don’t know what a gift of God is silence! How good it is not to have the need for any word, but to enjoy the freedom to choose one thing and avoid another, and to be for oneself a treasure keeper of both speech and silence! For every word, by its nature, is rotten and easily shaken and, because of the word that opposes it, has no freedom; and the word about God is all the more important the higher the subject, the stronger the jealousy and the graver the danger. What can we, the frightened ones, rely on, whether on the mind, on the word, or on the ear, when danger lies ahead from all three? For it is difficult to comprehend with the mind, impossible to depict in words, and finding a purified ear is most difficult. God is light and the highest light, so that every other light, no matter how shining it may seem, is only a small stream of Him or a dissipating reflection. But He, as you see, tramples on our “darkness.” And “he made darkness his veil” (Ps. 17:10, 12), placing it between himself and us, just as Moses in ancient times placed a veil between himself and blind Israel, so that the darkened nature would not without difficulty see the hidden beauty that not many are worthy of seeing, so that what was conveniently received would not be quickly rejected due to the convenience of acquisition, but so that one light would enter into communication with the Light, which constantly draws upward through the desire for unity, and only the purified mind approached the purest Mind, and so that one would be revealed now, and the other later, as a reward for virtue and for the desire for this Light discovered here, that is, for becoming like Him. For it is said: “now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; Now I know in part, but then I will know, even as I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12). What our humiliation! And what a promise it is to know God as much as we ourselves are known! Thus said Paul, the great preacher of the truth, the teacher of the Gentiles in the Faith, who filled a wide circle with the gospel, lived for none other than Christ, ascended to the third heaven, was a spectator of heaven, and desired to be resolved for perfection (Phil. 1:25). And Moses barely saw God from behind because of the stone (whatever God behind and the stone meant) - he saw, after many prayers and the promise given to him, however, not to the extent that he wanted to see, but what was hidden from his gaze was greater than what was seen - Moses, I say, is the god of Pharaoh, the leader of a great people and who showed the great power of signs! And whom have you fed with food from heaven? What kind of water did you extract from the stone? Which sea did he divide with his rod? What people navigated the waters as if they walked dry land? Which enemies did you sink? To whom did the pillar of fire and cloud show the way? Which Amalek conquered by prayer, by raising his hands - from afar by the mysteriously symbolized cross, so that you would consider it a great loss for yourself if you do not fully comprehend God, and for the sake of this cause everything to be confused and turned upside down? Since I mentioned Moses, will not the order of grace and the law of order be intelligible to you from this? If you are Moses, then go inside the cloud, talk with God, listen to the voice, accept the law, be a legislator. And if you are Aaron, then go up with Moses, but stand close, outside the cloud. But if you are some Ithamar or Eleazar - the third after Moses, or one of the elders and seventy, then stand at a distance and be content with third place. If you are one of the common people, then the mountain will not allow you to approach it, and even a beast, if it touches it, will be stoned. Then stay below and listen to one voice, and then be kept from defilement and cleansed, as commanded. And so that you can reach knowledge in many ways, I ask: which of the priests “stretched out his hands” (Ex. 29:9)? Moses. Who was the first initiate? Aaron. And even before this: who was “to him instead of God” (Ex. 4:16)? And who served instead of the voice of the people? Who entered the Holy of Holies except one? And is he always there? No, but once a year and at a certain time. Did anyone wear the Tabernacle except the Levites? And didn’t they wear it as it was established: some were its most important parts, others less important, depending on the dignity of those wearing it? And since it was necessary to protect her, who exactly guarded her and how? Some this way, others the other, and nothing remained uncertain or unordered, even regarding the smallest parts. But among us, if you have acquired even a little fame, often without even that, if, as luck would have it, you have memorized two or three sayings from Scripture, and then not in connection and without proper understanding (such is our hasty wisdom, this Halan pillar, which has opportunely divided the languages!), it is necessary to become arrogant against Moses and become Dathan and Abiron - scolders and atheists! Let us better avoid their impudence and let us not imitate their arrogance, so as not to end up with them! Do you want me to present you with another order, a laudable order, a worthy order, in order to remind you of it and recommend it at the present time? Do you notice that of Christ’s disciples, who were all high and worthy of election, one is called a stone, and the foundations of the Church are entrusted to him, another is loved more than others, and reclines on the breasts of Jesus, while the rest are not offended by such preference? When Jesus had to ascend the mountain in order to reveal the Divinity in an illuminated face and reveal what is hidden in the flesh, who ascends with Him? For not everyone was spectators of this miracle, but Peter, James and John, who were considered and were superior to others. Who was with Jesus when He was in His struggle, when He went into solitude just before He suffered, and prayed? They're the same again. But in this one can see the preference of Christ, in everything else one can see decorum and order, from what? Peter asks about one thing, Philip about another, Judas about another, Thomas about another, someone else about another, and not all about the same thing, and not one about everything, but each about something in turn. Maybe you will say: each about what he needed. But what will the next thing look like to you? Philip wants to say something, and alone he does not dare, but invites Andrei. Peter needs to ask one question, he gestures to John as well. Where is the unsociability here, where is the arrogance? And in what other way would they show themselves to be real disciples of Christ, meek and lowly in heart, who became a servant for us - His servants and in everything giving all glory to the Father, in order to give us an example of order and modesty, which we previously do not respect, that I would like, at least, not to become more daring than all people, after we show so much modesty in the most important objects and circumstances? Don’t you know that humility is not so much learned in small things (for then it can only be for show and have a false appearance of virtue), but rather experienced in important matters? For me, the humble wise is not the one who speaks little about himself, in front of few and rarely, and not the one who humbly treats his inferiors, but the one who modestly speaks about God, who knows what to say, what to remain silent about, what to admit his ignorance of; who yields the floor to the one who has the power to speak, and agrees that there are people who are more spiritual than him and more successful in speculation. It is a shame to choose cheap clothes and food, not expensive ones, to prove humility and awareness of one’s own weakness with calluses on the knees, streams of tears, also by fasting, vigil, reclining on the bare ground, labor and all kinds of signs of humiliation, but regarding the teaching about God to be autocratic and arbitrary, not to yield to anyone in anything, to raise an eyebrow in front of every legislator, whereas here humility is not only commendable, but and safe. “So, should we really remain silent about God? - one of the hot-headed people will object. - And you order us this? What is there to talk about if not this? Why is it said: “His praise is continually in my mouth,” and: “I will bless the Lord at all times” (Ps. 33:1); “My tongue will speak the truth” (Proverbs 8:7); “I will not restrain my mouth” (Ps. 39:12)?” He will give other similar, expressing the same, and certain sayings. Such a person must respond with meekness and without harsh words, in order to thereby teach decorum. I order you not to remain silent, wisest one, and not to stubbornly stand for your own; not to hide the truth, but to teach, beyond the law. I am the first of those who praise wisdom, the first of those who exercise, or at least want to exercise, God's word. I will never prefer this occupation to anything else, lest Wisdom itself call me pitiful, as a despiser of wisdom and education. However, I avoid excess and give no room for immoderation; I agree that it is better to be less active than inquisitive; If it is impossible to avoid both and maintain moderation, I agree that it is better to be timid beyond what is proper than to be bold. And your action is almost the same as if you began to blame me for completely forbidding you to eat food when I do not allow you to be immoderate in food, or praising blindness when I advise you to look chastely. “If you have knowledge,” it is said, “answer” (Sir.5:14), no one will hinder you, “if not,” put bonds on your mouth. It is all the more fitting for those who are ready to teach. If it is time for you to teach, teach, and if not, then tie your tongue and loosen your ears. Study in the Divine, but do not go beyond the limits, talk about the spiritual and, if possible, about this one thing, talk more often than you take a breath (it is good and pleasing to God to be aroused to God by the remembrance of the Divine), but when reflecting on what is commanded to you, do not be curious about the nature of the Father, about the fulfillment of the Only Begotten Son, about the glory and power of the Spirit, about the One Godhead in Three, about one lordship, about the indivisible nature and confession, about the indivisible glory and hope of believers. Stick to the expressions that you have adopted through your upbringing, and leave the floor to the wisest. It is enough for you to have a foundation, but let the artist build on it. It’s enough for you to feed your heart with bread, and leave the rest of the food to the rich. None of the sane people condemned you for eating inexpensive dishes, but they condemned you if, while you are still able, you do not offer bread and give water to a disciple of Christ or anyone else. Do not be “rash in words” (Prov. 29:20), wisdom commands you. “Do not worry about gaining wealth” (Prov. 23:4), do not strive to be wiser than the wise. And that is the wisdom to know yourself, but not to become arrogant and not to be subjected to the same thing that happens to the voice, which is completely lost if it is overly tense. It is better, being wise, to yield out of modesty, than, being ignorant, to puff up out of insolence. Let your speed extend only to the confession of Faith, if this is required of you; but in what is beyond this, be slow, for there slowness, and here haste are fraught with danger. What harm will it do to you if you do not retain the upper hand in every interview and do not have primacy in every proposal or question; on the contrary, others turn out to be wiser or braver than you? Thanks be to God, who gives both excellent gifts and knows how to save by common means! Such a miracle is seen not in the reasoning of one doctrine, but also in the reasoning of creation itself, if you have thought about it. And in the series of creatures the first belong not to some, but to all; The gift of one creature is a common gift. And in Faith, the means of salvation belong not to the strongest, but to those who wish. What is better than air, fire, water, earth, rain, garden and forest fruits, shelter, clothing? But everyone uses them, some completely, and others to a certain extent, and there is no oppressor who would want to enjoy the common gift. God shines like the sun for everyone, rains for rich and poor, night and day alternate for everyone, a common gift is health, everyone has a common gift - the limit of life, the measure and beauty of the body, the ability of feelings. Even the poor have, perhaps, more, because they are more grateful for these gifts and enjoy the common goods with greater pleasure than the powerful of the land enjoy the abundant goods. So, the listed gifts are common and equal, and serve as proof of God's truth. But gold, shiny and expensive stones, soft, elegant clothing, hot and irritating foods, excess property - are acquired with difficulty and constitute the advantage of a few. I see the same in relation to Vera. Common to all: the Law, the Prophets, the Testaments, the words of the Testaments, grace, procreation, perfection, the suffering of Christ, the new creation, the Apostles, the Gospels, the dispensation of the Spirit, faith, hope, love both for God and for God. And these gifts, not like the ancient gift of manna to ungrateful and unappreciative Israel, are given not in moderation, but to everyone, as much as he wants. These are the same: ascension, illumination, little is still here, but the clearest in the hoped-for future; This is also what is most important, the knowledge of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the confession of our first hope. What is this above and what is more general? After this, the following, although it is valued higher due to rarity, but regarding necessity, takes second place. For without which it is impossible to be a Christian, it is more useful than that available to few. One is rich in the gift of contemplation, stands above many, “complies spiritual with spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:13), “writes three times” in the breadth of his heart (Prov. 22:21) a word that edifies all, and a word that edifies many, and a word that edifies some instead of many or all; he does not tolerate squalor and penetrates into the depths. Let such a one ascend and be guided and ascend with his mind, even, if he wants, to the third heaven, like Paul, but only with reason and knowledge, so as not to fall from exaltation and not to melt his wings from the height of flight. Who would envy a commendable ascent? But what fall can be compared with the fall of a person who is wounded by exaltation and does not know the baseness of human exaltation, does not know how far from the true height even he who has risen above everyone else is? The other is poor in mind and poor in language, does not know the figures of speech, the sayings and riddles of the sages, Pyrrhon’s methods of insisting, delaying, opposing, Chrysippus’s methods of solving syllogisms, the evilness of Aristotle’s tricks, the charms of Plato’s eloquence, which all, like the Egyptian plagues, have crept into our Church to the detriment of us, but even such a one has the means to be saved. With the help of what sayings? Truly, there is nothing richer than Grace! You do not need, says Scripture, to ascend to heaven to draw Christ from there, nor to descend into the abyss to raise Him from there from the dead, being curious about either the first nature or the last economy. “The word is close to you,” it is said (Rom. 10:6–8). This treasure has a mind and a tongue, the former if he believes, the latter if he confesses. What is more portable than this wealth? Which gift is easier to acquire? Confess Jesus Christ and believe that He has risen from the dead - and you will be saved. For justification is to believe only, but perfect salvation is to confess and add boldness to knowledge. What more are you looking for besides salvation? Future glory and holiness. It is very important for me to be saved and get rid of the torment there. You are following a path unbroken and inaccessible, but I am following a well-trodden path that has saved many. There would be, brothers, nothing more unjust than our Faith, if it were the lot of only the wise and those who are abundant in words and mental arguments, and the common people should also remain without acquiring faith, just as without gold, without silver and without everything else that is dearly valued on earth