Беседа 40. Снова о духовном созерцании – Слово, в котором подтверждаются и уточняются вопросы, касающиеся созерцания божественных тайн, посредством сокровенной и таинственной вдохновляющей его (spuria [подложное слово]) 1292 силы во имя Христа, Господа нашего, из Которого изливается источник знания

1. That God is eternally unchangeable in all that He possesses by nature, and that He does not change because of what happens in creation - I think that no one of reason will dispute this. Everyone who has rational thinking knows that even if a change occurs in us, when we look with our consciousness at each of the rational ones and at the changes occurring in their behavior, then in the consciousness of the Creator there is a single equal view of all rational ones, and a single love and mercy pours out from Him on all creation, which are unchanging, timeless and eternal. 2. Nor can we say that the love of the Creator for those rational ones who have become demons because of their demonism, 1295 and that it is less than the fullness of love in relation to those who are in the angelic state, or that His love for sinners is less than for those who are rightly called righteous. This is because that Nature is not affected by what happens, 1296 nor by what is contrary to It, and no random movement arises within It, which would have its cause in the creation, and has not been in It from eternity; and the love He possesses is not the result of actions in time. 1297 3. On the contrary, in His consciousness everyone has their only place in the order of love, according to the image that He saw in them before He created them and all other created things, before He planned the creation of the world. He, Whose love has no beginning, originally had the initial impulse to create the world. He has a single order of perfect dispassionate love for all of them, and He has a single Providence for both those who have fallen and those who have not fallen. 4. After all, it is known that at the moment when they fall, He does not abandon them; and thus, neither demons will remain in their demonic, nor sinners in their sins; but He intends to bring them to the one equal perfection in relation to His own Being - in which the holy angels are now, into the perfection of love and dispassionate consciousness. He intends to raise them to that virtue of will when they are no longer in bonds, nor in [freedom], and then they will not be aroused by the enemy; but in the virtue of knowledge, with thinking, matured 1298 movements, which they received from the divine outpouring prepared by the blessed Creator by His grace; they will be perfected in love for Him, with a perfect consciousness that has become beyond deviation in all their movements. 5. Perhaps even to a greater perfection than that in which angels now exist; for they will all exist in one love, one consciousness, one will, one perfection of knowledge; they will look at God with a loving lust that is insatiable, even if some dispensation 1299 may temporarily operate for reasons known to God alone, in accordance with a certain period of time established by Him according to the will of His wisdom. 6. Who can say or suppose that the love of the Creator is not primary in relation to the establishment of this action, 1300 which He performs because of the benefit arising from it? This is known only to Him alone, but later He will make it known to everyone. 7. God will not miss a single part, to any of the rational ones, in preparation for that highest Kingdom, which is prepared for all worlds. Because of the goodness of His nature, thanks to which He brought everything into being, supports and guides, and cares for all worlds and creatures in His immeasurable compassion, He planned to establish the Kingdom of Heaven for the entire community of rational beings, although a certain transitional period of time was left for the same level. This opinion of ours is consistent with the teaching of Scripture. Yet it is 1301 terrible, even if it is so limited in its duration: who can bear it? For this reason, the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents. 1302 8. Since God knew by His merciful knowledge that if absolute righteousness 1303 were required of men, then only one in ten thousand would be found to enter the kingdom of heaven, He gave them the medicine suitable for everyone, repentance, 1304 so that every day and at every moment there would be available to them a means of correction through the power of this medicine and that through contrition they would wash themselves at all times from any defilement that might befall them, and renewed every day through repentance. 9 . Great is this means which the compassionate Creator, according to the wisdom of His Divinity, has prepared for the sake of our eternal life, 1305 for He desires that we should be daily renewed and present ourselves in a virtuous change of will and a renewal of mind. 10. This is what was said: He does not want the sinner to die. 1306 For this reason, He has conceived an easy means for us, thanks to which we can correct ourselves 1307 without any difficulty. For He does not want people to perish because of their sins. So, whenever this happens - whether due to the weakness and imperfection of the nature in which they are clothed, or because of struggles, the consequences of this, 1308 or for any reason natural to them, contributing to their taking the opportunity to commit a sin, falling and being overcome by this or that sin in thoughts or words or actions, and then suffering, tormented and repented of him, - He will immediately forgive them, without any doubt. 11. This means was wisely established by our Savior, Who, since He is good by nature, wants to save every person by such means. 12. According to this plan of grace, 1309 the majority of people will enter the Kingdom of Heaven without the experience of Gehenna. But not those who, due to hardening of the heart and complete deviation into wickedness and lust, do not suffer and do not lament their mistakes and sins, since these were not punished. For the holy Nature is so good and merciful that it constantly seeks even the smallest reason for our justification 1310 and in order to forgive people their sins - as in the case of the publican, who was justified thanks to his contrite prayer, 1311 or with two mites, 1312 or with who received forgiveness on the cross. 1313 For He seeks our salvation, and not reasons to torment us. 13. Since His face is at every moment turned to forgiveness, He, using insignificant and small, almost insignificant means, 1314 again and again, through seeming accidents and circumstances, pours out upon us abundant grace, which, like the ocean, knows no measure. 14. And to those who show even a little suffering and the will to repent for what happened, He immediately, at the same hour, without delay, grants forgiveness of sins. Who is able to see 1315 all these things that Christ our Lord has accomplished for the world? When the whole body of creation had abandoned and forgotten God, perfected in all wickedness, of His own will and without asking He came down to their habitations and lived among them in their body, as one of them, and with a love that is above the knowledge and word of all creatures, He begged them to turn to Him and showed them what pertains to the glorious creation of the world to come - He Who, even before the creation of the worlds, intended to bestow upon the creatures such blessings! He forgave them all the sins which they had previously committed, and confirmed the truth of this reconciliation by convincing signs and miracles and revelations to them of His mysteries; after all this, He condescends to such condescension, 1316 that He wants His sinful nature 1317 - dust from the earth, despicable people, flesh and blood - to call Him Father. Without great love, could this happen? 15. Who, seeing and hearing such things, will be moved to remember his own sins, which will plunge him into doubt like this: “Will God forgive me, if I ask Him, those sins about which I am sick and from the memory of which I am tormented, because of which, although I abhor them, I fall, but after they happened, the pain they cause is stronger than even the sting of a scorpion; and although I hate them, I remain among them, and although I repent of them with suffering, I return to them again in a pitiful manner.” 16. This is probably how many God-fearing people think - those who care about virtue, but are overcome by passions that cry about sin, and yet, due to their own instability, constantly fall: 1318 they live all the time between sin and repentance. 17. Let us not doubt the hope of our salvation, 1319 O people, for He who endured suffering for our sake takes every possible care of our life; 1320 His mercy surpasses our consciousness, His grace is greater than we ask of Him. For the right hand of our Lord is stretched out night and day, and He makes sure to support, calm and encourage everyone, especially if He finds those who endure even a little suffering and sorrow in order to have their sins [forgiven] and who are saddened by the small degree [of their righteousness], which is stolen from them from time to time in the struggle with passions and sin. 1321 Using even such small means as these, He wants to make them heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven and bring them unhindered into His joy. 18. For to God our Savior be glory in Christ Jesus our Hope, together with worship and honor in both worlds, which He created for our exercise and enjoyment, 1322 forever and ever. Amen. Lit. “poured into him (i.e., into the real Word).” Var. "harmony", "equality". Var. "demonic character" Those. happening in created existence. Lit. "times and actions." Var. "improved". Lit. “if only the accuracy of righteousness.” Sire. tyabuta, corresponding to Greek. metanoia. Lit. "our permanent life." Var. "our eternal salvation." Var. "to be justified." Those. consequences of weakness of nature. Lit. “According to this image of grace.” Lit. “thanks to the suffering of his prayer.” Wed. Luke 18:14. Lit. “reasons”, “pretexts”. Those. comprehend, appreciate, accommodate. The original uses the same root words. Those. human nature. Var. “and yet their instability forces them to endure the apostasy that is born from this (instability).” Or “about our salvation (hayye).” The text is damaged in the manuscript. The translation is approximate. Var. “which He created for our exercise, for our enjoyment.” You might be interested in: