Слово 3

Gregory the Theologian justifies his removal to Pontus after his ordination as a presbyter and his return from there, and also teaches how important the rank of priesthood is and what a bishop should be I am defeated, and I admit victory over myself. “Obey the Lord and trust in him” (Ps. 36:7). So let the most blessed David begin my word, or, better to say, He who spoke in David and who still speaks through him! For for a beginner, every word and deed is the best order - to begin with God and end with God. As for the reason for my former resistance and cowardice, for which I “went away and remained” (Ps. 54:8) for a considerable time away from you, perhaps those who wanted me to stay with you, as well as about the reason for my present submission and change, for which I myself returned to you, let everyone speak and think in their own way; since one hates and the other loves; some do not excuse me, while others even approve of me. People find it most pleasant to talk about other people's affairs, especially if they are carried away by either favor or hatred; in which case the truth is most often hidden from them. But I, putting aside shame, will present the truth for both sides, that is, for those who accuse me and for those who diligently defend me, I will be a truthful mediator, accusing myself of some things and justifying myself in others. And so that my words go in the proper order, I will first say about what happened to me before - about my timidity. For I cannot bear to be tempted by some of those who carefully observe all my actions, whether they are correct or not (since God wants me to mean something to Christians); and those who are tempted, if there are any, I will heal with this protective word. The best thing is not to cause others to stumble or be tempted, without sinning or even giving suspicion, as much as possible and as much as the strength of the mind allows, because we know what inevitable and severe punishment the “Unchangeable One” (Titus 1:2) has determined for those who have tempted even one of the least. But I was subjected to this, brethren, not out of ignorance and misunderstanding, on the contrary (I will boast, although somewhat), for other reasons, and not because I despised God’s laws and commands. As in the body, some are in charge and, as it were, presiding, and others are under command and control: so in the Churches (whether according to the law of justice, which rewards according to dignity, or according to the law of Providence, which connects everything), God decreed that some for whom it is more useful, guided by word and deed to their duty, remain flocks and subordinates; and others, standing above others in virtue and closeness to God, were Shepherds and Teachers for the perfection of the Church, and had the same relationship to others as the soul to the body and the mind to the soul, so that both, insufficient and excess, being, like bodily members, united and conjugated into one composition, joined and bound by the union of the Spirit; represented one body, perfect and truly worthy of Christ himself - our Head. Therefore, I do not think that anarchy and disorder are more useful than order and authority, both for everything else and for people; on the contrary, they are least useful to people who are in danger in the most important ways. For them, if they do not fulfill the first requirement of reason, so as not to sin, the second is important, so that those who have sinned are returned to the true path. And since it is good and fair to be superiors and subordinates, then, in my opinion, it is equally bad and equally contrary to order for everyone to desire leadership and for no one to take it upon themselves. When would everyone begin to avoid this leadership, or, more correctly, service; then the beautiful fullness of the Church would lack the most significant things, and it would no longer be beautiful. Moreover, where and by whom would the mysterious and grief-lifting Divine Service, which is most excellent and honorable among us, be performed among us, if there were no King, no Prince, no Priesthood, no Sacrifice (Hos. 3:4), or all that, which, as the most important, was deprived of the disobedient from ancient times as punishment for great crimes? On the other hand, it is not at all strange and not out of order that many of the godly wise from the subordinates ascend to the level of superior; this is not contrary to the rules that wisdom prescribes, and is not reprehensible; as well as the fact that a skilled shipbuilder is given control of the ship’s bow, and the one who, while steering the bow, knows how to observe the winds, is trusted with the helm; or (if you prefer) - a courageous warrior becomes the leader of a detachment, and a good leader of a detachment is entrusted with the entire army and the management of all military affairs. And I was not ashamed of the degree of rank, wanting a higher one, which, perhaps, some of the good-for-nothing and evil people who judge others by their own passions will think. I do not understand so little of God’s greatness and human baseness as not to recognize it as a great thing for every created nature to at least get any closer to God, Who is the only one who is most luminous, most glorious and surpasses in purity all material and immaterial nature. So what happened to me? What was the reason for my disobedience? It seemed to many that I was not myself then, that I had become a completely different person than they knew me, that I resisted and persisted more than was permissible. Therefore, listen to the reasons for this, you who have long wanted to know them. I was especially struck by the surprise, like a man struck by sudden thunder, I could not gather my thoughts; and therefore he transgressed the modesty to which he had accustomed himself all his life. Then some kind of attachment to the blessings of silence and solitude took possession of me. Loving him from the very beginning, as hardly anyone else involved in science loved, in the most important and most dangerous circumstances for me, having made a vow to God of a “silent life”, even having already touched it, as if I was on the threshold, and upon learning, inflamed with great desire, I did not endure coercion, did not allow myself to be plunged into rebellion and forcibly distracted from such a life, as if from a sacred refuge. It seemed to me that the best thing is to close off the senses, renounce the flesh and the world, immerse yourself in yourself, without extreme need not touching anything human, talking with yourself and with God, to live above the visible and carry within yourself divine images, always pure and unmixed with earthly and deceptive impressions, to be and continually become a truly pure mirror of God and the divine, to acquire light to the light - to the less clear most radiant, to reap with hope the blessings of the future age, to live together with the angels and, while still on earth, to leave the earth and be lifted up by the Spirit. If any of you are embraced by this love, you will understand what I am saying and will forgive the then state of my spirit. But my words will not convince, perhaps many, namely all those who find this kind of life funny, to which they are all disposed either out of their own unreason, or because others go through it unworthily; reinforced by envy, also by ill-will and the tendency of many to do worse, they call good things bad, and call wisdom vanity. And from this they certainly sin in one of two ways - either they do evil, or they do not believe in good Besides this, something else happened to me (I’ll reveal my whole secret to you): I don’t know whether it’s noble or not; however, it was so. I was ashamed of others who, being no better than others (if not worse), with unwashed hands, as they say, with unclean souls, take up the most holy work, and before they become worthy to begin the priesthood, they rush into the sanctuary, crowd and jostle around the Holy Table, as if they consider this office not a model of virtue, but a means of subsistence, not a service subject to responsibility, but an authority, not giving an account. And such people, poor in piety, pitiful in their very splendor, are almost more numerous than those over whom they rule; so that, with the continuation of time and this evil, there will be no one left, as I think, to rule over - when everyone will teach, instead of, as God’s promise says, “to be taught by God” (Is. 54:13); everyone will begin to prophesy, and, according to the ancient legend, according to the ancient parable, “Saul will be among the prophets” (1 Samuel 10:11). Other vices, from time to time, either intensified or ceased; but nothing has ever happened, both now and before, in such a multitude as these shameful deeds and sins are now among Christians. But if it is not in our power to stop the striving of evil, then at least hating and being ashamed of it is not the last degree of piety. But here is the last reason, which is more important than those given; for I am already touching on the most important thing in the word, and I will not lie (which would be impermissible for someone discussing such a subject); I didn’t think, and now I don’t think, that it means the same thing to lead a herd of sheep or oxen and to control human souls. There it is enough for the oxen or sheep to become the fattest and fattest. And in this case, the one who shepherds them will choose places abundant in water and grains, drive the herds from one pasture to another, give them rest, raise them from their places and gather them, some with a rod, and most with a pipe. A shepherd of sheep and oxen has nothing else to do except sometimes have to fight a little with wolves and look after sick cattle. Most of all, he cares most about oak, shade, pipes and lying on the beautiful grass, making a bed of greenery by the chilly water under the breeze, sometimes singing a love song with a glass in hand, talking with oxen or sheep, and eating or selling the fattest of them. But no one will ever care about the virtue of sheep or oxen. For what kind of virtue do they have? And which of the shepherds preferred what was good for the flock to their own pleasure? But for a person who hardly knows how to be under authority, it seems much more difficult to be able to rule over people, especially to have such authority as ours, which is based on God’s law and leads to God - in which, the greater the height and dignity, the greater the danger even for those who have intelligence. And, firstly, like silver and gold, circulating everywhere, in every circumstance and deed, it should not sound like a counterfeit and unclean coin, and should not at all contain a worse substance that would require the strongest fire. Otherwise, the greater the evil that will happen, the more people he controls; because a vice that spreads to many is greater than a vice that stops at one. And it is not so easy for fabric to absorb indelible dye, and close things absorb stench or incense from one another, but so quickly it spreads into the air and some harmful evaporation is communicated to animals from the air, producing an infection and called infection, just as subordinates usually quickly absorb the vices of their superior, and even vices are much easier than the opposite of vice - virtue. This is where vice especially takes precedence over virtue. And I grieve most of all at the thought that vice is a task that conveniently incites competition and is accomplished without difficulty, that it is easiest to become vicious, even if no one guides us in it; on the contrary, the acquisition of virtue is a rare and difficult task, even though there are many attractions and incentives to it. I think that the most blessed Haggai had this very thought when he was brought to this wonderful and very true image: ask the priests about the law, he says: will sacred meat that touches a robe, any food or drink, or vessel, immediately sanctify what comes close to it? And when the priests said: no; Ask again, he says: when something touches an unclean thing, will it not immediately take in the filth? To this they said: He will accept it, and because of the message he will no longer be pure (Hag.2:13-14). What does this mean? Same thing I'm saying. Virtue is not suitable for human nature, just as fire is not suitable for wet matter; but the majority of people are ready and able to accept bad things into themselves, like reeds, which, due to their dryness, easily ignite and burn in the wind from a spark. For everyone rather accepts a small vice to a greater extent than a high virtue to a small extent. So a small amount of wormwood immediately imparts its bitterness to honey, but honey does not impart its sweetness to wormwood in double measure. Pull out a small stone: it will drag the whole river into the open; The hardest dam can hardly hold and block it. So, the first thing we should be afraid of from what we have said is that we do not turn out to be bad painters of wonderful virtue, especially an unsuitable original for other painters, maybe not bad, but many, or so that we do not fit the proverb: we undertake to heal others, but we ourselves are covered with scabs. Secondly, if any of us kept himself, even as much as possible, pure from all sin, I still don’t know whether this is enough for someone who is preparing to teach others virtue. To whom this is entrusted, he not only must not be vicious (many of those subordinate to him abhor this), but must be distinguished by virtue, according to the commandment that commands “to turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 36:27). He is obliged not only to destroy bad images in his soul, but also to root better ones, so that he surpasses others in virtue more than how much he is superior to them in dignity. He should not even know the measure in kindness and in ascent to perfection, consider not so much a profit what is acquired, but a loss what is not achieved, and always turn what has been accomplished into a step towards the highest, and not think highly of himself if he surpasses many, but recognize it as a loss if he does not correspond to his rank in some way. He should measure his successes by the commandment, and not by the example of his neighbors (whether they are vicious, or have some success in virtue), not to weigh on small scales the virtue that we owe to the Great One, from Whom is everything and for Whom is everything, not to think that the same thing is appropriate for everyone; since not everyone has the same age, the same facial features, the nature of animals is not the same, the qualities of the earth, the beauty and greatness of the stars are not the same. On the contrary, one should consider it a vice in an individual person that he has done something bad, deserves punishment and is strictly tormented by the law itself, and in a leader and primate even the fact that he has not achieved possible perfection and does not continually succeed in goodness; because he needs, by the superiority of his virtue, to attract the people to order, and not to curb them by force, but to bring them to order through conviction. For everything that is done involuntarily, besides being violent and not praiseworthy, is also not durable. What is forced, like a plant forcibly bent by hand, is quickly left in the wild and usually returns to its previous position. On the contrary, what is done according to free will, as fastened by the bonds of heartfelt affection, is both very legal and at the same time reliable. Therefore, our law and the Lawgiver himself especially commands “to feed the flock, not under compulsion, but willingly” (1 Pet. 5:2). Let’s even assume that someone is blameless and has ascended to the very top of virtue: I still don’t see how, having stocked up on knowledge, what kind of strength he relied on, he would dare to take on such leadership. For to rule man, the most cunning and changeable animal, in my opinion, is truly the art of the arts and the science of the sciences. What everyone can verify if the healing of souls is compared with the healing of bodies, he will know how difficult the latter is, and will understand how much our healing is even more difficult, and at the same time, preferable, both in terms of the nature of the person being treated, and in the power of knowledge, and in terms of the purpose of healing. One works on bodies, on matter that is perishable and tends to fall, on matter that will certainly be destroyed and suffer its fate, although now, with the help of art, the disorder that has occurred in it will be overcome; for the body, having yielded to nature and without leaving its limits, will be destroyed either by disease or by time. And the other cares about the soul, which came from God and is divine, which participates in the heavenly nobility and hastens to it, although it is united with the worst (perhaps for other reasons, which are known to the only God who united it with the body, and perhaps to the one who was taught such secrets by God himself, but as far as we know - I and people like me) for the following two purposes. Firstly, so that the soul could inherit the mountain glory for the feat and for the struggle with the earth, and, being here tempted by them, like gold by fire, received what was hoped for as a reward for virtue, and not only as a gift from God. And of course, this is the height of God’s goodness, that good is made our property, not only instilled in us by nature, but also cultivated by our desire and movements of freedom, inclined to both sides. Secondly, so that the soul can, gradually freeing itself from fatness, attract and raise grief to itself, so that it, becoming a leader for the service substance and turning it into service to God, is for the body what God is for the soul. He who heals the body takes into account the place, case, age, season, etc., gives medicines, prescribes a way of life, warns against harmful things, so that the whims of the patient do not interfere with the art; sometimes, when and on whom it is necessary, he uses cauterization, cutting and other, even more cruel methods of treatment. Although all this turns out to be very difficult and difficult, it is not as much as observing and healing morals, passions, behavior, free desire and everything like that in us, tearing out what has grown into us that is brutal and wild, and in its place introducing and rooting everything that is meek and noble, establishing the proper relationship between soul and body, not allowing the best to be ruled by the worst, which would be the greatest injustice, but subordinating the lower by nature to the superior and sovereign, as, without a doubt, requires God's law, beautifully established for all creation, both visible and supersensible. In considering all that I have listed, I also note that the body protected by the doctor, as it is by nature, remains such, and of itself does not in the least plot or contrive against the means used by art; on the contrary, the art of medicine masters the substance; Is it possible that sometimes some temporary disorder will occur from the will of the patient, which, however, is not difficult to prevent and stop. But in us, wisdom, pride and the fact that we do not know how and do not tolerate easily giving up victory over ourselves serve as the greatest obstacle to virtue and constitute, as it were, a militia against those who give us help. No matter how much effort we should make to reveal the disease to doctors, we use so much effort to avoid treatment. We are brave against ourselves and skillful to the detriment of our health. Then we slavishly conceal sin, hiding it in the depths of the soul, like some festering and malignant scab, as if, having hidden it from people, we will hide it from the great eye and judgment of God; then, under various pretexts, we excuse our sins and come up with excuses for our passions; then, having blocked our hearing, like “a deaf adder that stops our ears,” we take all measures so as not to “hear the voice of the exorcist” (Ps. 57:5-6) and not to use the healing of wisdom, which heals mental illness, then, finally (as the more daring and courageous of us do, we are clearly not ashamed of either sin or those who heal sin, we go, as they say, with an open head to all iniquity. What a disorder mind! or what would be an even more appropriate name for such a disease! - Whom we should love as benefactors, we drive away from ourselves as enemies, hating “those who reprove in the gates” (Hag. 2:15), “hating the word of righteousness” (Amos 5:10), and like those who, tormenting their own flesh, think that they are tormenting their neighbors, we intend to cause the greater harm to our well-wishers, the more evil we do ourselves. to yourself. That is why I believe that our medical art is much more difficult, and therefore preferable, to the art of healing bodies; but it is also more difficult because the latter looks little into the depths and is more concerned with the visible; on the contrary, all our healing and care relates to the “hidden man of the heart” (1 Pet. 3:11), and our warfare is with the enemy who is at war and opposed within us, who, using weapons against us ourselves (which is most terrible of all!), betrays us to sinful death. And for this we need great and perfect faith, to a greater extent God’s assistance, but not to a small extent, as I am convinced, and our own zeal, expressed and actually shown in word and deed, if necessary, so that our souls, which are preferable to us above all, are well healed, cleansed and valued most dearly. As for the purpose of both healings (we still have to compare them in this regard), the purpose of one is either to preserve the health and well-being of the flesh when it exists, or to restore it when it is lost, although it is not known whether this will be beneficial to the one with health. For the opposite of this has often brought great benefit, just as poverty and wealth, glory and disgrace, humiliation and nobility, and also everything that by nature occupies the middle, not leaning to either side, becomes better or worse according to the use and arbitrariness of those who have it. But the goal of other healing is to give wings to the soul, to snatch it from the world and hand it over to God, to preserve the image of God, if intact, to support it, if in danger, to renew it, if damaged, to “dwell Christ into the hearts” (Eph. 3:17) by the Spirit; to put it briefly: make the one who belongs to the heavenly rank a god and a partaker of heavenly bliss. This is what the protecting law wants for us, and the Prophets who mediate between Christ and the law, and the Perfecter and end of the spiritual law - Christ, and the Deity who has exhausted Himself, and the assumed flesh, and the new mixture - God and man - one of Divinity and humanity, and through one both. For this purpose, God became involved in the flesh through the medium of the soul, and distant things were united with each other through the similarity of what mediates one and the other; everything was united into one for all and for one Forefather, soul for transgressed soul, flesh for flesh submissive to the soul and condemned together; Christ, not involved in sin and superior to sin, for Adam, who was under sin. For this purpose, the old is replaced with the new; the one who suffered was called back by suffering; for each of our debts we are repaid especially by those who are above us; and another sacrament was revealed—God’s loving view of those who fell through disobedience. For this - birth and the Virgin, for this - manger and Bethlehem; birth instead of creation, Virgin instead of wife, Bethlehem instead of Eden, manger instead of paradise, small and visible instead of great and hidden. For this purpose - angels glorifying the Heavenly One, who later became Earthly, shepherds seeing glory on the Lamb and the Shepherd; guiding star; Magi worshiping and bringing gifts so that idolatry would cease. For this purpose, Jesus accepts baptism and testimony from above; For this purpose he fasts, is tempted and overcomes the victor. For this purpose, demons are cast out, illnesses are healed, and the great work of preaching is entrusted to the little ones and carried out by them. For this reason, nations are in turmoil and people are thinking in vain. For this - tree for tree and hand for hand; a hand, courageously outstretched, for a hand, incontinently outstretched; nailed hands - for the willful hand, hands that connect the ends of the world together - for the hand that cast out Adam. For this - the ascension to the cross for the fall, gall for eating, the crown of thorns for evil dominion, death for death, darkness for light, burial for returning to the earth, resurrection for resurrection. All this was for us by God some kind of guidance and healing of our weakness, returning the old Adam to where he fell, and leading to the tree of life, from which the fruit of the tree of knowledge, untimely and unwisely eaten, removed us. The ministers and co-workers of this healing are all of us who preside over others, we for whom it is important to know and heal our own weaknesses and ailments, or rather, this is not so important (but the depravity of many in this rank forced me to express it this way), but it is much more important to be able to heal and skillfully cleanse others, so that this will benefit both those who need healing and those assigned to heal. In addition, physicians of the body must endure the labors, vigils, worries known to us and, as one of their sages said 9, collect sorrows for themselves from other people’s misfortunes; discovering and inventing some things themselves, borrowing and collecting others from others, they must turn this into favor of those who demand it; and what they find or avoid, not excluding the smallest things, is not unimportant for them, but is recognized as having the power to improve health or avert danger. And what is all this for? So that a person can live on earth for more days, and a person, perhaps not useful for society, but the most unfit for whom, due to his depravity, it would be even better to die long ago and through that be freed from vice, this greatest illness. But let’s assume that he is a good person; how long will he live? Is it really always? And what will he gain from life here? To want to get rid of it, in my opinion, is the first and truest good, and is characteristic of a person who is truly sane and intelligent. But for us, when we are in danger of losing the salvation of our soul, a blessed and immortal soul, which will be eternally either punished for viciousness or glorified for virtue, what feat is required, and what information is needed in order to heal others well and to heal ourselves, in order to correct our way of life and subdue the flesh to the spirit? For the concepts and aspirations of man and woman, of old age and youth, of poverty and wealth, of the cheerful and sad, of the sick and healthy, of superiors and subordinates, of the wise and ignorant, of the timid and the brave, of the angry and the meek, of those who stand firm and those who fall are not the same. And if we take a closer look, what a difference there is between those who have entered into marriage and those who are celibate! And among the latter again - between the desert dwellers, between those in hostels and between those remaining in the world! Between those who are experienced and successful in contemplation and between those who simply do their duty! Between city dwellers and rural dwellers, between the simple-hearted and the cunning, between those busy with business and those living idlely, between those who have suffered betrayal of happiness and the successful ones who have never encountered failure! All of them differ from each other in desires and aspirations - sometimes more than they differ in bodily appearance, or (if you like) in the combination and dissolution of the elements of which we consist; and therefore it is not easy to observe them. But just as different medicines and food are given to bodies, some are suitable for the healthy, others for the sick; So souls are healed in various ways and ways. Witnesses of such healing are the sick themselves. Some are taught by the word, others are corrected by example. For some, a scourge is needed, and for others, a bridle; for some are lazy and incapable of doing good, and such should be aroused by blows of words; others are beyond measure ardent in spirit and uncontrollable in their aspirations, like young, strong horses running further than their goal, and such can be corrected by a curbing and restraining word. For some, praise is useful, for others - reproach, but both are on time; on the contrary, without time and without reason they harm. Some are corrected by admonition, others by reprimand, and the last one either publicly or after secret admonition. For some are accustomed to neglecting admonitions made in private, but they come to their senses if they are reproached in front of many; others, when the accusations are made public, lose shame, but they are humbled by a secret reprimand, and for such condescension they reward themselves with humility. Others, proud of the thought that their affairs are secrets, which they care about, consider themselves smarter than others, and in such people it is necessary to carefully observe all, even the most unimportant, actions; and in others it is better not to notice anything, and, as they say, seeing not seeing, hearing not hearing, so as not to overwhelm them with jealousy of denunciations, arouse them to perseverance and, finally, make them daring to do anything, destroying shame in them - this is a means of instilling humility. Sometimes you need to be angry without being angry, show contempt without despising, lose hope without despair, as much as everyone’s nature requires; others must be healed by meekness, humility and participation in their best hopes for themselves. It is useful to motivate some, while for others it is often more useful to be motivated yourself, and one should praise or condemn - one has wealth and power, and another has poverty and disorder of affairs. For our healing is not the same as virtue and vice, of which the first is always and for everyone the best and most useful, and the last is the worst and most harmful; We have the same thing, for example, severity or meekness, as well as everything else that I have listed, not always, even for the same people, it turns out to be either the most saving or dangerous. On the contrary, for some one thing is good and useful, and for others another thing, the opposite of the first - according to what time and circumstances require, and as the temperament of the person being treated allows. Although no matter how much effort and intelligence one uses, it is impossible to depict everything in words and grasp it in thought in such detail that the entire course of healing can be briefly seen; however, in actual experience and in fact, this becomes known from medical science and to the doctor. In general, we know that, as for someone walking on a high-tension rope, it is unsafe to deviate to the sides, and a small deviation, apparently, entails a larger one, but its safety depends on balance; so in our case, whoever, due to bad life or ignorance, deviates in one direction or the other, it is very dangerous for him that he himself will fall into sin and draw the governed into it. On the contrary, we must follow the most royal path and beware, so that, as it is said in Proverbs, “we do not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Proverbs 4:27). This is the nature of our infirmities and this is why there is so much work for the good Shepherd, who is obliged to know well the souls of his flock, and to be their leader according to the law of direct and fair shepherding, which would be worthy of our true Shepherd. As for the very distribution of the word (I will say finally about what constitutes our first duty, and I understand the Divine and lofty word, about which everyone is now philosophizing); then, if someone else approaches this matter with boldness, and considers it accessible to every mind, I marvel at the wisdom (not to say: feeble-mindedness!) of such a person. For me, it seems to be a difficult and demanding task - to “give everyone in due time a measure of bread” (Luke 2:42) words, and with reasoning to conduct the economy of the truth of our dogmas, that is, our wise teaching about the worlds or the world, about matter, about the soul, about the mind and intelligent beings, both good and evil, about Providence, which connects everything and disposes of all events, as consonant with reason, and, apparently, contradictory to the lower one - the human mind; also about our original structure and about the last restoration, about prototypes and the truth they represent, about the Testaments, about the first and second coming of Christ, about the incarnation, suffering and death of Christ, about the resurrection, about the end of the world, about judgment and reward - both terrible and sweet; and most importantly, about what one should believe - about the initial, royal and blessed Trinity. In this dogma, for those who are obliged to enlighten others, the most dangerous thing is that for us, out of fear of polytheism, concluding the Divinity in one Hypostasis, we do not leave in our teaching only bare names, recognizing the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as one, and also, through deviation to the contrary, dividing the Divinity into three or heterogeneous and alien to each other, or unsubordinate and without beginning, so to speak, opposite Gods, and not fall into an evil equal to the first, similar to what happens to a crooked tree that is bent excessively in the opposite direction. And how now in the teaching about God there are three ailments: atheism, Judaism and polytheism, and of these, the defender of the first is the Libyan Sabellius, the second is the Alexandrian Arius, and the third is some of our excessively Orthodox; then what is my teaching? Avoiding everything that is harmful in these three false teachings, keep within the limits of piety. And, firstly, do not get carried away into the atheism of Sabellius, following his new decomposition and addition, according to which, either they assert not so much that the “Hypostases” are one, but that each is nothing (for what emerges from itself and passes mutually into each other ceases to be what it is); or they imagine and make up some kind of complex and strange God, similar to fabulous animals. Secondly, do not deviate into Jewish poverty, cutting apart natures with the Aryan, rightly so-called, insanity, and do not attribute envy to the Divine nature, limiting the Divinity to one Unborn, as if out of fear that God would not suffer damage being the Father of the true and equal in nature of God. Finally, do not introduce the pagan plurality of principles that we have already avoided, and the three principles, both not to oppose one to another, and not to compare one with another. One should not be such lovers of the Father as to even take away the fatherland from Him; for whose Father would He be if the Son either, along with the creature, was separated from Him and separated from Him by nature (because what is alien is no longer the Son), or was mixed and merged with the Father, and, which also means, merged Him with Himself? Nor should they be such lovers of Christ that they would not leave even the sonship of the Son (for whose Son would He be if He did not have the Father as the beginning), and should not leave the Father with the advantage of being the beginning that belongs to Him as the Father and Parent. For the Father would be the beginning of something low and unworthy, or, rather, a beginning in a low and unworthy sense, if he were not the beginning of the Divinity and goodness contemplated in the Son and in the Holy Spirit - in the first, as in the Son and in the Word, and in the other, as in the outgoing and inextricable Spirit. It is imperative to both maintain the unity of God and confess the three Hypostases, moreover, each with Her personal properties. In order to understand and express this sufficiently and in accordance with the dignity of the subject, a longer word is needed than what the present tense is, and I even think what real life is like. Especially, both now and always, this requires the Spirit, with whose assistance alone one can think, speak, and listen only about God. For the pure must be touched only by the pure and the like. Now I briefly mentioned this in order to make it clear how difficult it is for someone talking about such subjects, especially in a large gathering of people of all ages and different abilities, which, like a many-stringed organ, requires unequal stress, it is difficult, I say, to find a word that would instruct everyone and illuminate everyone with the light of knowledge. It is also difficult because, like danger from three sides, that is, from thought, word and hearing, it is impossible not to stumble, if not in everything, at least in one thing. For if the mind is not enlightened, or the word is weak, or the ear is not cleared, and therefore does not accommodate the word; One of these reasons, just like all of them, always hampers the truth. But it is also difficult because here the very thing that, for those who teach something else, makes teaching very easy and acceptable, turns into harm and danger, i.e. the listeners' concern for piety. For they, as those who go to great deeds for the teaching about God - the Highest Being, and about their salvation - the primary hope for all, the more ardent they are in faith, the more stubbornly they heed the word, considering obedience to it not piety, but a betrayal of the truth, and are more likely to give up everything than their thoughts with which they came, and the habit of dogmas in which they were brought up. And I will also note that this is an ailment of people who are more moderate and not completely bad, who, although they sin against the truth, nevertheless, since they are subjected to this out of concern for piety and have zeal, only not according to reason, perhaps they will not be judged so severely, and not so severely punished, as those who fall away from the will of the Lord through evil and wickedness. Even they, over time, may still change their faith and change due to the same concern for piety for which they resisted; if only the word touches them, and, like iron on flint, either internally or externally, it will produce a well-timed blow to their already fertilized and worthy of light understanding, in which from a small spark the lamp of truth can very soon shine. But what can we say about people who, out of vanity or covetousness, “spread slander” (Ps. 72:8), with the grandeur of some Jannes or Jambres, arm themselves not against Moses, but against the truth, and rebel against sound teaching? What can we say about the third kind of people who, because of ignorance and as a result of it - insolence, with greed, like pigs, rush at every teaching and trample on the beautiful beads of truth? Or about all those who have neither their own opinion nor any model, bad or good, for the teaching about God, but are ready to listen to every teaching and every teacher in order to choose the best and safest from everything, and they trust such a choice to themselves - the bad judges of truth; and then, moving and returning from one probability to another, loaded and suppressed by teachings of all kinds, having changed many teachers and scattering many writings frivolously, like dust in the wind, when both hearing and mind are tired (what recklessness!), they begin to show the same aversion to every teaching and acquire the disastrous habit of ridiculing and despising our very faith, as something unstable and lacking in itself nothing sound, drawing an ignorant conclusion from those teaching to teaching, like a person who, having inflamed eyes or damaged ears, blames the sun or sounds - the first, that it is dark and does not shine, and the latter, that they are weak and soundless? That is why it is easier to re-imprint the truth in the soul, which is like still unwritten wax, than from old writings, that is, after the bad rules and dogmas adopted, to write the word of piety, in which case it merges and mixes with the first. It is true that it is better to walk along a smooth and beaten road than along a rough and untrodden one, and it is easier to plow land that has been repeatedly cut and softened by the plow; however, it is better to write on a Soul that has not yet been furrowed by any desired teaching and on which the marks of vice have not been deeply etched. Otherwise, the pious and good writer will have two things to do - to erase the previous images, and in their place to write better ones worthy of preservation. There are so many evil images and outlines in us from the evil one regarding both other modifications (πάυη) of the soul and the word itself; and so much work for the one who is entrusted with this guidance of souls and care for them! But my word did not touch even more, lest it become broader than it should be. If someone wanted to tame and tame a multiform and varied beast, made up of many, large and small, meek and fierce animals, then, without a doubt, it would take a lot of work and effort to control such a monstrous creature with different properties; because not all animals love the same sounds of voice, food, caresses, whistling and other ways of caring for them; on the contrary, for some one thing is pleasant and unpleasant, and for others another, according to the nature and habit of each. What should the caretaker of such a beast do? Of course, if you want to manage the beast well and take care of it, then acquire multifaceted and varied information for this and use the care appropriate to each “property of the beast.” Thus, since the general body of the Church, like one complex and heterogeneous living being, is composed of many and different morals and minds, it is absolutely necessary for the Primate to be both simple, relative to rightness in everything, and, as much as possible, multifaceted and diverse for decent treatment with everyone, and equally capable of useful conversation with everyone. For some, who are infants in their abilities and, one might say, not yet strong, require milk for food, that is, the simplest and most basic lessons, and cannot accept verbal food befitting a husband. And if someone offered them food that was beyond their strength, then, having tasted it and become heavy (when the mind, like the body of a baby, is not yet sufficient to digest and assimilate what it has received), they would suffer damage even in their former strength. Others, having sufficiently trained their senses to distinguish between true and false, have a need “for wisdom preached among the perfect” (1 Cor. 2:6), and for higher and more solid food. And if they began to drink milk and feed them with plants - the food of the weak, then they would rightfully be upset that they are not strengthened in Christ, they are not allowed to grow in a praiseworthy growth, which is produced by the word, which transforms those well fed by it into a husband and brings them to the measure of spiritual age. But who has the strength to do this? We are not able to control the word of truth and mix wine with water, that is, teaching that gladdens the human heart, with teaching that is vulgar, cheap, dragged along the earth, lost and flowing in vain, as many do. In order to gain profit for themselves from such guidance, they talk with those who come about this and that, one way or another, to please everyone, like some ventriloquists and vain talkers, for their own amusement they use words that come from the earth and go into the earth, as if the more they are glorified among the people, the more they harm themselves and destroy themselves, shedding the innocent blood of the simplest souls, which will be exacted at our hands. On the contrary, we know that it is better to hand over the reins of government to others who are most skillful than to be ignorant rulers of others, that it is better to incline a submissive ear than to move an unlearned tongue. Having consulted with myself about this (perhaps not a bad adviser, and if not, then at least a benevolent one), I reasoned that it is better for someone who does not know either what he should say or what he should do to learn than to teach without knowing. For happy is he who, even in extreme old age, reaches the word of an old man, which can benefit a soul that is still young in piety. And therefore, taking on the work of teaching others before you have learned enough yourself, and, according to the proverb, learning to make pots on a large clay vessel, that is, practicing piety over the souls of others, in my opinion, is characteristic only of people who are extremely unreasonable and daring - unreasonable if they do not feel their ignorance - daring if, realizing it, they dare to do something. The wisest of the Jews say that in ancient times they had one particularly beautiful and praiseworthy law, according to which not everyone of every age was allowed to read every book of Scripture. For reading this would not be useful; because not every book is intelligible to everyone from the beginning, and one that contains a deeper meaning can even, in its external meaning, turn into greater harm to many. On the contrary, books, which are edifying in their external meaning, were from the very beginning open to everyone and were in general use; and books, which under an unimportant shell hide a mysterious beauty - the reward of intense searches and a bright life - shining and easily contemplated only by those who have a purified mind, were entrusted to those who had already crossed the age of twenty-five, because only at this age can a person rise above the sensory and successfully ascend from the written word to the spirit. But for us there is no limit between the time when to teach and when to learn, like the stones that were placed of old between the tribes beyond the Jordan and the tribes on this side of the Jordan. We have not given permission to some to do this, to others to do that, and there is no rule regarding abilities; on the contrary, all this is ignored and merged. And we act so badly that most of us (not to say everything) almost before we cut off our first hair and leave childish babble, before we enter the courts of God, we learn the names of the Holy Books, we learn to recognize the letters and writers of the Old and New Testaments (I do not say: before we wash away the spiritual uncleanness and vileness with which sin has covered us), if we only affirm two or three words about piety, and then from hearsay, and not from a book, if we get to know David at least a little, if we know how to deftly put on a cloak or look like a philosopher from the waist up (oh wonderful chairmanship and great wisdom! of course, Samuel is sacred even in swaddling clothes!): we are already wise, and teachers, and high in the divine, the first of the scribes and lawyers, we dedicate ourselves to the heavenly, we want to “be called teachers,” we do not look at all at the letter, we want to understand everything spiritually (how many dreams! what a vast field of idle talk!); and we would become indignant if we were not highly praised. These are those of us who are even more modest and simpler than others; what are the more spiritual and noblest? They, if they please, having subjected us to many condemnations and trials and reduced us to nothing, move away from us, with contempt even for community with us, as with ungodly people. But if, turning to one of them, we calmly and logically ask like this: tell me, wonderful husband, do you consider dancing and playing the pipe to be anything for anyone? – the answer may be: of course, we honor it. And also do you consider wisdom and being wise to be something, that is, as we believe, to have knowledge of the divine and human? And in this they will yield to us. What would you call the best and highest? Is dancing and playing superior to wisdom, or is wisdom incomparably superior to these arts? I know well that they will be so conscientious that they will even say: wisdom is higher than all the arts. But for dancing and playing the pipe there are sciences, and they are learned, and this requires time, continuous work and effort, sometimes you need to spend money, find people who would explain the science, undertake long journeys, and also do and endure everything that acquires experience. And wisdom, which surpasses everything and contains all the good in its entirety (so that God himself, although He has many names, is more pleased to be called Wisdom than by any other name), do we really consider such an easy and uncomplicated matter for ourselves that everyone just has to want it, and he will be wise? Great ignorance to think so! But if we (or someone else more learned and smarter than us) begin to speak to them in such a way as to gradually dispel their delusion; then all this will be the same as sowing on a stone, or speaking into the ears of the deaf. They have so little wisdom even to recognize their ignorance. And it seems to me that it is proper to say Solomon’s word about them: “there is evil which I have seen under the sun, I have seen a man wise in his own eyes” (Eccl. 10:5; Prov. 26:2), and what is even worse, who has received the right to teach others when he does not feel his own ignorance. If there is any illness, then this one is worthy of tears and humility. And I have repeatedly regretted this, knowing well that conceit takes away from a person most of what he is, and that vanity is for people the greatest obstacle to virtue. And can only Peter or Paul, the great disciples of Christ, who, with the power to rule in word and deed, received the gift of grace, and were everything to everyone, that they might gain everyone, can heal and stop the disease. For us, other people, it is important if we are well governed and guided by those who are entrusted with the correction and management of such matters. But since I mentioned Paul and those like him, then, if you wish, leaving out all the others who just became famous - either as a legislator, or as a prophet, or as a military leader, or as someone in charge of some part of public improvement, not to mention, for example, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, the Judges, Samuel, David, the whole host of Prophets, John, the twelve students and their successors, each of whom, with much labor and effort, at one time passed the title of chief; Having kept silent about all of them, I will present Paul alone as a witness to my word, so that from his example we can see what it means to have care for souls, and whether the activities are short-term or small, this requires information! And in order to find out and understand this more conveniently, let’s listen to what Paul himself says about Paul. I will not talk about his labors, vigils, fears, suffering from hunger, thirst, cold and nakedness, about the evil intentions of the infidels against him, about the opposition of the faithful to him. I am silent about persecutions, hosts, prisons, bonds, accusers, trials, daily and hourly deaths, about baskets, about throwing stones, about beatings with sticks, about wanderings, about dangers both on land and at sea, and in the depths of the sea, about shipwrecks, about dangers on rivers, about dangers from robbers, from relatives, about the dangers of false brotherhood, about food from the labors of his hands, about the selfless gospel, about how Paul was a model for angels and people, when, standing between God and people, he fought for people and brought and united the chosen people to God. Apart from these external exploits, who will properly describe his daily care, compassion, concern for all churches, compassion and brotherly love for everyone? If anyone stumbled, Paul felt weakness. Another was tempted, but Paul was incensed. And his tirelessness in teaching, the variety of methods of healing - now philanthropy, then again severity, then the mixing and dissolution of both philanthropy and severity; so that it neither relaxes with meekness, nor hardens with severity! He sets forth laws for slaves and masters, rulers and subordinates, husbands and wives, parents and children, marriage and celibacy, temperance and luxury, wisdom and ignorance, circumcision and uncircumcision, Christ 10 and the world, flesh and spirit. He thanks for some, reproaches others, calls some his joy and crown, and accuses others of madness. Those who walk straight accompany and cooperate with them, and those who walk crookedly stop them. He either excommunicates, then affirms love (2 Cor. 2:8), then cries, then rejoices, then gives milk to drink, then touches secrets, then condescends, then leads with him to heights, then threatens with the club (1 Cor. 4:21), then embraces the spirit of meekness, then exalts himself with the high, then humbles himself with the humble. Sometimes he is the least of the apostles, and sometimes he promises to provide proof that Christ speaks in him. Sometimes he wants to move away and “becomes a victim” (2 Tim. 4:6); sometimes he considers it more necessary for believers to remain in the flesh. For he seeks not his own benefit, but the benefit of the children whom he has begotten in Christ through the gospel - this is the goal of all spiritual leadership - in everything to despise one’s own for the benefit of others! Paul boasts in weaknesses and afflictions; as if with some decoration, it is decorated with the deadness of Jesus; he is high in the flesh, but rejoices in spiritual gifts; he is not ignorant of knowledge, although he says of himself that he sees through a glass darkly and is a fortune-teller. He is cheerful in spirit and exhausts the body, exhausting it as an enemy, but at the same time doesn’t he teach and admonish us not to be proud of earthly things, not to boast of knowledge, not to set the flesh against the spirit? He fights for everyone, prays for everyone, is jealous of everyone, is on fire for everyone - both for those who are outside the law and for those who are under the law; he is a preacher of the pagans, a defender of the Jews. He dared to do something more for his brothers according to the flesh (oh if only I, who is speaking about this, would dare to do something similar!). Paul prays out of his love for his brothers that they would be brought to Christ in his place. What greatness of soul, what fervor of spirit! He imitates Christ, who was an oath for us, who took upon himself our infirmities, who bore our illnesses, or, to put it more modestly, he is the first after Christ who does not renounce to suffer for the Jews, and, moreover, as a wicked one, if only they would be saved. But why am I listing the details? Living not for himself, but for Christ and for preaching, crucifying the world to himself and crucifying the world and everything visible, Paul considers everything unimportant and low for his desire, although “from Jerusalem and the surrounding area, even to Illyricum, he will fulfill the gospel” (Rom. 15:19), although he will be caught up to the third heaven, will become a spectator of paradise and will hear words unspoken for us. Such is Paul, such is everyone who is like him in spirit! But we are afraid, lest in comparison with them we should be “foolish princes of Zoan” (Is. 19:11), “or reaping officers,” or falsely “pleasing the people,” I will even add, “pleasing the way of your paths” (Is. 3:12), or “scoffers of the lords,” or youthful rulers, imperfect in mind and lacking so much food and clothing to lead any number of people (Is. 3:4-7), or “false teacher prophets” (Is. 9:15), or “lawbreaking princes” (Is. 1:23), who, together with the decrees of the fathers, are worthy of slander during a severe famine (Is. 8:21), or priests very far from “speaking to the heart of Jerusalem” ( Is.40:2), since for all this Isaiah, purified by Seraphim and coal, strongly reproaches and denounces. So, is it really possible that, although this matter is so important and so difficult for a sensitive and sorrowful heart, although it is real “rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30), even for a person with intelligence, the danger is not great, and the consequences do not deserve attention? But great fear is brought to me, on the one hand, by blessed Hosea when he says that “judgment awaits us, the priests and leaders, because we were a snare in Mizpthea, a snare spread in favor” (Hos. 5:1–2), stuck by fishers of human souls, and threatens to “reap” the obscene prophets (Hos. 5:6), destroy “the fire of their judges” (Hos. 7:7), hold on to time, “to set up kings and princes” (Hos. 8:10), because they reigned by themselves, and not by God (Hos. 8:4), and on the other hand, the divine Micah, who does not tolerate that “Zion should be built with blood,” no matter who it was, “and Jerusalem with unrighteousness,” so that “its heads were judged for gifts, priests taught for pay, and prophets foretold for money” ( Micah 3:10–11). And what are the threats for this? “Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of this house will be a wooded hill” (Micah 3:12). Mourning such a poverty of good rulers that there is barely an ear or a stalk left, when the prince asks and the judge speaks out of pleasure, and exclaiming almost in the following words of the great David: “Save me, O Lord, for the righteous are no more” (Ps. 11:1). The prophet announces that for this reason their goods will become scarce, as if “eaten by moths” (Mic. 7:4). And Joel commands us to weep; he wants “the servants of the altar to weep” (Joel 1:13) in the difficult time of famine; he is far from allowing us luxury in the midst of the misfortune of others; he not only commands “to appoint a fast, to preach celibacy, to gather together the old and the young” (Joel 2:15–16) - these miserable ages, but demands that the priests go to the church in ashes and sackcloth, with deep humility to throw themselves to the ground, “for the fields are desolate” (Joel 1:10) from barrenness, “The offerings and drink offerings ceased in the house of the Lord” (Joel 1:9), and by such humiliation they attracted mercy. What will Habakkuk say? His speech is more fiery, he indignantly turns to God himself and, as it were, cries out at the Lord Christ for the unrighteousness of the judges, saying: “How long, Lord, will I cry, and You will not hear, I will cry to You about violence, and You will not save? Why do you let me see villainy and look at disasters? Robbery and violence are before me, and enmity arises and discord arises. As a result, the law has lost its force, and there is no correct judgment: since the wicked overcomes the righteous, then the judgment takes place perversely” (Hab. 1:2-4). Then the Prophet made a threat and the following words: “look and look carefully, and you will be greatly amazed; for I will do the work” (Hab. 1:5). But is it necessary to quote all the words of the threat? On the contrary, in my opinion, it is better to add to what has been said how Habakkuk, having first summoned to Wednesday and mourned many who have done something unjust and evil, finally calls the leaders and teachers of evil, calling the vice “muddy corruption”, intoxication and delusion of the mind, and says that through them their neighbors get drunk with this, “as they look” at the darkness of their souls and “caves” of creeping things and beasts, that is, habitations of evil thoughts (Hab. 2:15). These are the Prophets I have listed, and these are the instructions they offer us. But is it fair to ignore Malachi, who in one place cruelly accuses and reproaches the priests for “despising the name” of the Lord (Mal. 1:6), and by the way adds that “they bring unclean bread to the altar” (Mal. 1:7), donate not from the first harvest - that, what gifts would they not bring to any of the leaders, or which, having brought, would dishonor themselves, such gifts, that is, lame, the sick, the corrupt, and the completely unclean and despicable, are brought to the King of all when they make vows; and in another place it reminds us of God’s covenant with the Levites - “a covenant of life and peace,” a covenant to “fear” the Lord with fear, and to “revere His name” (Mal. 2:5). “The law of truth,” says the Prophet about Levite, “was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his tongue: he walked with Me in peace and righteousness and turned many from sin. For the mouth of the priest must keep knowledge, and the law is sought from his mouth.” And what a high, and at the same time terrible reason for this! - “for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty” (Mal.2:6). I refuse to repeat what is reproachful in the following oaths - I am afraid of the truth, but I will cite what is easier to say, and at the same time useful. The Prophet, as if with special indignation, and rejecting their sacred rites because of their corruption, says, “that He no longer regards the offering and does not accept the propitiatory sacrifice from your hands” (Mal. 2:13). As soon as I remember Zechariah, I tremble at his sickle, as well as at everything that he testifies against the priests. But what he reveals about the famous Jesus, the great Priest, whom, having first depicted clothed in a vile and indecent robe, he then dresses in a priestly and bright robe, and also that he represents an angel speaking and commanding Jesus - let it be honored with silence, as the most important and, perhaps, so high that it should not be attributed to many priests. However, the fact that “at the right hand” of this Jesus “Satan stood to oppose him” (Zechariah 3:2), in my opinion, is not unimportant and should inspire considerable fear and caution. Who will have so much audacity and such a diamond heart that, hearing how the Prophet persistently denounces and reproaches other shepherds, he will not tremble and humble himself? “The voice of the weeping shepherds is heard, because their freedom is desolate,” he says, “the roaring of lions is heard” (Zech. 11:3), because they suffered so much. Zechariah can almost hear the sobs themselves, as if they were already real, and cries along with those in need. And a few words later he says even more strikingly and powerfully: “Feed the sheep doomed to the slaughter, which those who bought kill with impunity, and those who sold say: Blessed is the Lord, I have become rich!”, and their shepherds do not regret them. For “I will not have mercy on the inhabitants of this land, says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 11:4-6). And again, extending threats to the leaders of the people, he says: “Oh, sword! rise up against the shepherds, smite the shepherds, and the sheep will be scattered! And I will turn My hand against the shepherds" (Zech. 13:7), - "My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the lambs" (Zech. 10:3). He continues his speech with such jealousy and cannot restrain himself from threats; That’s why I’m afraid that by repeating them in order, I might arouse hatred against myself. But this is what Zechariah says; We will remain silent about the elders mentioned in Daniel, for we would like to remain silent. Let us also keep silent about what was rightly said and testified about them by the Lord: “that iniquity came out of Babylon from the elders-judges who seemed to rule the people” (Dan.13:5). How can we listen without fear to Ezekiel, that observer and interpreter of great mysteries and visions? How will we listen to his commandment “to the watchmen not to remain silent” about lawlessness and about the “sword coming against him” (Ezek. 33:6); because this will not benefit either them or those who sin; on the contrary, it is useful to foresee and foretell either both, when some speak and others listen, or, without any doubt, to those who announced it? As we accept his other attack on the shepherds, in the following words: “trouble will follow trouble and message after message, and they will ask the prophet for a vision, and there will be no teaching from the priest, and no counsel from the elders” (Ezek. 7:26); then again in the following: “Son of man, tell him: you are an unclean land, not watered by rain on the day of wrath! The conspiracy of her prophets is among her - like a roaring lion, tearing prey, souls are eaten by force" (Ezek. 22: 24-25), and a few words later: "her priests break My law and desecrate My holy things, they do not separate the holy from the unholy," but everything was the same for them, "and from My Sabbaths they have closed their eyes, and I am despised among them" ( Ezek.22:26)? The prophet threatens to destroy “the wall and those who smear it with mud” (Ezek. 13:15), that is, both those who sin and those who cover up sins, which is what evil rulers and priests do, deceiving the house of Israel, according to the inspiration of their hearts given over to their lusts. I will not say what he says about those who “shepherd themselves, eat milk, clothe themselves with the waves, slaughter the fat, but do not graze the sheep, do not raise the weak, do not bandage the wounded, do not bring back the erring, do not seek the lost,” and do not save the “strong,” but “insult the toil,” and try to destroy; as a result, the sheep scattered across all the fields and mountains “without shepherds,” and became the prey of every bird and every beast, “and no one knows about them, and no one looks for them” (Ezek. 34:2–6). What then? It is said: “As I live, says the Lord God, because” this was done, “and My flocks were left to be plundered” (Ezek.34:8): behold, “I am against the shepherds, and will require My sheep from their hand” (Ezek.34:10); I will gather the sheep and keep them, and the shepherds will suffer various punishments, such as bad shepherds deserve. But in order not to prolong the words by listing all the Prophets and everything that was said by each, I will pass over the others in silence, and I will mention only one, who was “known” even before birth and “sanctified” in the womb (Jer. 1:5), - this is Jeremiah. He asks for “water for the head and a fountain of tears for the eyes” to mourn, as it should, Israel (Jer. 9:1). And no less than that, he mourns the evil behavior of the primates. God, in rebuke of the priests, says to him: “The priests did not say: “Where is the Lord?” and the teachers of the law did not know Me, and the shepherds fell away from Me” (Jer. 2:8). And then the Prophet himself says: “The shepherds became senseless and did not seek the Lord, and therefore they acted foolishly, and all their flock was scattered” (Jer. 10:21). “Many shepherds have spoiled My vineyard, they have trampled My plot with their feet; They have made My beloved land an empty desert” (Jer. 12:10). After this, he again turns his reproach on the shepherds themselves: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! Therefore, this is what the Lord says to the shepherds who feed My people: You have scattered My sheep, and scattered them, and have not looked after them, and I will punish you for your evil deeds” (Jer. 23:1-2). Jeremiah wants “the shepherds to cry out, and the leaders of the flock to mourn, for their days for slaughter are fulfilled” (Jer. 25:34). But why repeat the Old Testament to me? Who, having examined himself according to the rules and definitions which Paul decreed for bishops and elders, namely; to be “sober, chaste, not drunkards, not murderers, edifying”, blameless in everything and untouched by anything evil (1 Tim. 3:2-3) - who, I say, will not find himself greatly deviating from the correctness of the rules? What laws does Jesus give to his disciples when he sends them to preach? The essential thing in them, without going into details, is that the disciples should be such in virtue, so well-ordered and consistent with their rank, and, if I must express it briefly, so much heavenly that the gospel would be spread no less through their lives as through the word. But the reproached Pharisees and the reproached scribes bring me into fear. If we desire the kingdom of heaven, we are obliged by commandment to far exceed them in virtue; and therefore we will be ashamed before them if we turn out to be worse than them in our vices and hear fair reproaches for ourselves: snakes, spawn of vipers, “blind leaders, straining out a mosquito and devouring a camel, coffins inside full of filth, but on the outside beautifully decorated, dishes that are pure in appearance,” and other similar names that the Pharisees and scribes deserved and received ( Matthew 23:24–33). Such thoughts do not leave me day and night, dry out my brain, exhaust my flesh, deprive me of vigor, and do not allow me to walk with my eyes raised high. This humbles my heart, shortens my mind, puts bonds on my tongue and makes me think not about my superiors, not about correcting and edifying others (which requires an abundance of talents), but about how to avoid the coming wrath myself and to some extent wipe off the rust of vices. You must first cleanse yourself, then cleanse yourself; to become wise, then to become wise; become light, then enlighten; draw closer to God, then lead others to Him; sanctify, then sanctify. A leader needs hands; a counselor needs prudence. When will this be? - they will say that they are quick to answer everything and are unsteady in anything, easily creating and destroying. When will the candle be placed on the candlestick, and what will the talent, that is, the gift, be used for? - those who are more zealous for friendship than for the cause of piety will say. When will this be, and what answer will I give to you, most eminent ones? In such a matter, extreme old age is not a long-term respite. For gray hair with prudence is better than inexperienced youth, prudent slowness is better than imprudent haste, a short reign is preferable to prolonged torment, just as a small share of a jewel is preferable to the possession of many that have no price or strength, a small amount of gold is preferable to many talents of lead, a small amount of light is preferable to great darkness. And as for haste, encroachment and excessive jealousy, it is dangerous that they do not become like either those seeds that fell on stones and, being shallow in the ground, immediately sprang up, but could not bear the first heat of the sun, or that foundation laid on the sand, which did not stand up with a little rain and wind. “Woe to you, O earth, for in him is your child king,” says Solomon (Eccl. 10:16). “Do not be quick in words” (Prov. 29:30) - the words of the same Solomon, who speaks of speed in words, that is, about something less than rashness in deeds. Who, in spite of this, will demand haste in preference to safety and benefit? Who will undertake, like some clay product made in one day, to form a defender of the truth, who must stand with the angels, praise with the archangels, offer sacrifices on the high altar, perform sacred acts with Christ, recreate creation, restore the image of God, create for the heavenly world, and I will say more - be a god and create with gods? I know whose servants we are, where we ourselves are placed, and where we are preparing others. I know the greatness of God, and human weakness, and at the same time strength. “The heavens are high, but the earth is deep” (Proverbs 25:3). And which of those cast down by sin will ascend to heaven? Who, still surrounded by deep darkness and coarse flesh, can clearly contemplate with his whole mind the entire Mind, being among the impermanent and visible, enter into communication with the constant and invisible? Even among the most purified, hardly anyone can see here even such an image of kindness as the image of the sun in the waters. “Who measured the water by the handful, and measured the heavens with a span, and contained the dust of the earth in measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in balances” (Isaiah 40:12)? “Where is His resting place” (Is. 66:1), and to what of all things will He be likened? Who is he who created everything with a word, who formed man with wisdom, who united what was separated, who united flesh with spirit, who formed a living being - visible and invisible, temporary and eternal, earthly and heavenly, touching God, but not comprehending, approaching and far away? “I said: “I will be wise,” says Solomon, “but she,” that is, wisdom, “is far from me. Far is that which was” (Eccl. 7:24–25). And indeed, “he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccl. 1:18). He does not so much rejoice at what he has found as he grieves over what he has not comprehended, as usually (I imagine) happens to people who are distracted from water before they have quenched their thirst, or who, hoping to receive something, cannot grab it with their hands, or from whom the brilliance of the light that illuminated them is instantly hidden. This kept me down, made me humble and convinced me that it is better to hear the voice of praise than to be an interpreter of what exceeds my strength. Greatness, height, dignity, pure beings, who with difficulty contain the radiance of God, Whom the abyss covers, Whom, like the purest and for most creatures, unapproachable light, darkness conceals, Who is in everything and beyond everything, Who is all goodness and above all kindness, Who enlightens the mind and flees from the speed and sublimity of the mind, always as far removed as it is comprehended, and the beloved causing his own grief by running away and, as it were, being torn out of his hands: such and so important is the object of our desires and quests! Such should be the leader of brides, the discourager of souls. And I am afraid that, having tied my hands and feet, they will not throw me out of the bridal chamber, as if I did not have the wedding garment on me and had brazenly intruded into the circle of those reclining there; although I was called from my youth, even (I will say something unknown to many) to “To Him I am committed from the womb” (Ps. 21:11), I was brought to Him as a gift according to my mother’s vow, and then I myself, when the dangers strengthened, love increased, and reason helped, voluntarily gave everything to Him who accepted and saved me: property and nobility, and health, and the very gift of speech. From all this I gained one benefit: I despised it, and I found something to prefer to Christ. The words of God became sweet to me, like a honeycomb, I “called on” my mind and “gave my voice” to wisdom (Prov. 2:3), learned to moderate anger, bridle the tongue, discipline the eye, tame the belly, trample on earthly glory, and in this (it is foolish to say, however, let it be said) I became no worse, perhaps, than many. It is better to lead such a wise life than to assume power and control of souls, and when you yourself have not yet learned to be a good flock, have not purified your soul as it should, and undertake the position of ruling the flock; Moreover, in times like these, when, looking at human ruin and rebellion, the most desirable thing is to run away from society, to retire to a safe shelter, to hide from the storm and darkness of the evil one; when the members of one body are mutually at enmity, when the last remnant of love disappears, and on the other hand, the word: “priest,” because according to Scripture, “pours dishonor on princes” (Ps. 16:40), is recognized as one empty name - and it would be better if it were one empty name. Now (may blasphemy be directed at the heads of the wicked!) fear has been driven out of everyone’s hearts, and shamelessness has taken its place; whoever wishes, both knowledge and the depths of the Spirit are open to everyone. We are all pious only because we condemn the wickedness of others; and we provide judgment to godless people, we cast down the holy to dogs, we cast pearls before swine, divulging the divine to those whose ears and hearts are not sanctified. We ourselves (oh pathetic ones!) carefully fulfill the desires of our enemies and are not ashamed to commit fornication “in our undertakings” (Ps. 109:5). The Moabites and Ammonites, who are not allowed to enter the Church of the Lord, walk freely with us in the sanctuary itself. We have not opened the gates of truth for everyone, but the doors of slander and insolence against each other. With us, he is not more perfect who, out of fear of God, does not utter an idle word, but the one who slanders his neighbor as much as possible, either directly or by hints, “carrying” under his tongue “torment and destruction” (Ps. 9:28), or, more precisely, “the poison of asps” (Ps. 139:4). We catch each other’s sins not in order to mourn them, but in order to condemn them, not in order to heal, but in order to still hurt, and to have the wounds of our neighbor as an excuse for our own shortcomings. For us, the sign of good and evil is not life, but friendship and disagreement with us. What we praise today, we condemn tomorrow; that others reproach we marvel; We willingly indulge in wickedness in everything - we are so generous to vice! Everything became as it was at the very beginning, when there was neither peace nor the present order and goodness, but on the contrary, things, being merged into disorder, still needed a formative hand and strength. And if you want another comparison, then as during a night battle, in the dim light of the moon, not distinguishing the faces of enemies and our own, or, as in a sea battle and during a storm, deafened by gusts of wind, the boiling of the sea, the pressure of waves, the collision of ships, the blows of oars, the cries of commanders, the groans of the amazed, in bewilderment, not having time to gather courage, we (to complete the disaster) attack each other and each other We are dying from each other. And it’s not just the layman who acts this way, but the priest who does it differently. On the contrary, it seems to me that what was spoken of old in the curse is now clearly being fulfilled: “And whatever happens to the people, so will it happen to the priest” (Hos. 4:9). Not only the common people are like this, but the strong, as they say, among the people and the leaders are different. On the contrary, it is they who wage open war with the priests, using piety as an excuse for conviction. To whomever this happens because he stands for the faith, for the highest and first truths, I do not blame him, and if I tell the truth, I praise him and rejoice with him. I myself would like to be among those who struggle and are hated for the truth; I would even boast that I really belong to their number. For praiseworthy warfare is better than peace, which separates you from God. Therefore, the Spirit also equips the meek warrior (Joel 3:11) as capable of waging war well. But now there are people who, with extreme ignorance and impudence, themselves stand for small and not at all useful things and accept everyone they can as accomplices of evil; and all this is covered up by faith, and this respected name is used recklessly in their competitions. For this, naturally, the pagans hate us, and (what is most intolerable) we cannot even say that they hate us unfairly. And among our own, the most well-intentioned ones blame us; It is not at all surprising that the people condemn, who rarely approve of anything good. “On our ridges the oratai are screaming” (Ps. 129:8), and what we plot against each other is turned against everyone. We have become a new disgrace, but not for angels and people, like the most courageous of the ascetics Paul, who fought against the principles and authorities, but for almost everyone leading a bad life, and at every time, and in every place - in the marketplace, at drunken feasts, among gaiety, among lamentations. We are even taken to public spectacles (I say this almost with tears), we are ridiculed along with the most depraved people, and nothing is more pleasing to the ear and sight than a Christian desecrated at a spectacle. Our civil strife has brought us to this; those who strive excessively for the Good and Meek, who love God more than required, have brought us to this. In wrestling or anything else, it is not allowed to compete in an unspecified manner, and he is subjected to ridicule and dishonor, even deprived of the right to victory, whoever fights not according to the rules, or competes in something else out of order and deviates from the rules laid down for this, even if he is the most courageous and skillful. Will he who fights for Christ not according to Christ please the “World” (Eph. 2:14) by fighting for Him in an unlawful manner? And to this day demons still tremble at the name of Christ; The power of this Name is not weakened by our vices. And we are not ashamed to insult both the venerable name of Christ and Christ himself; we are not ashamed to hear how He cries almost out loud and every day: “My name will be dishonored for your sake” (Is. 52:5). I am not afraid of external warfare and the beast now rising against the Church - this fullness of the evil one, 11 even if he threatened with fire, sword, beasts, rapids, abysses, even if he surpassed in inhumanity all those who have ever gone on a rampage, and invented the most painful executions. For everything I have one cure, one path to victory, this (I will boast in Christ!) – death for Christ. But as for the battle ahead of me, I don’t know what to do, what help to seek, what word of wisdom, what gift of grace, what kind of armor to put on against the wiles of the evil one. Who will defeat this enemy? Is it Moses, who stretches out his arms on the mountain so that he can overcome the typified and signified cross? Or after him Jesus, taking up arms in battle with the Archangel of the heavenly armies? Or David, now singing psalms, now fighting with slings and girded with strength from God for battle, or having fingers trained by God for battle? Or Samuel, now offering his prayers and sacrifices for the people, now anointing to the kingdom the one who can conquer? Who will pay for this as it should? Is it Jeremiah who wrote a lamentation about Israel? Who will cry: “Have mercy, O Lord, on Your people, do not give up Your inheritance to reproach, lest the nations mock them” (Joel 2:17)? Who will pray for us - Noah, Job and Daniel, praying together and mentioned together (Ezek. 14:14), may our fighting calm down at least a little, may we come to our senses, let us finally recognize each other, so that, instead of one Israel, we will not be Judah, and Israel, Rehoboam, and Jeroboam, Jerusalem and Samaria - these cities, then betrayed for sins, then lamented? I confess that I am weak for such abuse; and therefore he turned his back and hid his face in flight. Out of the fullness of grief, I desired to sit in solitude and be silent, knowing that time is evil, that the beloved were rejected, and we became sons of apostasy - good grapes, true grapes, fruitful, beautiful, grown by water from above, and that for me the diadem of my kindness, the seal of glory and the crown of praise were turned into dishonor. But if someone is brave and courageous, then I applaud him for his courage and courage. I’m not even talking about the internal struggle, which is in ourselves, in our passions and which is erected on us day and night, now openly, now secretly, this body of humility and the absent-mindedness of life, disturbing and exciting us through sensuality and temporary pleasures, and the dirt of the flesh with which we are mixed, and the sinful law, warring against the spiritual law and seeking to corrupt in us the Royal image and everything that is divinely invested in us. origin. Why is it that hardly anyone is able to overcome the nature that drags them down, unless they have already taught themselves long-term wisdom and gradually torn away from the low and associated with darkness what is noble and light-like in the soul, or have been awarded the mercy of God, or, in addition to both, have made every possible effort to lift their gaze to grief. But until, if possible, the flesh has not been conquered by me, until the mind has been purified, until I am far superior to others in closeness to God; I recognize that it is not safe to take upon myself the care of souls and mediation between God and people, which is also the duty of a priest. And what has brought me into such fear? Do not consider me too fearful; on the contrary, even praise my foresight. I hear about Moses himself that when God talked with him, although many were called to the mountain, and among them Aaron with two priestly sons, and seventy elders - rulers of the people, however, it was commanded that the others bow down from afar, and Moses alone approached God; the people are not allowed to ascend the mountain (Ex. 24:1-2); because not everyone can approach God, but only who, like Moses, is able to embrace the glory of God. Yes, even before, at the very beginning of legislation, trumpets, lightning, thunderstorms, darkness, the whole mountain smoking, terrible threats that if an animal touched the mountain, it would be stoned (Ex. 19:13), also other similar terrible phenomena kept others at the foot of the mountain, and for them it was a lot, after proper cleansing, to hear one voice of God; Meanwhile, Moses ascends the mountain, and enters into the cloud, and receives the law, and receives the tablets, for the people tablets with writing, and for those who are higher than the people, tablets of the spirit. I also hear about Nadab and Abihu that they, having burned incense with alien fire, were punished by the very thing in which they showed wickedness, they found destruction for themselves at the very time and in the very place of ungodliness, and although their father Aaron was second before God after Moses, he could not save them (Lev. 10: 1-2). I know what happened to the priest Eli and, somewhat after him, to Uzzah. One was punished for the iniquity of his sons when, during sacrifices, they dared to remove meat from the cauldrons ahead of time, although the father did not approve of such wickedness, but, on the contrary, repeatedly gave them severe reprimands (1 Samuel 2:13-14). Another was punished solely for touching an icon case carried away by a calf; and although he supported the icon case, he himself died (2 Samuel 6:6–7); Thus God protected the venerability of the icon case. I also know that bodily vices both in priests and in sacrificial animals were subjected to strict examination, and it was legalized that the perfect should offer the perfect; and this, I think, served as a symbol of spiritual purity. Nor was it allowed for anyone to touch the priestly garment or any sacred vessel; nor to eat the victims themselves, who were not supposed to, or in an indecent place and at an indecent time; neither to counterfeit the anointing oil or incense of the ministry, nor to enter the sanctuary if anyone was even slightly unclean in soul and body. Moreover, they did not dare to often enter the Holy of Holies, where access was allowed only to one person and once a year. Moreover, no one dared to stretch out his gaze or touch the veil, or the purgatory, or the icon case, or the cherubim. So, knowing this, and at the same time the fact that everyone is unworthy of the Great God, the Hierarch and the Sacrifice, if he did not first present himself to God as a living and holy sacrifice, did not show experiences of pleasing verbal service, did not bring to God the sacrifice of praise - a contrite spirit - the sacrifice that only He who has given us everything requires from us - knowing this, could I dare to offer him an external, varied sacrifice? αντιτυπον to the great sacraments? Could I put on the image and rank of a priest until I sanctified my hands with venerable deeds, until I trained my eye to look sensibly at the creation, and only to marvel at the Creator, and not to humiliate the Creator, “until the punishment of the Lord opened my ears”, “my ear was not applied, so that” it would not be hard to “hear” (Is. 50:5); a “golden earring” with a valuable “Sardian stone” was not given, that is, the “word” of a wise man “into an attentive ear” (Prov. 25:12); until the lips, lips, tongue, opened and “attracted the Spirit” (Ps. 119:131), were not “opened” and “filled” (Ps. 80:11) with the spirit of the spoken sacraments and dogmas, until the lips, according to the word of wisdom, became “bound” by the divine “feeling” (Prov. 15:7), so that they (I will add to this) open in good time, but the tongue was not filled with joy, did not become an organ of divine sweet singing, excited by glory, “rising up early” (Ps. 56:9) and laboring until it sticks to the larynx; until my feet were set “on the stones” (Ps. 39:3), became like the feet of deer (Ps. 17:34), and “my feet were not directed” according to God (Ps. 119:133), neither “in the slightest, nor” “shed” at all, until every member became an “instrument of righteousness” ( Ps. 6:13), put aside all deadness, “swallowed up by life” ( 2 Cor.5:4) and giving way to the Spirit? Whose hearts are not ignited by the pure, fire-tempted words of God when the Scriptures are revealed to him; who did not write them “three times in the breadth of the heart” (Prov. 22:21) in order to have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16); who has not entered into the hidden, invisible and dark treasuries of many (Isa. 45:3) in order to see their wealth and come to the state of enriching others, “converting spiritual things to spiritual things” (1 Cor. 2:13); who “has not yet seen,” as it should, “the beauty of the Lord” and has not “visited His church,” or better yet, who has not himself become the church of the Living God, the living dwelling of Christ in the spirit; who did not recognize the affinity and difference between images and reality, did not retreat from the former and did not attach himself to the latter, so that, having escaped “the decay of the letter, he could work in the renewal of the spirit” (Rom. 7:6) and move completely to grace from the law, fulfilled spiritually in the exhaustion of the body; who has not experimentally and speculatively explored all the names and powers of Christ, both the highest and first, and the lowest and last, belonging to Christ according to humanity, namely, that He is God, the Son, the Image, the Word, Wisdom, Truth, Light, Life, Power, “Pair, Effusion” (Wisdom 7:25), Radiance, Creator, King, Head, Law, Way, Door, Foundation, Stone, Beads, Peace, Truth, Sanctification, Deliverance, Man, Slave, Shepherd, Lamb, Bishop, Sacrifice, “The firstborn of every creation” ( Col. 1:15), “Firstborn” after the resurrection “from the dead” ( Col. 118); whoever hears these names and things without benefit, does not enter into communication with the Word and does not comprehend in what respect, each of them It is and is called, who has not made an effort and has not learned to comprehend the “secret, hidden wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 2:7); who is still a baby, feeds on milk, is not included in Israel, is not included in the army of God, is not capable, as it should be, of taking on the cross of Christ; whoever, perhaps, has not yet become an honorary member of the “body of Christ” - will he willingly and joyfully accept to be placed at the head of the fullness of Christ? At least I don’t give solutions or advice for this. On the contrary, I see here the reasons for the strongest fear and the most extreme danger for the creator, and the importance of success, and the harmful consequences of a mistake in business. Let another, I reasoned, who is very experienced in navigation and trade, sails for goods, crosses vast seas, always fights the winds and waves, gaining a lot, if possible, and suffering a lot. But for me, who sticks to land, leads a shallow and easy path of life, bows to benefits and the sea from afar, it is more pleasant to live as best I can, with a small and meager piece of bread, and eke out my days in safety and serenity, than to be exposed to long-term and great danger for great benefits. For a person placed high, it is already a loss if he does not do more, does not extend his virtues to many, but stops at a small number of people and, as if with a large light, illuminates a small house or covers a child’s body with youthful armor. But for a person of little importance, the safest thing is to bear a small burden, not to excite laughter and not to increase the danger by placing on oneself something beyond one’s strength. For, as we hear, it is fitting to build a tower only if one has what to complete it with (Luke 14:28). So, before you is a justification for my flight, and the justification is perhaps not insufficient. This is what removed me from you, friends and brothers, true, to my regret, and perhaps to yours, but out of necessity, at least as it seemed to me then. What brought me back, firstly, was my commitment to you and the feeling of your mutual commitment to me (for mutual disposition of all things strengthens love); and secondly, my own concern, my own business - the gray hair and weakness of the sacred parents, who are more worried about me than about their years - this Abraham Patriarch, a precious and equal-angelic head for me, and Sarah, who spiritually gives birth to us through the teaching of faith. For them, to be a rod in old age and a support in weakness was the first vow I made, which I fulfilled as much as possible, so that I despised wisdom itself - this is the acquisition and name of everything that is most precious to me, or it is more fair to say that I showed my wisdom in this, so as not to seem philosophical. Why did it become unbearable for me - for one reason, to lose all my work and be deprived of a blessing, which, as it is said about one of the Old Testament righteous, he even delighted, deceiving his father with food and false hair, catching good with an evil means - through trickery. So, two reasons for my compliance and meekness; and, perhaps, there is not the slightest inconsistency in the fact that my previous reasoning could not resist and was shaken by these two reasons. For I think that sometimes it is also timely to give up victory over oneself, as there is time for any other matter; and it is better to be honestly defeated than to win with harm and illegally. Thirdly (this is the most important reason for my return! Having said about it, I’ll keep silent about the others), I remembered about ancient times, and having encountered one ancient legend, I extracted from it instruction for myself in the present circumstance. For I believe that what is contained in Scripture was not written without a purpose, and not just a heap of words and objects collected for the amusement of the hearers, not some kind of bait for the ears, serving only to amuse. This is the goal of fables and those Hellenes who, without caring too much about the truth, charm the ear and heart with the grace of fiction and the luxury of expression. But we, who carefully extract the spiritual meaning from every feature and letter, do not at all agree to think (this would be unfair) that even the most insignificant deeds without any purpose should be described in detail by writers and preserved as a keepsake until this time. On the contrary, their purpose is to serve as monuments and lessons on how to judge in similar circumstances, if encountered, so that we, following these examples, as certain rules and predetermined patterns, can avoid one thing and choose another. What is the legend, and what is the instruction? Perhaps it would not be a bad thing to tell this for the approval of many. Jonah also fled from the face of God, or, more accurately, thought to run away, but was held back by the sea, a storm, lots, the belly of a whale and a three-day burial, which served as an image of the highest sacrament. But Jonah fled so as not to go to the Ninevites with sad and unusual news and so as not to later turn out to be a liar if the city was saved through repentance. For it was not the salvation of the wicked that grieved him, but he was ashamed to be a servant of lies and, as it were, jealous of the reliability of the prophecy, which could be doubted in him, because many are not able to penetrate into the depth of God's economy about this. And as I heard about this from one wise man, who did not indecently explain the apparent incongruity of the legend and was able to understand the deep meaning of the prophet, it was not such a reason that made blessed Jonah a fugitive, and led him to Joppa, who had taken refuge at sea, and from Joppa led him to Tarshish. It is incredible that he, being a prophet, did not know God’s intention, that is, that God, in His great wisdom, in His untested destinies, His unsearchable and incomprehensible ways, by His very threat ensured that the Ninevites would not suffer what was predicted in the threat. And if the prophet knew this, then it is also incredible that he would not submit to God, who arranged the salvation of the Ninevites in a manner pleasing to Him. To think that Jonah hoped to hide in the sea and escape from the great eye of God would be completely absurd and ignorant; such a thought would be unfair not only about the prophet, but also about any other person who has reason and has somehow known God and His all-surpassing power. On the contrary, Jonah, as the man who discussed this says, of which I am convinced, knew better than anyone else what would be the consequence of preaching to the Ninevites, and that he himself, having planned to escape, although he would change place, would not run away from God; just as anyone else would not have escaped, even if he hid in the bowels of the earth, in the depths of the sea, invented a means to rise on wings and fly through the air, descended into the underworld of hell, or clothed himself in the density of a cloud, or came up with another possible way to conceal his escape. On the contrary, if God wants to stop someone and hold him in His hand, then this is most inevitable, most irresistible. He speeds up the swift, outwits the cunning, overthrows the strong, humbles the high, tames the daring, suppresses all strength. Therefore, of course, Jonah knew the strong hand of God, who threatened others with it, and he did not think that he would completely run away from God. This is not at all likely. But since Jonah foresaw the fall of Israel and foresaw that the prophetic grace would pass to the Gentiles, he shied away from preaching, hesitated in fulfilling the command, and, leaving the watchtower of joy, which in Hebrew means Joppa, that is, the ancient height and dignity, plunged himself into the sea of ​​tribulation. Therefore, he is overwhelmed, and sleeps, and is shipwrecked, and awakens from sleep, and falls into the lot, and confesses to flight, and plunges into the sea, and is swallowed up by a whale, but is not destroyed, but calls on God there, and (what a miracle!), like Christ, after three days he returns from there. But let’s leave the word about this in the hope, God willing, to talk more thoroughly later. And now, in order for the speech to return to its subject, I will dwell on the thought and reasoning that for Jonah, perhaps, it was excusable, for the reason stated above, to renounce the prophetic ministry. But would there be any excuse or room for justification left for me if I began to persist longer and refuse the yoke of service entrusted to me (I don’t know what to call it), easy or difficult, but still? For if someone else would not argue with me about the fact (which one thing can be said in this case as something firm) that I am very unworthy of priestly service before God and that first I must become worthy of the church, and then of the altar, and first of all, worthy of the altar, and then of the presidency; then another, perhaps, would not have freed me from the charge of disobedience. But the threats are terrible, the punishments for disobedience are terrible, as well as for those contrary to this, if someone is not in the least embarrassed, does not refuse and does not hide, like Saul, in his father’s “train” (1 Samuel 10:22), as soon as they lightly call him to accept the authorities, but with readiness, as for the easiest and most convenient thing, he takes on something in which it is unsafe to change the intention and customary to correct with a new one. That is why I struggled with my thoughts for a long time, figuring out what to do, and being between two fears, one of which forced me to stay down, and the other to go up. And after many perplexities, leaning to one side or the other, or, like a stream driven by opposite winds, flowing here and there, I finally yielded to the strongest; I was overcome and carried away by the fear of being disobedient. And look how directly and faithfully I stand in the midst of these fears, not asking for the authority of the ungiven and not rejecting the given. For the first would mean insolence, the last would mean disobedience, and both together would mean ignorance. But I maintain a middle ground between those who are too bold and those who are too timid; I am more fearful than those who grab hold of any authority, and more daring than those who avoid everything. This is how I understand this matter, and I will express myself even more clearly: against the fear of being a boss, perhaps the law of obedience will help; because God, in His goodness, rewards faith and makes the perfect ruler of the one who trusts in Him and places all hope in Him. But I don’t know who will be the helper and what word will inspire hope in case of disobedience. For it is dangerous that we should not hear the following about those entrusted to our care: “I will require their souls at your hands” (Ezek. 3:18). Just as you refused Me and did not want to be leaders and rulers of My people, so I will refuse you and will not be your king. Just as you did not listen to My voice, but turned your back to Me contemptuously and did not obey, so it will be for you; When you call on Me, I will not pay attention to your prayer and will not hear it.” May such a judgment of the Righteous Judge not come upon us, to Whom we “sing mercy,” but together we sing, of course, “judgment” (Ps. 100:1)! And I turn again to history, and looking at the most skillful men in ancient times, I find that of those whom grace has ever chosen to the rank of ruler or prophet, some readily followed the election, while others were slow to accept the gift; but neither one nor the other was condemned, both those who renounced - for fear, and those who expressed consent - for jealousy. For some were afraid of the importance of the service, while others obeyed by faith in the Caller. Aaron expressed his readiness, but Moses objected. Isaiah readily obeyed, but Jeremiah feared youth and did not first venture into the title of prophet until he received from God a promise and power that surpassed age. With these reflections I calm myself, and my soul little by little yields and softens, like iron; and I take time as an assistant for these reflections, and God’s justifications, which I have believed all my life, as advisers. Therefore, I will not “resist, I will not retreat back” (Is. 50:5) (the words of my Master, not called to the leadership, but “followed like a sheep to the slaughter” (Is. 53:7), I even bow and humble myself under the strong hand of God and ask you to forgive my previous laziness and disobedience, if I am in any way guilty of this. I was silent, but I will not always remain silent; He did not leave for long, as far as was necessary, in order to examine himself and give himself consolation in grief, but now he is ready to “exalt Him in the assembly of the people and glorify Him in the assembly of the elders” (Ps. 106:32). If one should be condemned, then another can be excused. But why should I continue speaking? I am with you, shepherds and co-shepherds! With you, holy flock, worthy of Archpastor Christ! And you, my father, completely conquered and subjugated me more according to Christ’s than according to worldly laws. You see the obedience; return the blessing. And guide yourself with prayers, guide with words, confirm with spirit. “The father’s blessing establishes the children’s homes” (Sir.3:9). Oh, if only I and this spiritual home, which I have chosen and for which I pray, could be established, so that it would be a rest for me forever and ever, when I am sent from this church to the church there - to the triumph of the firstborn, written in heaven! Such and so just is my prayer! But the God of peace, who created both as one and restored us to each other, who raises kings to thrones and raises up the needy from the earth, who raises the poor from a low state, who chose David His servant and took from the flocks of the sheep the youngest and youngest of the sons of Jesse, who gives the word to those who preach good news with much power for the fulfillment of the Gospel, Himself, feeding the shepherds and leading the leaders, sustains let our right hand guide us according to His will, and may He receive it with glory, so that we too may shepherd His flock wisely, and not “with the shells of a foolish shepherd” (Zech. 11:15), - one was set among the ancients among the blessings, and the other among the curses; Let Himself “give strength and strength to His people” (Ps. 67:36), may He Himself present to Himself a flock glorious and undefiled, worthy of the court above, in the abode of the merry, in the glory of the saints, so that in His church all of us, both the flock and the shepherds, together can proclaim the glory in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom is all glory forever and ever, Amen! 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