and which many greatly covet, and if only the high and not reaching many were kind to God and acceptable to them, and what is close and accessible to many is despised and rejected by God. And among people the most moderate would not tolerate not seeking the honors that are within their power, but admiring only the highest honors; much less will God tolerate this, in whom, if many things are admirable, then what is more admirable than anything else is that it is most characteristic of Him to do good to everyone. Do not despise the ordinary, do not chase after the new in order to distinguish yourself in front of a large number of people. “Better is a little” that is safe than a lot that is unreliable. May Solomon teach you with his advice (Proverbs 15:76)! “And better is the poor man who walks in his integrity” (Proverbs 19:1) - here is another wise proverb! Poor in word and knowledge, relying on simple expressions and saving himself on them, as on a small boat, is higher than the greyhound-tongued fool who, with ignorance, trusts the argument of the mind, and the cross of Christ, which is higher than any word, is abolished by force in the word, where the weakness of evidence serves as a derogation of the truth. Why do you fly to heaven when you are appointed to walk on earth? Why do you begin to build a pillar without having anything to complete it with? Why do you measure “water with a handful, the sky with a span, and all the earth with a handful” (Is. 40:12), - do you measure the great elements, measurable for the Creator alone? First of all, know yourself, consider what is in your hands. Who are you? How are you created and composed in such a way that you are both the image of God and associated with the worst? What got you going? What wisdom is revealed to you? What is the secret of nature? How are you described by a place, but the mind does not separate, but, staying in the same place, bypasses everything? How is the eye small and reaches the farthest distances? Or better to say: is vision the receiver of the visible or the input to the visible? How does one and the same thing both move and move, being controlled by the will? And where does the movement stop? What is the division of the senses, and how through them does the mind converse with the external and receive the external into itself? How does he perceive the images of things? What is the preservation of what is perceived - memory, what is the renewal of what has been lost - recollection? How is a word a product of the mind, and gives birth to a word in the mind of another? How do words convey a thought? How does the body feed through the soul, and how does the soul participate in the passions through the body? How does fear bind her, unleash courage, constrain sadness, expand pleasure, consume envy, puff up pride, lighten hope? How does anger infuriate, and shame turn red, the first causing the blood to boil, and the other to flow? How are signs of passions reflected in the body? What is the advantage of the mind? How does he control passions and tame their movements? How is the ethereal held by blood and breath? Why does the soul depart when the latter become impoverished? Try to understand this or something from this, man (I’m not even talking about nature, about the movement of the sky, about the order of the stars, about the mixture of elements, about the differences in animals, about the higher and lower degrees of the heavenly Powers, about everything that is given to the creative word, about the laws of industry and management); but even then I won’t say: be brave; on the contrary, be afraid to touch higher objects that exceed your strength. Especially every controversial and ambitious word turns into a skill for competitions on the most important subjects. And just as you imprint on children the first rules of morality so that they subsequently avoid vices, so in relation to the word one should not be insolent and unbridled, even in judgments about unimportant things, so as not to become accustomed to such abuse in judgments about the most important. For it is easier not to succumb to vice at the beginning and to avoid it when it is only close to us, than to stop it and rise above it when it has already made progress in us; just as it is easier to prop up and hold a stone at the beginning than to lift it up while it is falling. But if you are insatiable and cannot stop the disease, then do not lose sight and remember the following rule: let your ambition to study safe objects be exhausted. If you do not agree to this, and your tongue does not tolerate a bridle, you cannot overcome your aspirations, but you certainly need to be highly intelligent, not to yield to the first Powers (unless there is no measure of knowledge for them) and to become higher than how much is useful, then do not condemn your brother and do not call timidity wickedness. You, who have taken a vow of meekness, do not quickly leave him, either by condemning him or despairing of him; but here show yourself, while you can, humble. Here - prefer a brother without harm to yourself, here - where to condemn and humiliate means to separate from Christ and from the only hope, it means to pluck out the undetected wheat, which, perhaps, will become more honest than you, along with the tares. On the contrary, correct him partly and, moreover, meekly and philanthropically, not like an enemy or an unmerciful doctor who only knows one remedy - to cauterize and cut; partly know yourself and your own weakness. Well, what if, having putrefaction or some other disease in your eyes, you cannot see the sun clearly? Well, if everything seems to you to be spinning because you are sick or maybe you are drunk, yet you attribute your ignorance to others? It is much more necessary to think and experience a lot before you condemn another of wickedness. Cutting a plant or some short-term flower is not the same thing as cutting a person. You are the image of God, and you converse with the image of God. You who judge another will be judged yourself; you judge another man's slave, who is ruled by another. Look at your brother as if you yourself were judged along with him. Therefore, do not quickly cut off and throw away the member, it is not yet known whether this will not harm healthy members. Give advice, “rebuke, exhort” (2 Tim. 4:2). You have a rule of treatment, you are a disciple of Christ, meek, loving of mankind and who bore our infirmities. If the brother resisted the first time, be patient with generosity; if the second time, do not lose hope - there is still time for healing; if the third time, then be a philanthropic farmer, also beg the master not to cut down and not expose the barren and useless fig tree to his wrath, but to take care of it and “cover it with dung” (Luke 13:8), that is, to give it the treatment of confession, discovery shameful deeds and disgraced life. Who knows whether it will change, whether it will bear fruit and nourish Jesus returning from Bethany? Tolerate the real or apparent stench of your brother - you, who are anointed with the spiritual world, compiled according to the art of the world, in order to communicate your fragrance to your brother. Sin is not the kind of venom of a viper, from which immediately upon being wounded one suffers excruciating pain or death itself, so that you would be excused in fleeing from the beast or killing it. On the contrary, if you can, heal your brother; and if not, at least you yourself will not be in danger of participating in any way with him in his depravity. Your brother’s illness is some kind of unpleasant stench, and it may be driven away by your overpowering fragrance. And you could willingly decide for your fellow servant and relative to do something similar to what Paul the zealot dared to think and say, compassionately for the Israelites, that is, that instead of him, if possible, Israel would be brought to Christ - and to you, I say, who often, on one suspicion, excommunicates a brother from himself, and whom, perhaps, he would have gained favor with, he destroys with his insolence, he destroys his own member, for which Christ died. So, although you are strong, Paul says, speaking about food, and trustworthy in speech and courage of faith, nevertheless edify your brother and “do not destroy with your food” (Rom. 14:15) the one who is honored by Christ with common suffering. For although this is a different matter, the word of exhortation is equally useful. Just as in ancient times, the wise Jews did not allow young people to read some of the Holy Books, because they would not bring benefit to souls that were not yet hard and gentle; Likewise, it would be necessary for us to establish by law that not everyone and not always, but only at certain times and known persons, should be allowed to teach about the Faith, namely those who are not at all careless and slow in mind, and not too insatiable, ambitious and more appropriately ardent in the matter of piety. Such people should be given instructions, correcting which they could not harm either themselves or others, and the right to teach should be given to those who are moderate in speech, as truly well-ordered and chaste; To divert common people from this path and from the now intensified illness - talkativeness, and turn them to another safest kind of virtue, where negligence is less harmful, and immoderation is not contrary to blasphemy. For if, just as “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:5,6), there was one way to salvation - the path of the word and speculation, and whoever strayed from it would necessarily begin to sin in everything and completely turn away from God and future hope, then it would be most dangerous to give such advice and to obey them. But if, just as in human life there is a lot of difference between the kinds and rules of life, of which some are higher, others lower, some more noble, others less glorious, so in Divine life there is not one means of salvation, and not one path to virtue, but many; and the fact that God has many abodes is a saying repeated by everyone and in the language of all living, not for any other reason, but for the many paths leading to these abodes, and the paths are sometimes more dangerous and bright, sometimes humble and safe; Why do we, having left the safest paths, turn to this one path, so unsafe and slippery, and leading to an unknown destination? Or, although the same food is not suitable for everyone, everyone needs their own, depending on the difference in age and habits, but the same life, the same word are useful to everyone. I myself would not assert this and would not agree with those who assert it. So, if you want to accept my advice, young men and elders, leaders of the people and subordinates, monks and those who are saved in the community, renounce excessive and useless ambition, drawing closer to God through life, deeds and teaching more securely, prepare for the truth there and contemplation of Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: