Книга 29 [глава 38, стихи 12–33]

The twenty-two verses of the thirty-eighth chapter, treated of verses twelve through thirty-three inclusive, teach us many truths, especially concerning the arts and wiles of Satan, grace, predestination, condemnation, and the secret judgments of God. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in that He is the Power and Wisdom of God, begotten of the Father before all times, or rather, because He neither began nor ceased to be born, let us say rather, that He was always begotten. However, we cannot indicate the moment at which He is born, because then He will appear imperfect. But in order for Him to be called both eternal and perfect, let us say that He was always begotten, so that the word “begotten” can be attributed to His perfection, and the word “always” to His eternity. In order to put this in order, one way or another, that Entity which is timeless must be described in the words of time. Although we call Him perfect, we deviate greatly from expressing His truth, since that which was not perfect cannot be called perfect. And yet the Lord says, condescending to our words of weakness: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) 2744. In this Divine Sonship, humanity could not discern Him, and therefore He came in human form in order to be seen; He wanted to be seen so that He could be imitated. The birth of the flesh was contempt for the wise of the world; for they despised the weaknesses of His human nature, considering them unworthy of God. And man became the more His debtor, the more God took upon Himself humiliation for his sake. “For when the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21) 2745, as if he were saying: When the world through its wisdom did not find God, who is Wisdom itself, it seems that it is good that so that we could see God, he became Man in order to pass through the foolishness of mankind so that His Wisdom could to descend into our folly, and that our darkness, brightened by the clay of his own flesh, may give us the light of heavenly wisdom (John 9:6-7) 2746. Begotten of the Father before all ages, He deigned to be born of His Mother in time, in order that, by limiting His birth to a beginning and an end, He might reveal to the eyes of the human mind that birth is not limited by either a beginning or an end. Therefore it was beautifully said to blessed Job: Verse 12. Did you command the morning to be born, and did you show the dawn its place ( Job 38:12 ) 2747? 2. You understand, as do I. The origin of His Divinity has no concept of “before” and “after”. And while He abides in eternity, while He limits everything that happens, He limits in Himself the decrease and passing of time. But since the origin of His humanity began and ended, it received from time the concepts of “before” and “after.” But since He took upon Himself the shadows of our temporary existence, He shed upon us the light of His eternity; after this beginning, which the Creator created for Himself in time, the dawn immediately recognized its place outside of time. Because the dawn or dawn passes from darkness into light, the whole Church of God's chosen ones is rightly called by the name of the dawn or dawn. Since she has come from the night of unbelief to the light of faith, she is open to the splendor of heavenly brightness, as the dawn breaks into the day after darkness. It was also beautifully said in the Song of Songs, “Who is this who shines like the dawn?” ( Song 6:10 ) 2748 . For the Holy Church, which seeks the reward of heavenly life, is called the dawn because while the darkness of sin remains, the light of truth shines. 3. But we have a deeper aspect to interpret, considering the nature of dawn or dawn. Since dawn or dawn means that the night has already passed, but the full radiance of the day has not yet arrived: until the night dissipates and dawn comes, light is mixed with darkness. What then is it for all of us who follow the truth in this life, the dawn or the dawn? For we now perform deeds that are light, and yet we are still not free from some remnants of darkness. For it was said to God by the prophet: “In Your sight no man will live justified” (Ps. 143:2) 2749. And it is also written again: “For we all sin greatly” (James 3:2) 2750. Paul also says: “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me captive to the law of sin that is in my members” (Rom. 7:23) 2751. Where the law of sin fights with the law of reason, it is certainly dawn, because the light that has already shone has not yet completely overcome the passing darkness. It is still dawn, because as long as the law of the flesh attacks the law of the mind, and the law of the mind is the law of the flesh, light and darkness fight against each other. Then Paul says again: “The night is past” (Rom. 13:12) 2752, he does not add “The Day has come,” but “The Day has come.” For he who says, after the passing of the night, not “The Day has come,” but “The Day has come,” undoubtedly proves that he is still in the twilight before the sun and after the darkness. 4. But in the Church of God's Chosen, only then will there be a complete day when the shadow of sin will no longer be mixed with it. Then the day will be complete when he will be illuminated by the perfect warmth of the inner light. Then the day will be complete when he will no longer tolerate the seducing memory of his sins, when he will not hide even the remnants of darkness from himself. It is clearly indicated that the dawn is still only at the beginning of its formation, when it is said: Have you shown the dawn its place? The words indicated the place, of course, the transition from one state to another was named. So what is the place of dawn, if not the ideal brightness of the eternal vision? And when it happens and comes, there will no longer be any darkness of last night. But now, when temptations are still endured, and the Church is on the path of transforming the heart into a different state, the dawn is taking its place. But if this place is not occupied, then we will still remain in the night of this life. But if we strive daily for perfection, and daily increase our light, then this place will be found and occupied, the sun will be found to shine fully on us. The dawn realizes its place when the holy soul longs to contemplate its Creator. The dawn was trying to reach its place when David said: “My soul thirsts for the living God; when will I come and appear before the face of God?” ( Ps. 41:3 ) 2753 Truth showed its place at the dawn, when it was said by Solomon: “What advantage then does the wise have over the foolish, what is the poor man who knows how to walk over the living?” ( Eccl. 6:8 ) 2754 And our Lord, after His birth, undoubtedly showed this place even to the Patriarchs who preceded His Incarnation; for if they had not known from the Spirit of Prophecy that the King of their heavenly country was to become the Incarnation, they would not have seen how desirable were the gifts from that same country. Truth made this place of dawn known when, in the presence of His disciples, He asked His Father, saying: “Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am” (John 17:24) 2755. He marked this place of dawn when he said: “For where the carcass is, there the eagles will gather together” (Matthew 24:28) 2756. Dawn hastened to the place he knew when Paul said that “I have a desire to be separated and to be with Christ” (Phil. 1:23) 2757. And again: “For me Christ is life, and death is gain” (Phil. 1:21) 2758. And again: “For we know that although our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal” (2 Cor. 5:1) 2759. But He also says that He showed its place to the dawn after His birth, because before He Himself showed the bliss of the future reward with His Body, He limited this knowledge to a few. But when He took the weakness of human birth, He expanded the knowledge of the coming glory in love endlessly. But compassion so extends to the mystery of Divine acts that anger still influences them so that the secret Judge looks favorably on the redemption of some, and passes by and destroys others. Since we have heard how He enlightens His chosen ones by His Incarnation, let us now hear how He condemns the rejected. From this it follows: Verse 13. You held and shook the ends of the earth, and You threw the wicked out of it (Job.38:13) 2760? Allegorical interpretation 5. The Lord “held the ends of the earth” because He came at the end of the world to the synagogue, which at that time was abandoned and belonged to foreign kings, and He shook the wicked out of it, because He drove out even from the glory of carnal sacrifices those who denied the spiritual preaching of the faith. Or He, of course, held the ends of the earth, because He chose several unfortunate and humiliated people from Judea. He held the ends of the earth because He left the wise men of the law and chose the fishermen. And at the same time that He held up the ends of the earth, He shook off the wicked from it, because while He strengthens the weak believers, He condemns the strong unbelievers. But, regarding the word “shook off,” He also rightly added, since by His coming He aroused even the hearts of the libertines with immeasurable fear, for they were actually shocked, saying: “...do you see that you are not getting anything done? the whole world is following Him!” ( John 12:19 ) 2761 But that which is shaken wears out because it is pulled to and fro. That is why Judea was shocked, for some said about Christ that “He is a good man,” and others resisted Him, saying: “No; but He deceives the people" (John 7:12) 2762. And some said: “If He had not been from God, He could not have done anything” (John 9:33) 2763. And finally, others exclaimed: “If He had not been an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you” (John 18:30) 2764. The outcasts were indeed shocked, but did not fall, when in their time they saw with wonder the miracles, and others despised and ridiculed the humiliations of His weakness. If they had not been shocked, who said: “How long will You keep our soul in bewilderment? If you are the Christ, tell us directly!” (John 10:24) 2765 Or He, of course, held and shook the ends of the earth, because when He terrified the weakened hearts of the humble with pious fear, He did not leave them to strict judgment. Many believers in God stood up more firmly for the same reason when they humbled themselves. God holds fast the man whom He shakes, and He teaches in the words of the prophet, saying: “For my hand has done all this, and all this was done, says the Lord. But this is the one I will look upon: the one who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2) 2766. That He holds the man whom He shakes is shown by the statement of Solomon, which reads: “Blessed is the man who is always in reverence, but he who hardens his heart will fall into trouble” ( Proverbs 28:14 ) 2767 . Since the Lord held the ends of Judah in the Apostles, and rejected the Scribes and Pharisees and High Priests as well as demanding an answer for their iniquities, let us hear what else was added to their condemnation. What follows: Verse 14. The seal must be restored like clay, and stand like a garment (Job 38:14) 2768. 6. What else, if not “clay,” did the Lord give to the people of Israel, to whom He came when the orders of the Gentiles and the labor on the bricks of Egypt ended? And while He led him back to the Promised Land through so many miracles, and filled him as He led him further with the knowledge of His wisdom, while He laid upon him so many secret mysteries by means of Prophecy, what else did He do but "seal" to preserve His secret? For Divine Prophecy is itself a mystery, whatever Truth may be revealed in the end. But when, after so many Divine mysteries, after so many miracles that were witnessed at the coming of our Redeemer, he loved his land, preferring it to the truth (speaking of the Priests: “If we leave Him like this, then everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take possession of both our place and people” (John 11:48) 2769), he returned, as it was, to those bricks that he had left in Egypt: and that which had been made by the seal of God returned to that which he had left. And being a “seal,” it appeared as “clay” in the eyes of Truth, when he lost, through the craftiness of wickedness, the secrets of the word which he had received, and chose to enjoy only those earthly things that pollute. 7. It is well said here: And it will stand like a robe. For the garment, if unfinished and made of thicker fabric, even when worn, will not hold, will not fit well on the limbs of the wearer to whom it is intended to fit. Therefore, Judea, even when it seemed to be laboring in the knowledge of the truth, stood like a garment; because she publicly declared to serve God in external covenants, but refused to penetrate to Him through the understanding of love. While only the letter of the commandments of God is observed, and not the union through the Spirit in hidden senses, it did not penetrate, so to speak, to Him who clothed it. Therefore it also fits well. Verse 15. Their light will be taken away from the wicked (Job 38:15) 2770. 8. Because while they refuse to believe in the truth, they lose forever the knowledge of the Fa, and while they boast about having received the Fa, they are undoubtedly blinded by the boasting of their knowledge. For it is written: “Let their eyes be darkened, because they do not see” (Ps. 69:24) 2771. And again it is written: “Let them not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart” (Is. 6:10) 2772. And again it is written: “And Jesus said: I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” (John 9:39) 2773. And therefore they boasted of themselves in fulfilling the law against the Giver of the Law, it is well added: And let the insolent hand be broken (Job 38:15) 2774. 9 . And let the presumptuous hand be broken when the proud works of the Law are exposed, preaching the grace of faith, when it was said: “For by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20) 2775. 10. But all these words can also be understood in another sense. Holy Scripture may call the Church “earth.” Thus, the Lord holds and shakes the ends of the earth, because He allows the ends of His Church to be shaken by the most severe persecution through the coming of the Antichrist, and yet does not abandon it, allowing it. Sometimes the Lord holds this earth and does not shake it; sometimes He holds and shakes her; because He, at one time, preserves her in the calm world of faith, and at another, orders her to be shaken by persecution. 11. But when it is said: You held and shook the ends of the earth, He rightly immediately added: And You shook off the wicked from it? For, as Paul testifies: “There are many in it who say that “They say that they know God, but in works they deny it, being vile and disobedient and incapable of any good work” ( Titus 1:16 ) 2776 . The Lord therefore shakes off the wicked from it, because those in whom deep-seated sins prevail then fall into the flood of open unbelief, and go to the heap of tares, led by the breath of that temptation. And although they are now hiding in the bosom of the threshing floor, under the guise of faith, they will then undoubtedly be associated with the tares, the mill of strict condemnation. 12. And it is well added: the seal must be restored, like clay. It is as if he openly says: “Those who now appear in the bosom of the Church as a “seal” will later, in the face of all people, be restored as “clay,” that is, they do not deceive the judgment of people regarding their practice in religion, but this proves that they are servants of earthly goods. Typically Scripture uses the word “seal” for faith and “clay” for iniquity. For the younger son, who returned to his father, having spent his property, received the ring as a gift (Luke 15:22) 2777. For pagans who return to God by repentance, having lost their immortality, are protected by the seal of faith. It was also said to the Church by the Bridegroom: “Place me as a seal on your heart” (Song.8:6) 2778. For the seal is placed precisely for this purpose, so that it cannot be broken by any daring robber. That is why the Bridegroom is like a seal on the heart when the secret of His faith is sealed for the safety of our thoughts; so that that unfaithful servant, namely our adversary, observing our hearts sealed by faith, could not allow them to be torn apart by temptation. But the concept of “clay” shows worldly contamination, as the psalmist testifies: “He brought me out of the pit of poverty and the deepest clay” (Ps. 39:3) 2779. Since many who are in worldly contagion are sealed with the sacrament of heavenly faith when they come into the Church, and yet do not turn away from their evil ways, and hide themselves for the present under the cover of faith and show who they really are when the opportunity is given, it has been rightly said: the seal will be restored like clay. Those whom we now consider faithful will later be considered enemies of the faith; and yet, when they are not tempted, they seem to be a “seal,” and then, undoubtedly, when they are tempted, they will be “clay.” It was also rightly said: must be restored: since their rejected life proves to them later that it really is such, since their conscience perhaps becomes ahead of their faith. Therefore it is well added: and it will fit like a robe. 13. The Holy Church at the present time seems to be dressed in many clothes, in as many clothes as there are believers in it, whose veneration it has earned. When the pagans came to her, the Lord said through the prophet: “As I live! “says the Lord, “you will be clothed with all of them as with clothing” (Is. 49:18) 2780. But now she is clothed, only in appearance, by many who seem faithful, but when persecution strikes them, she will be naked and naked; therefore it is correctly said: but it itself will stand like a robe. But the term "stand" is used in this passage for those who persist in sin. Where it is written: “and does not stand in the way of sinners” (Ps. 1:1) 2781. And about every libertine it is said to stand like a robe, to show that he cannot stand at all. Because when the clothes are put on, they stretch on the body, showing the appearance, but when they are taken off, they become wrinkled or folded; therefore, everyone who has retreated from the stability of the Holy Church, as happens with a garment that was beautiful when worn, but then it will lie taken off, crumpled and thrown away. But if by "stands" we understand "duration," every libertine who endures a short time in this life which he loves stands as a garment. It was also said by the prophet: “And they all will wear out like a robe, and like a garment You will change them, and they will be changed” (Ps. 101:27) 2782. Thus the thoughts which were presented veiled in a cloud of allegory are now revealed in simpler words: From the wicked their light will be taken away. 14. May the light of God not illuminate those who hide the malice of their iniquity under the name of faith. While they despise living according to the preaching of faith, and yet outwardly revere it, they seek the glory of the real life under the name of religion; and they receive this light from faith, since faith honors them in the eyes of people. But there are some people who sincerely believe the eternal truths they hear, and yet contradict with the evils of life the very faith they profess. They also have their light in the darkness, for they, while acting perversely, still think rightly about God, they are illuminated by the radiance of light, so as not to remain in darkness at all. And while they love the things of earth more than the things in heaven, the things they see more than the things they hear, when the time of persecution overtakes them, they lose that sound of faith which they seemed to possess. And this is a special case, to a greater extent, when the head of the wicked himself arises, in the last persecution, against the Holy Church, his boldness attacks her with unrestrained force. Then the heart of every one, being open, when all that was hidden becomes revealed, and those who are now holy in word, and wicked in heart, fall flat upon their wickedness, which becomes common knowledge, and lose the light of faith which they at first sight possessed. But it is necessary for all of us, in the midst of all this, to return to the hidden recesses of our hearts, and to fear the fatal results of our actions, so as not to fall, as our actions require, into the number of these people, according to the strict justice of judgment from God. 15. But let no one unceremoniously delude himself and believe that he will be freed from such a fall if he thinks that he will not be surprised by the storm of this shock. Oh, how many people did not see the times of this temptation, and yet were in the center of this storm. Cain did not see the times of the Antichrist, and yet he is deservedly the hand of the Antichrist. Judas did not know the flames of this persecution, and yet he yielded to the power of his cruelty and the persuasion of his avarice. Simon was far from the times of the Antichrist, and yet he stuck to his pride, in search of the power of miracles (Acts 8:19–20) 2783. Thus, the evil body connected to his head, limb to limb, even when they do not know each other, are still connected together by evil deeds. For Pergamum never knew the book or the word of Balaam, and yet, after his wickedness, he heard a voice of reproof from above: “But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cause the children of Israel to stumble, so that they would eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication” (Rev. 2:14) 2784. Both time and place separated the church of Thyatira from the knowledge of Jezebel; but wicked life delighted her, and Jezebel is said to have lived by it and persisted in wicked acts, as the angel testifies, who says: “I have a few things against you, because you allow the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and mislead my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev. 2:20) 2785 . So, since there were those who followed the conduct of Jezebel by their dissolute acts, it is said that Jezebel was also there, for the similarity of habits makes the dishonest body one, even if the time or place of the affairs are far from each other. Thus every wicked man who is already gone survives in his wicked imitators, and the author of iniquity who has not yet come is already visible in those who do his work. Therefore John says: “And now there are many antichrists” (1 John 2:18) 2786 because all the evil people are even now his members, who were actually born in wickedness and kept their heads in an evil life. Therefore Paul says: “And now you know what prevents him from being revealed in due time. For the mystery of iniquity is already at work” (2 Thess. 2:6–7) 2787. As if he were saying: Then the Antichrist will be clearly visible; for he now secretly works his hidden works in the hearts of the unrighteous. Not to mention more open crimes, and here is one man secretly jealous of his brother in his heart, and if he finds an opportunity, he will strive to supplant him. And about another it is written: “but through the envy of the devil death entered the world” (Wis.2:24) 2788. Another, thinking of himself as a man of great dignity, preferring himself to everyone, with a swollen heart, believes that everyone is inferior to him. And about another it is written: “He looks boldly at everything that is high, he is a king over all the sons of pride” (Job 41:26) 2789. Another seeks the power of this world not because he can do something for others, but so that he can not obey others. And about another it is written: “Who said, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods at the edge of the north, I will ascend to the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High?” (Isa.14:13–14) 2790 Only the Most High rules over everything so as not to be subordinate to others. Whom the devil stubbornly wanted to imitate when he sought his own sole power, and refused to be subordinate to Him. So, he who strives for his own sole power imitates the devil, because he hates to obey the one who is placed above him by Divine decree. 16. There are many things that can cause certain people to be declared unbelievers even though they live in the world of the Church. I see that some people are so accepting of the powers that be that, without a doubt, at their request, they deny the truth about their neighbor. And who is the Truth if not the One who said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life?” ( John 14:6 ) 2791 John the Baptist did not die when asked about his confession of Christ, but died for the truth of the truth; but because Christ is the Truth, therefore he went to death for Christ, and precisely for the Truth. Let us assume that a person, when asked, accepts the opinion of a strong person, rejecting the truth, so as not to suffer even for speaking. What, I ask you, will he do, enduring the pain of punishment, he who was ashamed of Christ even under the scourge of words? Now, even after this, he is still a Christian in the eyes of men, and yet, if God decides to judge him harshly, he is no longer a Christian. 17. But I see others who are assigned, through their position as teachers, the duties of comfort and reproof, those who commit iniquity, and those who are afraid of losing the goodwill of certain powerful persons by deliberately not rebuking them. Who is he by his actions, whoever he is, if he sees a wolf approaching and runs away? He runs away because he remained silent; he remained silent because he betrayed eternal grace and preferred temporary glory to it. So he hid in his silence in the face of a powerful man, and gave way to open persecution and secret fear. It is well said about such people: “They loved the glory of men more than the glory of God” (John 12:43) 2792. If such things are strictly condemned, then whoever it was, even if they escaped public condemnation, they still denied Christ by their silence. Even in the bosom of the Church there is now no shortage of temptations of the Antichrist. Therefore, let no one fear those times of the last persecution, as if it were the only one. The work of the Antichrist is constantly flourishing among the wicked, because he is even now secretly creating iniquity in their hearts. And even if many, now, it would seem, have strengthened themselves within the Church and pretend to be who they are not, at the time of the coming of the Judge they will turn out to be who they are. These are the ones about whom Solomon also says: “Nevertheless I have also seen how the wicked are buried. I saw how they came and went from the holy place and how they were forgotten in the city where they did this” (Eccl. 8:10) 2793. Then it was said about the wicked: “The seal must be restored like clay, and will stand like a garment, from the wicked their light will be taken away, (which certainly takes place in the persecution of the Antichrist), but at the present time, consoling us about the destruction of the same Antichrist, he says: And the daring hand may break. 18. So, why else would a daring hand break? - if not for the proud sublimity of the Antichrist, who is so high above the consciousness of rejected people in the pride of worldly glory, that a sinful person, who is still considered a man, falsely pretends to be God over people? Therefore, the Apostle Paul says: “So he sits in the church of God, showing himself off as if he were God” (2 Thess. 2:4) 2794. And in order to more fully show his pride, he declared earlier: He who represents and exalts himself is above everything that is called God or shrine. Even a person can sometimes be called God, as for example, it was said to Moses: “Look, I have made you God to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1) 2795. But a mere man cannot be worshiped as God. But since the Antichrist places himself above all holy people, and above the power of God, he tries to surpass both what is called God and how God is worshiped, demanding this glory for himself. But we must look closely into what depths of pride he fell, one that did not remain in the ruins into which he fell. Both for the devil and for fallen man, through pride, from the state of their own will, it is said: “I will ascend to the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High” (Is. 14:14) 2796, or for others, so that they hear and believe: “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods” (Gen. 3:5) 2797. They both fell because they wanted to be like God, not in His righteousness, but in His power. But fallen man, perversely bent on being like God, reasoned, freed by grace, that he was very different from God, and through the guilt of sin, exclaimed: “Lord, who is like Thee?” (Ps.34:10) 2798. But the devil, having been justly cast down in his sinful error, still does not remain in his ruins; the longer he was deprived of the grace of the Most High, the more he added to the guilt of his sins. For the one who fell because he wanted to change the order of things in order to be like God, entering into the Antichrist, had already come to the point that he even despised appearing to be God, for when he was condemned, he began to consider Him inferior to himself - the One whom, because of his pride, he did not consider equal. (I don’t know how to say this more clearly. The meaning is that Satan fell when he wanted to be equal to God, i.e. at that time his main desire was to become the same as God. But after his condemnation and fall, during the time that he wandered as a rejected spirit, his pride grew so much that when in the last days he comes as a man - the Antichrist - he no longer wants to simply be equal to God (the thing with which his fall began), he He despises Him, he wants to be higher than Him) For, about what we stated earlier, it was said: “He exalts himself above everything that is called God or that is holy” (2 Thess. 2:4) 2799, here it is openly shown that, striving, first of all, for the likeness of God, he wanted, as it were, to be exalted on an equal footing with God, but, having increased the sin of pride, now he considers himself above everything that is called God or that is sacred. Therefore, further this pride of his will be defeated by the approaching strict judge (as it is said: “whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the appearance of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8) 2800), and as it was rightly said: And let the presumptuous hand be broken.” 19. But all these expressions, which have been discussed twice, can be understood in another sense. The words of God are examined in great detail to explain how they were used to give us strength. The better the sweetness is ground, the more its properties appear in the bowl; so the more we share the Divine words by expounding them, the more we receive when we hear them, as if by magic. Because, therefore, the merciful God long endures the sins of men, and often transforms the minds of sinners, when He sees the end approaching, he justly speaks of Himself, suggesting the power of so great a love, Verse 13. Did you hold and shake the ends of the earth and shake off all the wicked from it ( Job 38:13 )? 20. For "earth" signifies the man who enjoys all the things that are below; to whom it was said about his sin: “for dust you are, and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19) 2801. But since the merciful Creator does not abandon his work, He tolerates the sins of people with His wisdom, and, in the end, forgives them. But when He sees cruel and unfeeling minds, He frightens them at one time with threats, and at another with blows, and the next with revelations, in order that those who have become hardened in mortal security may be softened by healthy fear, so that they will at last return as if they had been waiting for it for a long time. For as the Lord judges us more strictly at the end of our lives, He purifies His elect more thoroughly at the end. Therefore it was said: “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth” (1 Samuel 2:10) 2802. Therefore, He watches our actions more carefully at the end of life; moreover, He believes that the beginning of our future life depends on them. And because He does it out of His mercy; showing His kindness with which He forgives the sins of even those sinners who woke up at the very end, He instructs blessed Job in righteousness, saying: Did you hold and shake the ends of the earth, and shake off all the wicked from it? You understand like I. Who often calls out sinners, warning them in their last moments, holding and quickly releasing them, and snatching from their hearts the evil thoughts of their thoughts. And the Lord rightly teaches blessed Job how He will transform sinners in the end. It is as if He openly says: “Watch the power of My mercy and humble your pride before virtue.” But that the punishment of the former sinner accompanies these last hours of man, through the death of the flesh, even when he is converted, He immediately teaches, saying: Verse 14. The seal must be restored like clay, and stand like a garment (Job 38:14). 21. For the Lord created man in His likeness, as a kind of seal of His power. But still it must be restored, like clay; although he may, by conversion, escape eternal suffering, he is condemned by the death of his flesh, as a punishment for the pride he has committed. But man, who was created from clay, adorned with the likeness of the Divine image, having received the gift of reason, forgets, when his heart swells with pride, that he was created from the basest materials. This was done thanks to the wonderful justice of the Creator, which is why man became proud because of the awareness of the intelligence that he received, he must again become dust with death, which he is not willing to humbly reckon with. And so he lost the likeness of God through sin, but is transformed with his death into the substance of his own clay, as it has rightly been said: The Seal must be restored as clay. And therefore, when the spirit leaves the body, it is deprived, so to speak, of a kind of covering of flesh, it becomes the same clay; and it will stand like a garment. Our clay, in order to stand as a garment, remains empty and uncovered until the time of resurrection. But since even those who overcome this very pride cannot escape this punishment by living modestly, He determines a special punishment for the proud, saying: Verse 15. Their light will be taken away from the wicked and their insolent hand will be broken (Job 38:15). 22. The death of the flesh, which restores the elect to their light, takes away the light from the reprobate. The light of the proud is the glory of real life. And the light then withdraws from them when the death of the flesh comes, and the darkness of their own punishment comes. For then the insolent hand is broken, because the sublimity of the heart, which has been cruelly seized, contrary to the order of nature, is dissipated by the weight of Divine justice, which suppresses it in order to, for the impious exaltation of itself for a while, be then crushed forever by the weight of judgment. But none of us would know what would follow after death if the Creator of our life did not even go to the punishment of death. For did He not, out of His mercy, seek the lowest state, that He might justly restore us to the highest state, us who were lost after we had received His likeness. From here it is rightfully added: Verse 16. Have you entered into the depths of the sea, and have you walked along the bottom of the abyss (Job 38:16) 2803? 23. It's as if He spoke like me. Who not only strove into the sea, which means our world, taking on the flesh and soul of man, but also voluntarily lowering this flesh into death, to the bottom of a pit, as into the depths of the sea. Here “sea” means “this world”, in the manner of the language of Scripture, and therefore nothing prevents us from understanding the “depths of the sea” as the bottom of the underworld. But the Lord sought this depth of the sea when He entered into the lowest depths of the pit to save the souls of His elect. It was also said by the prophet: “You have made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass through” (Is. 51:10) 2804. For this depth of the sea, before the coming of the Redeemer, was not a path, but a prison, because even the souls of the righteous were imprisoned in it, although not in places of punishment. But the Lord made this depth a path, because He, having come there, allowed His chosen ones to walk the path from the abyss to heaven. Thus, it was very correctly said: in order for the redeemed to pass. What He called the depths of the sea, in other words, are called the lowest parts of the abyss: just as the abyss of the waters is incomprehensible to our eyes, so the secrets of the underworld are in no way incomprehensible to our understanding. For we, those who are removed from there, do not see what kind of retribution and punishment awaits others for their actions. 24. But we must carefully note that He says that He walked through the lowest parts of the abyss. It is clear that not the one who is bound can “pass”, but only the one who is free, since the shackles hinder the steps of the one who is bound. Because the Lord was not a slave to sin when he walked in the abyss. For He came unhindered to those who were bound. And it was written: “I became like a man without help, free among the dead” (Ps. 87:5-6) 2805. For for the Lord to go in the lower parts of the abyss is to find nothing to keep Him in the damned place; Peter testifies, saying: “breaking the bonds of death, because it was impossible for it to hold Him” (Acts 2:24) 2806. Or, certainly (for when we are led from place to place, we find ourselves present here and there), the Lord is said to have passed through the abyss to show that He was present to elect souls in several places, by the power of His Divinity. Whence is the spirit of wisdom described as full of movement (Wis. 7:24) 2807 that by means of what is not, what is absent everywhere, it can be described as meeting us everywhere. And our Lord considers this descent of His more miraculous the more often He mentions it to the redeemed man. Repeating this again, He adds: Verse 17. Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the dark doors (Job 38:17) 2808? 25. The “gates of death” are hostile forces. Those on which the Lord descended and revealed because, by dying, He overcame their power. Those which in other words are called “dark doors,” because while they are not visible, due to their cunning concealment, they open the path of death to deceived minds. Those dark doors upon which the Lord looks; because He both watches and suppresses the cunning malice of unclean spirits. And doesn’t He, looking, restrain them, while we do not know them, our mind would never know anything about their intrigues, and would accept and perish from them. But even we see these gloomy doors when we are illuminated by the rays of heavenly light. It was also said by the prophet: “The Lord is my helper, and I will see my enemies” (Ps. 117:7) 2809. Therefore, He Himself sees our enemies, He whose gift makes our enemies visible to us. Or, of course, the Lord saw the dark doors, passing the bottom of the abyss, He struck down the cruel spirits, and with His death condemned them, rising above death. This is not about the future, but about events in the past; for whatever acts He was about to do, He had already done them by predestination. But, because the Church grew after His death and resurrection and expanded to all nations, it is added: Verse 18. Have you considered the breadth of the earth (Job 38:18) 2810? 26. For while the Lord was limited by death, He extended His faith to the nations, and expanded the Holy Church in countless hearts of believers. To the one to whom the prophet said: “Expand the place of your tent, expand the covers of your dwellings; do not be shy, make your ropes longer and strengthen your stakes; for you will spread to the right and to the left, and your descendants will take possession of the nations and people the desolate cities” (Is. 54: 2–3) 2811. But this breadth of the earth would undoubtedly not have existed if He had not first, by dying, despised the life that we know, and by His resurrection again indicated that life that we do not know. For He opened the eyes of our minds by His death, and showed us the life we ​​should follow. Here, observing this order in the Gospel, He says to His disciples: “And He said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:46–47) 2812. For only a few of the people of Israel believed in His preaching, but countless nations of the Gentiles followed the path of life after His death. For He endured the temptation of pride while living in a state of suffering, and He overcame it when He died in a life of suffering. What Samson had long before described well in himself: “And there were more dead whom he killed at his death than he killed in his life” (Judges 16:30) 2813. For the Lord certainly not only put to death some for their pride and arrogance (as we say, "dead in sin") while He lived, but also, when the Church of His body was broken into pieces, the chosen Gentiles whom He had suffered in His life He subdued at once by His death. And then He taught us that He has penetrated into all the spheres of the deep, and He rightly immediately takes into account the breadth of the earth: Have you taken note of the breadth of the earth? It was as if He were saying to the man who was being scourged: “Think of what I have endured and consider what I have gained, and do not complain to yourself of the whip when you are ignorant of what rewards await you in your reward.” Among these words of the Creator, I think that we should turn our eyes away for a while from the common and public good, and observe what He is secretly doing with each of us. For He says: Verse 16. Have you entered into the depths of the sea (Job 38:16) 2814? 27. The "sea" is the mind of man, and God enters into his depths when he is awakened from his innermost thoughts by prayers of repentance through his knowledge of himself, when He calls to his memory the iniquity of his former life, and awakens the mind when it is excited by his own confusion. God reaches into the depths of the sea as He changes despairing hearts. For He goes into the sea when He humbles the hearts of the world; He enters into the depths of the sea when He does not disdain to visit minds that are even filled with sins. Here it is rightly added to the question: And have you walked along the bottom of the abyss (Job.38:16) 2815? The "abyss" here is the human mind, which, while unable to understand itself, is like an obscure abyss, hiding from itself in all that it is. It is well said here by the prophet: “The deep gave its voice from the depths of its thoughts” (Hab. 3:10) 2816. Since the human mind does not plunge into itself, it praises, more timidly than itself, the power of the Divine nature, which it is not able to understand. 28. For God then walked to the bottom of the abyss, because His goal is to transform the hearts of even the most embittered people, and, to touch despairing minds, and through His visit, miraculously transform them. For when any person feels remorse after huge sins, what else can he see if not God walking along the bottom of the abyss? For God walks along the bottom of the abyss when He penetrates the dark heart and extinguishes the invisible waves of sins. For we often complain about some sins of the past, and at the present time we feel the burden of other sins of the present: we are persecuted, for example, on the one hand by pride, on the other by anger, on the third by lust, and on the fourth by greed. But when the Lord suppresses all this in our hearts with the fear of His secret visit, what else does He do but step into the abyss? Whose footsteps do we see in our minds when we consider how the gifts of His fear are contrasted with these rebellious sins? For the prophet looked at these steps, saying: “Your goings were noticed, O God, the procession of my God, my King, in His holy place” (Ps. 67:25) 2817. For he who contemplates the excessive movements of his mind, the memory of Divine decisions contained in it, contemplates the steps of God walking within him. Therefore it was said to blessed Job: Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you walked along the bottom of the abyss? You understand how I, Who with wondrous pity tramples in the hearts of sinners, at one time anger, at another - lust, at the third - greed, then - rising pride. It’s as if it was clearly said to him: if you see that I alone suppress the hidden vices of the heart, you will stop exalting yourself with self-justification. And because when we are visited by God, we are led to confession even regarding the most secret and illegal movements of our gaze, it is rightfully added: Verse 17. Was the gate of death opened for you (Job 38:17) 2818? 29. The gates of death are the evil thoughts that we reveal to God when we confess, crying in repentance. For He sees them even when we do not confess; but enters into them when we confess. For He truthfully opens the way for Himself to the gates of death, when we have put aside evil thoughts, and He comes to us after confession. And they are called the gates of death, because the path to death is always open through evil thoughts. And repeating itself again, it adds: And have you seen the dark doors (Job 38:17) 2819? 30. Dark doors are the hidden evil of the mind that can be inside, remaining invisible to others. This is what the Lord sees when He destroys them with the secret glance of grace. For it was written: “A king who sits on the throne of judgment drives away all evil in His sight” (Prov. 20:8) 2820. And since every vice compresses, and every virtue increases the mind, after its destruction by vice, it is said: have you taken into account the breadth of the earth? If virtue had not increased the mind, Paul would not have said to the Corinthians: “Expand yourself, and do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:13–14) 2821. But we must carefully observe what has been said: Verse 18. Have you considered the breadth of the earth (Job 8:18) 2822? 31. The measure of internal virtues is difficult to comprehend if it is not carefully realized. For poverty often humbles outwardly, the torture of punishment constrains them; and yet, within these things, their inner perseverance allows them to expand into the hope of heavenly rewards. The apostles were oppressed from without when they endured evil; but they, being free, turned this evil into joy. For it was written: “And they went out from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41) 2823. Paul found this breadth in his situation and said: “I desire, brethren, that you know that my circumstances contributed to the greater success of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ became known to the whole praetorium and to everyone else” (Phil. 1:12-13) 2824. David possessed this breadth, in the midst of narrowness, when he said: “You enlarge me in tribulation” (Ps. 4:2) 2825. This earth, accordingly, is the conscience of holy people, then it expands with the increase in the external adversities of this world. For if she is led away from the safety of this life, she will beat herself until she reaches for the hope of heaven. And when it is not allowed to wander outside, having returned, so to speak, to its own bosom, it will be expanded. We, however, observe the misfortunes good people suffer, but we do not see how they rejoice. We study, by analysis, the breadth of their thoughts, sometimes by their words, sometimes by their actions: but still we do not know how great the range of this breadth is in them. Let human wisdom then hear: have you taken into account the breadth of the earth? and let her know her own stupidity. It’s as if He spoke like I, who myself fully listens to the secret joy of the saint, surrounded by disasters, because I myself graciously fashion them. Or, of course, blessed Job was asked whether he took into account the breadth of the earth in order that he might be humiliated by the example of another's expansion. It was as if it had been openly said to him: Consider those whom the countless troubles of this world cannot limit, and, according to the state of their hearts, they do not cease to praise even in the midst of blows. From this it follows: Verse 18–20. Tell Me, if you know everything, in which path is the light and in which place is the darkness? that you may receive each of them within their borders, and understand the ways to their house ( Job 38:18–20 ) 2826 . 32. Blessed Job tried to resolve this difficult question, he examined the path of light and the place of darkness, whether he should lead each of them to their borders, and whether he should understand the ways to their home. For what is meant by the word “light” if not righteousness? and what is signified by the word “darkness” if not lawlessness? This is what was said to some who were transformed from the wickedness of sins: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8) 2827. And it is said about some who are in sin: “For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night” (1 Thess. 5:7) 2828. It was said, therefore, to the blessed Job: Tell Me, if you know everything, in which way is the light and in which place is the darkness? As if it were said to him: if you imagine that you possess perfect wisdom, tell Me into whose heart that innocence that is now needed will come, or in whose heart the iniquity that currently exists will remain. On which path does light dwell: that is, the mind which righteousness comes and fills. And what is the place of darkness, that is, in whom blind iniquity remains. It is you who can accept each of them within their limits, that is, you decide whether the one who now appears evil will end his life in wickedness, and whether the one who currently appears righteous will end his life with the perfection of righteousness. And understand the paths to their home: that is, you can consider and discern, and those for whom perseverance in good deeds ensures an eternal abode in the Kingdom, or for whom evil habits bind to the end, are condemned to eternal punishment. “Home” is a place of rest, and “path” is actions. The path therefore leads to home, because our actions lead to our resting place. But what can a person say if he is asked these questions? Who can hear them, at least without fear? For we daily see many who shine with the light of righteousness, and who are still nowhere near the darkness of wickedness. And we see many who are caught up in the darkness of sin, and yet at the end of their lives they are suddenly set free and restored to the light of truth. We also know that many preserved to the end the path of righteousness that they once found, and we saw that most people increased, without ceasing, even to the end, their wickedness, which they once began. 33. But who, amid these clouds of secret condemnation, can so rely on the light of his judgment as to distinguish by discernment those who continue to live in sin, and those who have maintained righteousness, or those who are transformed from the lowest to the highest states, or who fall from the highest to the lowest? These meanings are hidden from human knowledge, but they become known at the end of a person’s life, because the abyss of divine judgments is not all accessible to the eyes of the human mind. For we see that the world of the pagans, which was opposed to God, was covered with the light of righteousness, and that Judah, having long been beloved, was darkened with the darkness of unbelief. We also know that the thief passed from the cross into the kingdom, and that Judas was plunged into hell from the glory of the Apostleship. And again, because destinies once begun are sometimes unchangeable, we know that the other thief was punished, and that the apostles enjoyed the appointed kingdom for which they longed. Who, then, can investigate in which way the light dwells and in which place of darkness, in order to lead each of them to their own boundaries and understand the paths to their home? I see how Paul was called out of this cruelty of persecution to the grace of apostleship; and yet he was so alarmed among the secret decrees that he had the fear of being rejected even after he had been called. For he says: “...but I discipline and enslave my body, so that, having preached to others, I myself should not remain unworthy” (1 Cor. 9:27) 2829. And again: “I do not consider myself to have achieved; But only, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14) 2830. “So that I have already achieved, or improved; but I press on lest I may attain” (Phil. 3:12) 2831. And this, of course, has already been said about him by the voice of the Lord: “for he is my chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15) 2832 and yet he still punishes his body and is afraid of being rejected. 34. Alas for us, the most pitiful, who do not yet know the voice of God regarding our chosenness, and who are still slumbering in ease, as if in safety. But there must, there must undoubtedly be not only security in our hopes, but also fear in our conversation, which can motivate us to competition, that others will bite us when we are weak. Here the prophet very correctly said: “Let those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord” (Ps. 116:11) 2833. It is as if he were openly saying: He supposes that the hopes of him are in vain who refuse to fear God in his actions. But why did blessed Job ask such mighty questions, the answers to which are entirely unknown to men, in attempting to understand the limits of righteousness and unrighteousness, except that he was forced to turn to his own limit, from the impossibility of understanding others, and that not understanding his own and others' limits, he, perhaps in fear of his ignorance, might be humbled by his fear; and being humble, he cannot be exultant in his deeds; and, without being rejoicing, can remain steadfast in the citadel of grace? Therefore, it was then said to him: Tell Me, if you know, in which way the light dwells, and in which place of darkness, in order to lead each of them to their own limits. As if it had been said; You don’t know, no one is transformed from sin to virtue, no one turns from good to sin; so you still won’t understand what to do in relation to yourself, what your actions deserve. And just as you cannot understand someone else’s limit, you are also unable to foresee your own. For you know now what development you have made yourself, but what I secretly think about you, you do not know. Now you are thinking about your righteous deeds, but you do not know how strictly they will be weighed by Me. Woe to even the righteous life of men if it is judged without mercy, for if examined by severity, they will be struck in the presence of the Judge for conduct which they think is pleasing to Him. Here it was rightly said to God by the Prophet: “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight not one living can be justified” (Ps. 142:2) 2834. Here it was well said by Solomon: “...that the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God, and that man knows neither love nor hate in all that is before him” (Eccl. 9:1) 2835. Therefore, it is said again by the same Solomon: “What man can know his way” (Proverbs 20:24) 2836. And anyone who does good or evil is undoubtedly known by the testimony of his conscience. But it has been said that their own path is not known to people for the reason that even if a person understands that he is acting correctly, he does not know, if strictly asked, where he is going. After having alarmed him then with this consideration of his end, He returns to examine its beginning: and, having shown that he cannot complain because he does not know what his end is, He mentions also that he does not even understand with what beginning he came here. From this it follows: Verse 21. Did you know that you were about to be born, and did you know the number of your days ( Job 38:21 ) 2837? 35. It’s as if He’s openly saying, what wonder is it that you don’t understand your end if you don’t understand your beginning? And since you do not know from what beginning you came here, is it surprising that you do not know for what purpose they will one day take you away? So, if it was My work to bring you out of the mystery into the light of your beginning, it will be My work also to bring you back from the light into the mystery. Why do you complain about the arrangement of your life, you who, not knowing yourself, do not hold the hand of your Creator? You must, therefore, praise yourself less for what you do, the more you confine yourself to the bosom of eternity, and know neither how diligent you are here, nor when, therefore, you will be accepted. 36. But these words can also be understood in another sense: Did you know that you were about to be born, and did you know the number of your days? You understand how I. Who knew that I was about to be born because even before the birth of My Maturity, I always existed essentially in God. For people begin to exist when they are born in the womb. For the concept itself is called birth, according to what is written: “What is born in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20) 2838. And therefore they do not know that they are about to be born, because they do not exist before they are created. But God, Who always existed without a beginning, foresaw this about Himself, He foresaw a beginning in the womb of the Virgin; and because He foresaw, He predestined it; and because He predestined, He doubtless suffered nothing in human form but His own will. Let then the man who could not foresee his own birth be convicted of complaining of his misfortunes, even if He who foresaw and predestined His own birth prepared Himself for the misfortunes of men. Verses 22, 23. Have you entered into the treasures of snow, and have you seen the treasures of hail, which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of battle and war (Job 38:22-23) 2839? 37. What else needs to be understood in the meaning of the words “snow” or “hail”, if not the cold and hard hearts of the wicked? For just as mercy is signified by warmth in the Holy Scriptures, so evil is wont to be signified by cold. For it is written: “As a spring spews out cold water, so one’s own evil will make the soul cold” (Jer. 6:7) 2840. And again: “and because iniquity abounds, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12) 2841. What then should be understood in the meaning of the words “coldness of snow” or “hardness of hail” if not the life of the wicked, which freezes in the stupor of cold and gives rise to solid malice? Whose lives the Lord still tolerates because He continues to test them. Here it is rightly added: which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of battle and war. Therefore, when our devil tempter tries to seduce us, he can use their behavior as his weapon against us. With them he torments us in his rage, but involuntarily cleanses us. For they become the scourge of our sins, and when we are struck by them in life, we are freed from eternal death. From this it follows that even the abandoned life of the reprobate helps the life of the elect, since their ruin contributes to our benefit, and how wonderfully all this is predestined so that any thing that is lost is not yet lost to the elect of God. 38. This can also be understood in another sense, without disagreeing with the interpretation of the previous verse, because it seems to be connected with the previous words. For because He pointed out that something good can be changed into sin, or the wicked can be changed into good, He immediately adds: Have you entered into the treasures of snow, and have you seen the treasures of hail, which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of battle and war? The meaning of the words "cold" or "hard", "snow" or "hail", we understand, as has already been said, as the hearts of the wicked. But since Almighty God has chosen His Saints from among such people, and knows how many of His elect still exist among the wicked, He rightly says that He has treasures in snow or hail. For “thesaurus” (treasure) comes from θεσις, - that which has been revealed. And He sees many who have long been hidden in a life of cold, whom He brings out when He ordains it, and shows the sparkling brightness of righteousness, through grace from above. For it is written: “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Ps. 50:9) 2842. And He hides them for a long time under the seal of His foreknowledge, prepared for the day of war and battle, but the moment He brings them out, He strikes the opponents in the chest, with their words and refutations, as if with hail. It was also written in another place: “By shining in His presence the clouds died, hail and coals of fire” (Ps. 17:13) 2843 (See S. Augustine in the same place 2844). For coals burn through brightness, therefore holy preachers will go through all parts of the world, the whole world with the brightness of their miracles. Moreover, they are also called hail and coals of fire because they strike with their censure and kindle with the flame of love. The bold reproof of the Saints is also rightly represented by the nature of the hail. For hail strikes when it falls, and pours water when it melts. But holy people both strike the hearts of their listeners with horror and water them with tranquility. For the prophet bears witness to their blows, declaring: “They shall speak of the power of Thy terrible works, and they shall tell of Thy greatness” ( Ps. 144:6 ) 2845 . And he continued to relate how they were watered with meekness: “They must proclaim the memory of the abundance of Your sweetness, and rejoice in Your righteousness” (Ps. 144:7) 2846. Therefore the treasures are in the snow or in the hail, because many who were frozen in the stupor of iniquity, when transported to heavenly grace, shone in the Holy Church with the light of truth, and struck with the blows of their doctrine the evil wisdom of their adversaries. Here it is rightly added: which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of battle and war. For Saul was indeed snow or hail through cold insensibility; but he became snow and hail against the bosom of his opponents: either by the brightness of righteousness, or by denouncing him with sharp eloquence. Oh, what a treasure the Lord kept for him, hidden in the snow or in the hail, when He was already secretly looking at him as His Chosen One, although he was in life among the wicked. And in order to smite so many of His opponents in the chest, He raised up with His hand this hail, with which He laid down so many hearts that resisted Him. 39. Let no one then praise himself by his own actions; Let no one fall into despair for those whom he sees still cold. For he does not see the treasure of God in snow and hail. For who could believe that this same man who, at the time of his death, was guarding the garments of all those who threw stones, could go to the martyr Stephen through the grace of the apostle (Acts 7:58) 2847? So, if we talk about these secret gifts or judgments, and do not completely despair of any of them, we do not prefer ourselves in our hearts to those to whom we were preferred for a time. For, although we now see how far we are ahead of them, we do not know how far we will be able to surpass ourselves when they begin to move. It was beautifully said to blessed Job: Have you entered into the treasures of snow, and have you seen the treasures of hail, which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of battle and war? It is as if it were openly said: Do not prefer yourself to anyone else because of your actions, for those whom you see are still frozen in sin, and you do not know what mighty workers of righteousness and defenders of the meaning of faith I intend to create. But since this is accomplished through the coming of the Pacificator, it is rightfully included: Verse 24. By what path does light scatter (Job 38:24) 2848? 40. For He indeed is this way, Who says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) 2849. So, the light spreads in this way because the whole world of the pagans is illuminated by His presence. But He correctly said, it spreads, because the light of the sermon was not contained or limited, but shone with its brightness up and down the voices of the Apostles. But since the power of love shines from within, if the light of transformation has been received, with the fact that either our past sins can be anxiously repented, or our future blessings can be eagerly sought, here is rightfully included: Warmth is shared over the earth (Job.38:24) 2850? 41. For when light spreads and heat divides over the earth; because when righteousness is openly preached, the heart is aroused to seek God, and it is carried forward by acts of virtue; so that one man shines in the word of wisdom, another in the word of knowledge; one man is strong in the mercy of healing, and another in the action of great things; thus, while they separately receive unequally the gifts of the Spirit, they are all necessarily united with each other, and are kindled with one accord. But after it has been said that the light is dissipated, it will be easy to understand that persecution is signified by the word "heat": because the light of the preaching shone brightly, therefore the heat of persecution immediately kindled in the hearts of the unbelievers. For the fact that persecution is described by the word “heat” is evidenced in the speech of the Lord, where it is said about the seeds that fell on the rocky ground: “When the sun arose, they all withered, and because they had no roots, they dried up” (Matthew 13:6) 2851. And when He spoke a little later, He called the heat persecution. Therefore, the heat was divided over the earth when the light spread, because the life of the believers became bright, the cruelty of the unbelievers flared up. For the warmth was shared as persecution raged, now in Jerusalem and now in Damascus, and now in other lands far, far away. For it is written: “At that time a great persecution arose in the church that was in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout various parts of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1) 2852. And it was written again: “Saul, while still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked him for letters to take to Damascus to the synagogues, so that if he found followers of this teaching, men and women, he would bind them and bring them to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2) 2853. Because then, when the persecution increased, here and there, they who knew the light of truth were suffocating, as if burning under the divided heat. 42. But since we have heard the blessed Job doubt the former words, respecting the secret judgment, we must now examine more accurately what is said about diffused light or divided heat. For noble questions are still asked of him, so that he can at least know what he does not yet know, and what can be told to him, By what path is light scattered and heat divided above the earth? What is meant by the word “light” if not righteousness? It is written about this: “The people who sat in darkness saw a great light” (Is. 9:2) 2854. But everything that dissipates does not dissipate continuously, but with some interruptions. And that is why they say that light "scatters" because we see some things as they are, and some things we do not see, although they should be noticed. For such light was in the heart of Peter, who shone forth with such great brightness of faith and miracles, and yet, while he was afraid of the circumcision and being with the Gentiles, he did not know what was right to say (Gal. 2:11-14) 2855. The light, therefore, "dissipates" in this life because it is constantly not possessed, as far as the understanding of every thing is concerned. For while we understand one thing as it is, but do not know another, we see everything as if partially in diffused light, and remain partially in darkness. But our light will no longer be scattered when our mind, completely remaining with God, shines forth. 43. And because it is unknown how this light penetrates the human heart, the question was correctly asked: Along what path does light scatter? As if it were openly said: Tell Me how I dispense My righteousness in the recesses of the heart when I am invisible, even when I approach, and even when I imperceptibly change the visible actions of people, when I irradiate the same mind, sometimes with this and sometimes with another virtue, and yet I allow, through the diffused light, to still remain in the dimension of dark temptation. Let ignorant people ask how light is scattered. As it is openly said: While I soften hard hearts, bend the hard, stroke the rough, warm the cold, strengthen the weak, stop the wandering, strengthen the wavering, as you cannot, incorporeally, these are the minds on which I have shed this light. For we see all these things only after they are done; and we do not know how they are created internally. Truth shows in the Gospel that this path of light is invisible to us, saying: “The Spirit breathes where it will, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes” (John 3:8) 2856. 44. But, since when the light is scattered, temptations arise from a hidden enemy against the enlightened mind, and here it is rightfully included: Heat is divided over the earth. For the cunning enemy seeks to kindle with unlawful desires the minds of those whom he sees shining with the light of truth; so that they often feel more exposed to temptation than at the time when they did not see the rays of the inner light. Why do the Israelites, after they were called, complain to Moses and Aaron about the increase in their work, saying: “May the Lord see and judge you, because you have made us hated in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants and put a sword in their hands to kill us” (Ex. 5:21) 2857. For when they wanted to leave Egypt, Pharaoh took away the straw, and still demanded to work in the same quantities. Reason, therefore, secretly whispers, contrary to the law, after that knowledge which endures the sharp stings of temptations, and when it sees that its labor is increasing, for it does not please its adversary, it grieves that it exudes a stench, as it did in the eyes of Pharaoh. Warmth therefore comes after light; because after the illumination of the heavenly gift, the influence of temptation increases. 45. But it has rightly been said that heat is “divided”: undoubtedly, because some people are not overcome by all vices, but only by those of them that are nearby. For the ancient enemy first contemplates the character (“conspersionem”) of each person, and then uses the snares of temptations. For one person - fun, for another - gloominess, for a third - timidity, for a fourth - proud disposition. Our secret enemy, instead of easily luring us, is preparing a deception closely connected with our character. For because pleasure borders on merriment, he holds out lust as a bait for merriment. And because sullenness easily turns into anger, he offers a cup of discord for the sullen. And because timidity fears punishment, he threatens with horrors so that they will be afraid. And because he sees the proud rising with praise, he drags them wherever he pleases, to flattering applause. He sets traps against people, one after another, with vices prepared just for them. For it would be very difficult to captivate them by offering bribes to the lustful, or bodily pleasures to the covetous, to attack the greedy with the pride of abstinence, or the abstinent with gluttony, or if he sought to capture the gentle with zeal for competition, or the evil with the terror of fear. Therefore, then, in the heat of temptation, he insidiously lies in wait for each of them on his own, and secretly lays traps that are akin to their habits, it was rightly said: Heat is divided over the earth. 46. ​​But when it was first said: By what path is light scattered: and there immediately added: Heat is divided above the earth, this undoubtedly showed that heat is divided in the same way that light is scattered. For when the sublime and incomprehensible grace of the Holy Spirit illuminates our minds with its light, it also frees and changes the temptations of the enemy in such a way that either they do not come upon us all together, or only those which we can endure, they attack a mind already illuminated by God; so that they do not burn us with full fire when they torment us with the warmth of their touch. Thus Paul testifies when he says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13) 2858. This heat is then divided by our cunning invader in one direction, and our merciful Creator in the other. One divides, in order to kill us faster; and the other to make it more tolerable. And, since, when we are pursued by temptation, we are not only strengthened by the Spirit of God, but we are also helped by the words of the preachers, and after the shared warmth, it is rightly shared: Verse 25. Who gave way to the most severe downpour (Job 38:25) 2859? 47. But if, as has already been said, the persecution in the regions of Judea is designated by the name of “divided heat,” this very flame of persecution did not hinder the prayers of preaching, through all fear, of the holy preachers, to whom help was given from above, He adds: Who gave way to the most severe downpour? It was as if He was speaking besides Me. For in order to make way for the most severe downpours, when the warmth has been divided, it is necessary to strengthen the power of preaching in the midst of the very difficulties of persecution, so that the power of the preachers will be more increased than the cruelty of the persecutors who stand in their way, so that they will water the thirsty hearts of their hearers with drops of rain, and the water will flow in abundance against the droughts of unbelief; and although the heat of cruelty burned against them, the voice of grace could not be silent through them. Paul endured and was overcome by this heat of persecution when he said: “For which I suffer even to the point of being bound as an evildoer; but there is no bond for the word of God” (2 Tim. 2:9) 2860. From this shower he also says in another place: “And I will command the clouds not to rain on it” (Is. 5:6) 2861. From this path of rain, which pours down in the hearts of the elect, the psalmist testifies: “His word flows quickly” (Ps. 147:4) 2862. But it is just a shower and it has no path; because the sermon reaches the ears, but inward grace has no effect unless it passes through the hearts of those who hear. And in the words of this sermon it is said about the elect: “For your arrows have passed through” (Ps. 77:18) 2863. For the arrows of God pass through when the words of His preaching descend from ears to hearts. And because this is accomplished exclusively by Divine grace, the Lord testifies that He gave way to the downpour. 48. But I understand that it is necessary to consider that He does not call this downpour “cruel”, but “the most cruel.” A brutal downpour is a tremendous force, but the most brutal is the boundless power of preaching. For it was a fierce downpour when the holy preachers spoke of the faith of eternal joy. But "the most cruel" - when they told people that their hopes, their interests must be abandoned, all visible objects must be abandoned for the invisible, and that the pains and torments of this world must be endured for the sake of the joy that they heard about. But when so many of the elect, having learned the faith, renounced their possessions, when the heat of persecution raged, they forgot their carnal love, and exposed their limbs to torture for the joy of the spirit; What else has the Lord made a way for the most severe downpour, which with personal words so waters the invisible corners of the heart that it fulfills even the highest commandments? Where also rightfully included: And the way for the sound of thunder (Job 38:25) 2864? 49. For what do we understand by the word “thunder” if not a preaching of heavenly terror? For when the hearts of men feel this horror, they tremble. But sometimes thunder is created by the Incarnate Lord Himself, Who came into our knowledge through the simultaneous prophecy of the ancient fathers, as if clouds collided together; Who, apparently appearing among us, voiced the very terrible things that were above us. For also the Holy Apostles, who themselves were generated by His Grace, were called Boanerges, that is, “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17) 2865. But sometimes, as has already been said, “thunder” denotes their sermons, in which the horror of heavenly judgments is heard. But since any preacher can present words to the ears, but cannot open the heart, and since Almighty God himself gives the words of preachers the opportunity to be heard by an invisible inner grace in the hearts of their listeners, so that sometimes a sermon reaches in vain the ear of the listener, who does not allow it with his deaf heart, so that it reaches his innermost soul; The Lord says that He makes way for the sound of thunder: for when He reinforces the words of the sermon, He pierces the heart with horror. Paul, the eminent preacher, when he was giving voice to the terrible mysteries of heaven, seeing that he could not overcome this way by himself, instructed his disciples, saying: “Pray also for us, that God will open for us a door to speak, to make known the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3) 2866. He, therefore, spoke of mysteries, but prayed that the door would be opened by the Lord for these same mysteries in the hearts of his listeners, indeed already possessing thunder, but searching for a way to receive it from above. John, who said: “so that whoever teaches you; but as this very anointing teaches you all things” (1 John 2:27) 2867, knew that he could not give this way. And again Paul teaches who could give this way, saying: “Therefore he who plants and he who waters is nothing, but God who makes everything grow” (1 Cor. 3:7) 2868. Let's listen to what this rain and thunder does when the path is given to them. It follows from this: Verse 26. It must rain on a land without people, in a desert where no mortal dwells (Job 38:26) 2869. 50. Rain on the land without people in the desert - there is preaching the words of God in the pagan world. For as long as there is no worship of God, and no manifestation of good deeds is shown in this, it remains a desert. And because there was no legislator in it, no one who could seek God, there was “not a single person” there, it remained inhabited only by monsters, deserted. Of this desert land it is said elsewhere: “He made a way in the wilderness” (Isa. 43:19) 2870. In this sermon addressed to the Gentiles, the psalmist testifies, saying: “He made rivers in the wilderness” (Ps. 106:35) 2871. But we must note that after the heat has been divided over the land, the fiercest downpour has found its way and rain can fall in the desert. Because after the severity of the persecution became terrifying in Judah, so that not only was faith not received, but it was even attacked with the sword, every preacher who was sent to Israel turned towards calling the Gentiles. Here the holy Apostles say to the persecuted Jews who were abandoned: “You were the first to be preachers of the word of God, but since you reject it and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46) 2872. When the heat was divided, the land, which had been a desolate desert, was watered; because when the persecution of believers spread beyond the borders of Judea, the pagan world, which had long been abandoned and alien, was watered with drops of preaching. But the state of the pagan world was shown by the preachers when it was added: Verse 27. The impassable and desolate land must be filled (Job 38:27) 2873. But what must be produced when it rains is revealed when it is immediately received: And green herbs must grow. 51. For the pagan world, to which the way for the word of God was not opened, was impassable for a long time. For when our Redeemer came, the world of the pagans received a calling of grace, although there had been no path to prophecy in it before that time. It was also rightly called deserted; namely, he was deprived either of the wisdom of will or the fruits of good deeds. Therefore, the Lord gave a way to the most severe downpour and a way to the sound of thunder, so that it would rain in the desert, and fill the impassable and desolate land, and so that green herbs would grow. That is, He added inner inspiration to outward preaching so that the parched hearts of the Gentiles could become green, the closed hearts open, the empty hearts filled, and the barren hearts sprout. 52. The word "herbs" in the Holy Scriptures is sometimes used for the greenery of temporal glory, sometimes for the devil's food, sometimes for the support of preachers, sometimes for good works, sometimes for knowledge and doctrines of eternal life. For sometimes it is used to signify the greenness of temporal glory, as the prophet says: “Let it go away in the morning like grass, let it flourish in the morning and disappear” (Ps. 89:6) 2874. For to flourish and disappear in the morning like grass means to be in the prosperity of this world in the beauty of temporary glory, and then quickly evaporate. Grass signifies the food of the devil, as the Lord said about him: “For him the mountains give birth to grass” (Job 40:20) 2875, as if He were saying: While proud and arrogant people rise in unlawful thoughts and actions, they will feed him with their iniquities. The grass signifies the support of the preachers, when it was said: “He brought forth grass on the mountains, and herbs to serve the people” (Ps. 147:8, Ps. 103:14) 2876. For the grass is produced on the mountains and serves people when the high ones of this world are called to the knowledge of faith, blessed by holy preachers for the journey in this life and food for their stay. Grass signifies good deeds, as it was written: “let the earth produce green grass” (Gen. 1:11) 2877. And although we believe that this is how the creation of the world took place historically, we believe that the earth is a prototype of the Church, that it gave birth to green grass at the behest of God, which are fruitful works of mercy. Sometimes we understand the word “grass” to mean knowledge and teaching about eternal life; as it was said by Jeremiah: “And wild asses stand on high places and swallow air like jackals; their eyes are dim because there is no grass” (Jer. 14:6) 2878. This expression predicted the persecution of the proud and most wicked Jews. For they are called truly wild asses for the pride of their minds, and also dragons for their poisonous thoughts. And they stood on the rocks, because they believed not in God, but in the main power of this world, saying: “We have no king except Caesar” (John 19:15) 2879. They breathed in the winds like dragons, for they were puffed up with a spirit of pride, they were swollen with harmful arrogance. Their eyes dropped because in reality their hopes did not live up to what they were aiming for. For those who love earthly things and are not willing to wait for eternal blessings, earthly blessings will be lost because they preferred them to God. For they said: “If we leave Him like this, then everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take possession of both our place and our people” (John 11:48) 2880. They were afraid of losing their place unless the Lord was killed, and yet they lost it when He was killed. But he adds that the reason why this happened to wretched people: Because there was no grass: that is, their hearts wanted the knowledge of eternity, but this did not renew them with the green food of the inner doctrine. In this place, what else do we understand by the word “herbs” as ignorance of heavenly doctrine or, accordingly, of affairs? The desolate land is then watered with rain, that the green herbs may grow after it, for when the pagan world enjoyed the shower of holy preaching, there was a flourishing on both sides, in the labors of life and in the herbs of doctrine. This greenery was promised to the desert by the voice of the prophet when it was said: “In the caves in which dragons lived before, greenery of reeds and reeds will arise” (Isa. 35:7) 2881. Reeds signify preachers, and what are reeds, which always grow in the moisture of water, if not weak and gentle listeners of the sacred word? Green reeds and reeds then grow in the caves of dragons, because from those peoples who are possessed by the malice of the old enemy, the knowledge of teachers and the obedience of listeners are taken away together. 53. But we see that these acts, which were generally described in the pagan world, occur if we carefully study the people in the bosom of the Holy Church. For there are many people who are deeply insensitive to the words of God, who act in the name of faith, who hear the words of life with their ears, but do not let them into their hearts. What are they if not a desert land? In such lands there are truly no people, because their minds are devoid of any sense of reason. And no mortal inhabits this earth, because if thoughts of rational meanings arise in their conscience, they do not remain there. For evil desires find a resting place in their hearts, but if good desires ever come there, they go away as if spurred on by them. But when the merciful God deigns to give a way to His downpour and a way to the sound of thunder, being pierced by grace, they open the ears of their hearts to the words of life. And the impenetrable lands are filled: for while they hear the word, they are overflowing with mysteries. And this brings forth green herbs: for when remorse is watered by mercy, they not only readily receive the words of the sermon, but also bring them back with abundant growth; so now he wants to say what he could not hear before, and what was dry due to his inability to hear, now feeds greens to as many as there are hungry people. Here it was well said by the prophet: “Send forth Your Spirit, and they must be created, and You must renew the face of the earth” (Ps. 103:30) 2882. For thus, in this way, the face of the earth is changed by the power of renewal, when the mind, which before was dry, is watered by the coming of grace, and, after being barren, it is clothed with the greenness of knowledge, like the grass that has sprouted. And the mercy of our Creator is appreciated even more highly when it is shared: Verse 28. Who is the father of rain? or who gives birth to drops of dew (Job 38:28) 2883? 54. As if He spoke, besides Me, Who sprinkles, with My grace, the barren soil of the human heart with drops of knowledge. For about this rain it was said in another place: “You will be ordained, O God, free rain for Your inheritance” (Ps. 67:10) 2884. For God separates voluntary rain for His inheritance, because He gives it to us, not from our merits, but from the bounty of His kindness. And He is in this place, and they call him the father of rain for the reason that His heavenly preaching is born within us, not because of our merits, but from His grace. For the drops of dew are the holy preachers themselves, who water the fields of our heart (dried up among the vices of this present life, as if in the darkness of a dry night) with the grace of generosity from above. About these drops it was said to the stubborn Judas: “Because of this the rains were withheld, and there was no latter rain” (Jer. 3:3) 2885. For drops of dew are the same as drops of rain. For when they soften their sermons with any reconciliation, they fall away like gentle dew. But when they say what they think of the heavenly deeds, by the power they have, they pour down abundant rain. Paul sprinkled with dew when he addressed the Corinthians: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) 2886. And again he poured out rain, saying: “Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged” (2 Cor. 6:11) 2887. Hence it comes that Moses, who knew that he would speak bold things to the strong and gentle things to the weak, added: “Let my speech wait like rain, and let my words descend like dew” (Deut. 32:2) 2888. But, lo and behold! We have heard with what favor the pagans are called, let us now hear with what severity Judas is rejected. We have heard how He revives the wilderness, and waters what is barren: let us now hear how He rejects those who seemed to be in Him. For He would not raise up His elect unless He also judged the reprobate; also He would not forgive the mistakes of some people if He did not punish them. For it is written: For mercy and wrath came from Him. After He has presented so many gifts of grace, He does not hide the judgments of His wrath. For what follows: Verse 29. From whose belly comes ice, and frost from heaven, who gives birth to it (Job 38:29) 2889? 55. What else do we understand by the meaning of the words “frost” or “ice”, if not the frozen and frozen hearts of the Jews in the stupor of unbelief? Those who, previously by receiving the Law, keeping the commandments, performing sacrifices, and the mysteries of prophecy, were in the bosom of grace, as if in the bosom of the Creator. But since, at the coming of the Lord, being heavily constrained by the frost of unbelief, they lost the warmth of faith and mercy, they were thrown away from the secret womb of grace, they came out like ice from the womb of the Creator. And frost from the sky, who gives birth to it? What else should the word “heaven” mean if not the sublime life of the saints? It is said about heaven: “Hear, O heaven, I will speak” (Deut. 32:1) 2890. About this elsewhere it is written: “The soul is simply the seat of wisdom” (Perhaps Prov. 12:23 2891 70. where it is written: “A prudent man is the throne of wisdom”, in the Syriac version: “A prudent man is the throne of wisdom” Ben. On Hom. 38, in Ev. they suggest Proverbs 7:7 or 27). (different versions of the Bibles are listed here, since the translator from Latin to English could not clearly indicate the link to the quotation). Since God is wisdom, if the abode of God is heaven, and the soul is simply the seat of wisdom, the soul is certainly heaven. Abraham was heaven, Isaac was heaven, Jacob was heaven. But since the pursuers of the Lord, the high priests of the Jews, who were shackled in the stupor of unbelief, rushed to pursue their ancestors, frost came to them, so to speak, from heaven, because the cold-bound flock of unbelievers came from the ascended descendants of the saints. For when Caiaphas was born of Abraham, what was it but ice that came out of heaven? Nevertheless, the Lord says that He created this frost because He allowed the Jews, whom He Himself created by the nature of good, to go far from Him, by righteous judgment, frozen in their wickedness. For the Lord is the creator of nature, and not of sin. He naturally created those for whom He suffered, suffered, and endured that they remained in sin. And because these hearts of those Jews, who before were soft and easily imbued with faith, subsequently became hard in the obstinacy of unbelief, here it is rightfully added: Verse 30. The waters are tempered in the likeness of a stone (Job 38:30) 2892. 56. For I remember that I have often taught that “waters” signify nations. But pagan peoples are sometimes called “stone” because of its hardness. For they themselves worshiped stones. And the prophet said about them: “Let them, let them become like them and all who believe in them” (Ps. 113:16) 2893. Here John, seeing that the Jews boast of their genealogy, and, foreseeing that the pagans will go into Abraham's flock, with the knowledge of faith, says: “And do not think to say to yourselves: “We have Abraham as our father,” for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up sons for Abraham” (Matthew 3:9) 2894. Of course, the pagans who were hardened in unbelief were called “stones.” Because Judea believed in God when the whole world of the pagans remained in the stubbornness of their unbelief, and because the hearts of the pagans were subsequently softened in order to receive faith, and the unbelief of the Jews hardened, it was well said: The waters are tempered in the likeness of a stone. It was as if He were saying: Those soft hearts of the Jews, into which faith easily penetrated, are transformed into the insensibility of the pagans. For when God in His mercy turned the Gentiles to Him, He drove Judah away in anger. And this came to pass when the pagans were at first cruel against the faith, so that when the pagans subsequently accepted the faith, there were people in Judea chained in the stupor of unbelief. Here the Apostle Paul says precisely to these pagans: “Just as you were once disobedient to God, but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they also are now disobedient, so that you may have mercy, so that they themselves may also receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, that He might have mercy on all” (Rom. 11:30–32) 2895. And clearly taking into account his opinion, first of all, about the calling of the Jews, and about the rejection of the Gentiles, and then, taking into account the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews, and reflecting that he could not comprehend the secret judgments of God, he adds with the exclamation: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are His destinies and His ways incomprehensible" (Rom. 11:33) 2896. Here also the Lord speaks of the unbelief of the Jews: The waters are tempered with the likeness of a stone, to show that His judgments about their rejection were secret, He adds: And the surface of the abyss froze (Job 38:30) 2897. 57. For the whole incomprehensibility of Divine judgment does not penetrate into the human eye; it is, in a way, a curtain thrown over our ignorance. For it is written: “Your judgments are a great abyss” (Ps. 37:6) 2898. Let no one then seek to inquire why one man is rejected and another is chosen, or why, when one man is chosen, another is rejected, because the surface of the abyss is frozen, and as Paul testifies: “His judgments are mysterious and His ways incomprehensible” (Rom. 11:33) 2899. 58. But what was said: From whose belly comes the ice, and the frost from the sky, who gives birth to it? Nothing prevents us from understanding Satan under the ice and frost. For he came out like ice from the bosom of the Lord, because the teacher of iniquity came out, bound by the numbness of sins from the warmth of His mysteries. He was born like frost from heaven, because he fell from the highest to the lowest state and bound the hearts of the outcast. And, having the right to be in heaven, he fell and froze the hearts of his followers in the cold of sin. And what he did among men after he descended to earth is fully shown when it is added: The waters are tempered in the likeness of stone. For the word “waters” denotes people, and “stone” denotes the hardness of Satan himself. Thus the waters were tempered with the likeness of a stone when he came to earth, for men, imitating his wickedness, lost the soft springs of mercy. And because his crafty snares cannot be detected by people who have been deceived, here it is rightly added: And the surface of the abyss froze. On the one hand, a lie lurks inside him, and on the other, he appears without it. For he turns into an angel of light, and with his cunning art of deception he often presents righteous deeds in order to then lead to illegal ones. That’s why the surface of the abyss froze, because when his just conviction appears, like solid ice on the surface of his lawlessness, hidden in the depths, it is invisible. 59. But we can also understand all this in another sense if we turn to the moral meaning. For although the Almighty Lord covers the minds of people with the fear of Him, He leads them forward with their thoughts in order to reveal to them their virtues. But if they are rejoicing over their virtues, He leaves them. And we often meet people who, being struck by the awareness of their sins, burn with the horror of Divine fear, and with this fear they achieve the highest virtues. But when they are delighted with the virtues they receive, they become shackled by the trap of vanity, they return to their former stupor. And when God rejects such people, he rightly says: From what womb does ice come? For ice comes, as it did, from the bosom of God, when those who were warm within become cold by reason of the gift of virtue, and, being in torpor, seek external glory, while they should glow with internal warmth in order to love the world without. And while one person is strong in signs, another in knowledge, a third in prophecy, a fourth in miracles, and they strive to please people around with these gifts, they turn their inner warmth into numbness, wanting external praise. Thus he comes like ice from the womb when, through gifts, he is separated from the womb of heavenly compassion. Are not those “ice” who, in the virtues they receive, seek the praise of people? And yet they say to the Judge at His coming, when they remember His gifts, to His mind: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and not in Your name have they done mighty deeds (Matthew 7:29) 2900 "? But He shows how the Lord drives out this ice, saying: “I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of iniquity" (Matthew 7:23) 2901. The Lord now carries this ice in His bosom, because He bears it within the Church. But He then openly throws it away when He expels such people from the secret mansions of heaven in a final and open judgment. What then is the purpose of these words, except that Job should return from his high virtues, that he should not, in connection with his former warmth of a good life, grow cold through pride and be rejected, and come from the bosom of God and swell in the bosom of his heart. 60. And because by righteous judgment He allows arrogant thoughts to go further and commit sins from the virtue that they have received, here and further it is justly added: And frost from heaven, who gives birth to it? For He often gives the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, but when he who receives it is in the exultation of it, that then he, by the wrath of the stern Judge, is so blinded by the Scriptures that he no longer sees its inner meaning, seeking outward applause, and though he might remain warm within, he comes out and freezes, and the one he was before, when he was easily led to the knowledge of God and remained melted without, is now hardened. and goes to the bottom. Isn’t the Holy Scripture for us the “heaven” from which the day of understanding opens for us, illuminates us with the Sun of righteousness and that day which, while the night of this life surrounds us, shines for us with the stars of the commandments. “For there must also be differences of opinion among you, so that the skillful ones may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19) 2902, when a proud mind is not destined to understand the Scripture correctly, frost descends from heaven by the judgment of a strict Judge; so that when the Holy Scripture itself shines in the hearts of the elect, those who proudly seek to know it may thaw. For they tend to err at the very point at which they correct their mistakes, and at the same time when they move away from understanding the beautiful heavenly Word, when they both harden themselves and deceive others, they sink to the bottom like ice, at the same time binding others. But still, the Lord says that He Himself gave birth to this frost, not because He Himself calls wicked minds to sin, but because He does not free them from sin. As it was written: “I will harden the heart of Pharaoh” (Exodus 4:21, Exodus 14:4) 2903. For because He refused to soften him with His mercy, He plainly declared that He hardened him with His severity. 61. But, because the image of virtue is preserved for human praise, when the virtue of Divine fear, which began, is lost, it is rightfully included: The water is tempered in the likeness of a stone, and the surface of the abyss is frozen. For waters frozen on the surface remain liquid underneath. For what do we understand by the meaning of the word “waters” but the unstable hearts of the outcasts? For when they deliberately parade their virtue, they will parade their hypocrisy as good works, and while they inwardly slide down in their sins, they outwardly portray themselves as determined imitators of saints. The water is hardened like a stone, and the surface of the abyss is bound together, for their weak and unstable conscience is hidden from people with the help of introduced holiness. For when they are dishonest in their own eyes, they display themselves before the eyes of others by the comeliness of life. 62. But in order that all who wish to understand these words of the Lord may understand them in a good sense, we must add for those who seek it, provided only that we do not ignore those points that need to be considered. For it was said in the previous verse: Who is the father of the rain, or who gave birth to the drops of dew? And it is immediately added: From what womb does ice come? And frost from the sky, who gives birth to it? Since the subsequent sentence is connected with the previous words with a similar meaning, its meaning can be interpreted in a positive sense without any obstacles or difficulties. For when the earth is irrigated by rain, the sown seeds germinate more productively. But again, if the rain waters it too excessively, it will change the richness and value of the grain in the stalk. But if a grain that has been planted has been struck by frost after the rain, the longer it remains underground, the more productive its root will become, and the more it is prevented from growing, the more it will multiply, because the more it is kept from growing, the slower it will break through and the more abundantly it will sprout when the frost is gone. What does it mean then when the Lord first speaks of Himself as the father of rain, and subsequently says that ice comes from His womb and declares that He generates frost from heaven? Moreover, how He abundantly waters the soil of our hearts for receiving the grains of the word with the secret rain of His grace, and that He subsequently keeps them in order by His secret dispensation, so that they do not boast too much of the virtues that are hidden in them, so that the severity of order binds what waters the rain of grace, so as not to turn their fruits into grass when the virtues sprout. For if good deeds are exposed to beginners in advance, they are freed from the grains of perfection, and while the virtues are more prosperous than necessary, they often dry up. Therefore the Lord either withholds the desires of even His chosen ones until the opportune time, or withholds the opportune time for their endless development, for if they advance, either sooner or later than they should, they will fall into the trap of pride from realizing the greatness of their possession. For when the heart is pricked by the consciousness of sin, the earth which was dry is watered by the shower of rain poured upon it, and when it offers to renounce iniquity and follow good deeds, it receives seeds after the rain. And many people, when they comprehend holy desires, immediately try to fulfill themselves in sublime virtues, so that sins not only do not affect their actions, but also do not affect their thoughts. They do still live in their body, but in the future they do not want to suffer from what is happening in their real life. They strive to achieve inner stability, but they are thrown back by interrupting temptations so that they remember their own weakness and are not euphoric about the virtues they have received. And when this is accomplished by the beautiful restrictions of order, what else but the frost generated by the sky will strike the watered earth? What else is this if not ice from the bosom of God, if not God’s providence emanating from a secret place when our will is limited even in its best desires? 63. Let us consider what ice of discipline Paul is burdened with (that is, the watered earth) when he says: “For the desire of good is in me, but I am not able to do it” (Rom. 7:18) 2904. For he who claims to have a will will know that the seeds are already within him when grace is poured out upon him. But while he does not want to do good, he certainly points out how much ice weighs him down. If this ice did not burden their hearts, to whom did he say: “So you are not doing what you would like” (Gal. 5:17) 2905? It was as if he were saying: The secret seeds of your heart are now seeking a way to sprout and become fruit, but they are being pulled down by the ice of the heavenly dispensation so that they will later blossom more fruitfully the more patiently they bear the weight of Divine judgment. 64. And because the hearts of men, since they are not able to achieve that virtue which they desire, are often troubled by the pangs of temptation, as they are distracted from their intentions, still suppressing these temptations of their thoughts through the habit of discipline in the severity of life, here is rightly added: Water is tempered in the likeness of stone. Because fickle thoughts that haunt from within do not all lead to agreement in evil deeds. But the mind hides, under the usual custom of a righteous life, as if under the guise of external cruelty, what is softened inside by the assault of temptation. Here it is rightfully included: And the surface of the abyss froze. Because even if evil thoughts are instilled, it will not lead to agreement with them if the imposed severity of holy discipline suppresses the wavering mind. 65. But the words “frost” or “ice” can also denote the hardships of real life, which make those who experience these hardships stronger with holiness. For God Almighty helps us through the trials of adversity, He leads us to a better life through the trials of sorrow, He sheds wonderful wisdom with frost and ice on the ripening fruits so that each of the elect can go through the present life as winter, the tribulations of frost and ice, and then reveal, like the serenity of summer, the fruits that were previously hidden. Here the Bridegroom said to every soul that rushes after the whirlwinds of this life to the joys of eternity: “Arise, hurry, My beloved, My beautiful ones and come! For the winter has already passed, the rain has ceased and gone away” (Song. 2:10–11) 2906. But since we relax when prosperity comes to us, but we are strengthened in virtues by adversity, here it is rightfully added: Water is tempered in the likeness of stone. For the mind, which melts softly in prosperity, is tempered when pursued by adversity. And the waters are tempered with the likeness of a stone whenever he who is weak passes through all the sufferings of our Redeemer with the endurance received from above. For the waters are indeed tempered with the likeness of a stone, when Paul, that former impatient persecutor, said: “I will fill what is lacking with the sufferings of Christ in my flesh” (Col. 1:24) 2907. 66. And because people, when they are depressed by adversity, more carefully guard their inner gifts, here we rightfully share: And the surface of the abyss froze. For joy will not lie openly in the secrets of the mind, for, being open, it will lose them. But when adversity plagues us in the outside world, it makes us more cautious inside. After frost or ice, the surface of the abyss hardens, for our minds are tempered by adversity in order to preserve the deep gifts that it has received. For Isaiah made the surface of his abyss frozen when he said: “My secret is for myself, my secret is for myself” (Is. 24:16) 2908. Paul made the surface of his abyss frozen, when he went through so many dangers and hardships under the cover of someone else, he says about himself: “I heard secret words, which are not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:4) 2909. And again: “But I restrain myself, lest anyone think more of me than he sees in me, or hears anything about me” (2 Cor. 12:6) 2910. What then did he do, he who went through all the hardships, and was afraid to reveal the secrets of his heart, should he randomly surround himself with praise, or cover the abyss of his inner secrets with a frozen surface? What follows: Verse 31. Will you be able to unite the individual shining stars together into the Pleiades, or will you be able to break the orbit of Arcturus ( Job 38:31–32 ) 2911? 67. The Pleiades stars are so called from the word πλειστος, i.e. from the word "many". But they are so close to each other and, at the same time, so far away that they are united by proximity and separated by distance. But Arcturus illuminates the period of night as if it were located in the axis of heaven, in order to sanctify all paths and never settle on one. For it does not rotate outside its orbit, but is placed in its own position, it tilts towards all parts of the world, it will not be fixed. And what can a man who was created from earth and placed on earth, when asked about what is in heavenly government, that he cannot unite the Pleiades, whose stars he sees were close to one another and almost united, and he will not be able to break the orbit of Arcturus, although he can see that it is almost scattered by its speed of movement? Is it not so, considering those of his servants, the strength of their Creator, he should remember his own weakness and realize beyond what limit of understanding He is, in the very heavenly government of His heavenly servants, Whom he cannot behold in His own greatness? 68. But why are we talking about these things from the point of view of the stimulus of the mind, if not in order to understand the meaning of these words that carry a mystical meaning? For what else do the stars of the shining Pleiades, of which there are seven, signify, if not all the Saints, who, through the darkness of this present life, illuminate us with the light of the Spirit with sevenfold grace, who from the very beginning of the world and even to its end, refer deep times to prophecy, are in some degree united, and in some sense separated from each other? For the stars of the Pleiades, as was said earlier, are united with each other by their proximity, but are separated by contact. They are certainly united together, but they still shed their light separately. In the same way, all the Saints appear at different times to preach, their personalities are separated in our field of vision, but they are united in the intentions of their minds. They shine together because they preach about One, but they do not touch together because they are separated by different times. 69. At what different times Abel, Isaiah and John appeared! They were certainly separated by time, but not by the purpose of their sermons. For Abel sacrificed a lamb, personifying the passions of our Redeemer, about whose passions Isaiah says: “And as a lamb is silent before its shearers, so He opened not His mouth” (Is. 53:7) 2912. About whom John also says: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) 2913. They were, of course, sent at different times, but yet they were all united by the thought of the innocence of our Redeemer, they spoke of one Lamb, John pointing to Him, Isaiah anticipating Him, and Abel offering Him, the One John spoke of, pointing to Him, Who was indicated in the words of Isaiah and He who was literally in the hands of Abel. 70. Since we have just said how the Pleiades are in agreement regarding the Humanity of our Redeemer, let us now indicate how these stars shine in agreement, setting forth the Unity of the Trinity. For David, Isaiah and Paul appeared in different periods of the world. But none of them thought differently from the other, but they received the same Divine knowledge. For David, in order to set forth God in the Trinity as the Creator of all things, said: “May God bless us, O our God, may God bless us” (Ps. 66:7-8) 2914. And so that it would not be considered that he was talking about three Gods in his mention of God three times, he immediately added, thereby showing the Unity of the Trinity itself: “And let all the ends of the earth fear Him” (Ps. 66:8) 2915. For by adding not “them,” but “His,” He explained that the Three Whom He named were One. When Isaiah also expressed praise for the Unity of the Trinity, he says, describing the words of the Seraphim: “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3) 2916. But so that it would not seem that by saying “Holy” three times the unity of the Divine Essence is broken, he added: “The Lord God of hosts.” Because he then did not add “Gods,” but “Lord God,” he indicated that that entity Whom he three times called Holy is One. Paul also, in order to expound the essence of the Holy Trinity, says: “From Him, and through Him, and in Him are all things” (Rom. 11:36) 2917. And in order to set forth the Unity of the Trinity itself, he immediately adds: “To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen". Having then added not “to them”, but “to Him,” he announced Him as One and only in nature, but triple in persons, to Whom he addressed three times with the same word. Thus the Pleiades are arranged as if they were in one place, because they think alike about God, and yet they do not touch each other, since, as has already been said, they are distributed in different periods of this world. 71. What the prophet Ezekiel briefly describes, saying that he saw living creatures of various kinds, and adding: “Their wings were one to the other” (Ezek. 1:9) 2918. For the wings of living beings are united with each other, because the deeds they do are different, but the voices and virtues of the Saints are united together by one meaning. And, although one living being may be a person who acts rationally; another that is brave in suffering - a lion who does not fear the hardships of the world; the third - offering itself through abstinence, like a living sacrifice, can be a calf; the fourth - soaring high on the wing of contemplation, perhaps an eagle, all of them touching each other with their wings when they fly, because they are united with each other by the confession of their words and the agreement of their virtues. But, since only the power of the Lord can unite them in the preaching of faith, those who were sent at different times, and unite in the brightness of intentions those who were endowed with heterogeneous virtues; it was rightly said here: Can you unite the individual shining stars together into the Pleiades? It’s as if He said: Like I, Who am the only one who fills everything, and, filling the minds of the chosen ones, unites them with the meaning of unity. 72. But Arcturus 2919, which illuminates the time of night in its orbit and never ceases to shine, denotes not the individual acts of the Saints, but the entire Church together, which, of course, suffers from monotony, but still does not change its state, endures the whole circle of ordeals, but is in no hurry to conform to the times. For Arcturus does not come during the night to the lowest point of the heavens; by the time he begins to descend in his orbit, the night has come to an end. Because, without a doubt, while the Holy Church is shaken by countless misfortunes, the shadow of worldly life comes to an end, and the night passes, as this continues constantly, because while the Church remains in its original state, the life of this mortal state passes away. Arcturus has a point of observation for us too, so that we observe more carefully. For it revolves with seven stars and at the same time rises three stars to the highest point, and descends four stars to the lowest point, and simultaneously rises four stars above, and descends three stars down. Likewise, the Holy Church, when she simultaneously preaches the knowledge of the Trinity to non-believers, and the four virtues, such as prudence, courage, moderation, justice, to believers, thus she changes her rotation in her preaching, the appearance of her position. For when she deprives those who boast of them of their deeds of confidence, and exalts faith in the Trinity, what else does Arcturus do but ascend to three stars and descend to four? And when she forbids some who have no good deeds to rely on their faith, and commands them to perform more zealously those deeds that have been ordered, what else does Arcturus do but raise four stars and lower three? Let's look at how three stars rise and four fall? Look at what Paul said to those who were proud of their works as opposed to their faith: “If Abraham was justified by works, he has glory, but not with God. For what does Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:2–3) 2920. Let's look at how 4 stars go up and three go down? This is what James says to those who boast of their faith in contrast to their deeds: “As a body without air is dead, so faith without works is dead” (James 2:26) 2921. Arcturus, therefore, rotates, because the Holy Church turns in different directions in its ability to preach in accordance with the minds of its listeners. Arcturus is spinning because she is spinning in the sorrows of this night. But the Lord finally breaks this orbit of Arcturus, because He turns the labors of the Church into peace. Then He also unites the Pleiades more completely when He destroys the orbit of Arcturus, because all the Saints are then undoubtedly united with each other even outwardly, when the Holy Church at the end of this world is freed from those acts which it now undergoes. Let Him say then: Can you unite the individual shining stars together into the Pleiades, or can you break the orbit of Arcturus? You understand as much as I do. I Myself, the One who unites the lives of the Saints even outwardly, after I physically break the orbit of the Universal Church. And what is unknown to man is the action of Divine power? But let man, in order to know who he himself is, remember what is that which only God can accomplish. 73. We also still have meanings for the words Pleiades of Stars and Arcturus. For the Pleiades rise from the East, and Arcturus from the North. But as Arcturus turns in its circle, the Pleiades become visible, and as daylight now approaches, the arrangement of its stars expands. Arcturus, which rises from the cold part of the world, can denote the Law, and the Pleiades, which rise from the East, the grace of the New Testament. For the Law, as it is, comes from the North, which before all warned with sharp severity. He ordered some to be stoned for their guilt, others died by the sword; it was like a distant land, far from the light of goodness, where thorny seeds grow in the cold and are not nourished by warmth. Peter shuddered under the weight of this oppression when he said: “But you now tempt God, desiring to put a yoke on the necks of the disciples, which neither your fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10) 2922? And it is not surprising that the Old Testament is designated by the seven stars of Arcturus, because the seventh day was spent in veneration, in accordance with the Law, and the vows of the appointed sacrifices were extended throughout the week. But the Pleiades, of which there were also seven, as we previously mentioned, point more clearly to the grace of the New Testament, the more clearly we see that with it the Holy Spirit illuminates His faithful with the light of seven-fold gifts. Therefore, wherever Arcturus finds himself, he presents the Pleiades for contemplation, because every act about which the Old Testament speaks illuminates the acts of the New Testament. For underneath the text of the letter lies the secret of the prophecy. And Arcturus bends down, as he did, and points to them, because when he bows in the spiritual sense, the light of the sevenfold grace, which is thus signified, remains open. And as the light of day draws near, the order of the stars expands, because, after the Truth was revealed to us, It revealed to us its covenants to keep. 74. But our Redeemer, who came in the flesh, united the Pleiades together, because He possessed at once all the gifts of the sevenfold Spirit abiding in Him. Of whom Isaiah said: “There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall grow out of his root, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of light and might, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him” (Is. 11:1-3) 2923. About whom Zechariah says: “There are seven eyes on one stone” (Zechariah 3:9) 2924. And again: “And there were seven lamps on candlesticks of gold” (Zechariah 4:2) 2925. But no one ever possessed the gifts of the Holy Spirit overnight, with the exception of the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5) 2926. Whose is the Spirit, which proceeds from the Father (see note at the end of book 29) before all ages. Thus, it was correctly said: There are seven eyes on one stone. For for a stone to have seven eyes, this signifies the possession at the same time of all the benefactors of the Spirit of Sevenfold Grace. For one person receives prophecy, another receives knowledge, a third receives virtues, a fourth receives diversities of tongues, a fifth receives the interpretation of tongues, according to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But no one person comes to possess all the gifts of the Spirit. But our Creator, accepting our weakness, taught us that by the power of His Divinity He possessed all the virtues of the Holy Spirit at once, undoubtedly uniting all the shining Pleiades. But, while He unites all the Pleiades, He breaks the orbit of Arcturus. Because when it became known that He, having become a Man, had all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, He relaxed the burden of writing in the Old Testament, so that every believer could now understand that the freedom of the Spirit, which he uses in the midst of so many dangers, must be served with fear. Let Blessed Job hear: Can you unite the individual shining stars together into the Pleiades? As if it were openly said: You certainly cannot possess the light of all virtues, but can you fulfill all the commandments of the Holy Spirit at once? Here I am, therefore, uniting the Pleiades in all virtues, and you do not boast, having only a few. Listen to what is said: Can you break the orbit of Arcturus? As if it were openly said: if you even now yourself understand what is right, can you by force, especially in the hearts of others, rid yourself of an obscene understanding? Therefore, consider Me, Who corrected the foolishness of the carnal, when I reveal myself in the foolishness of the flesh, so that you can endure those virtues that you consider the most powerful, and you will not be able to perceive more, even after following in the footsteps of My weakness. But since, in the very sacrament of the Incarnation of the Lord, the light of truth appears in some people, while the hearts of others are darkened by resentment, here we rightfully add: Verse 32. Will you be able to bring forth the morning star in its time, and will you make the evening star to shine upon the children of the earth? 75. For the Father begets the morning star in its season, because, as it was written: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his (Only Begotten) Son, who was born of a woman, made subject to the law” (Gal. 4:4) 2927. He who was born of a Virgin appeared like a morning star in the darkness of our night, because in flight from the darkness of sin, He declared to us eternal morning. But He became known as the morning star because He rose in the morning from death and, by the brightness of His light, overcame the hideous darkness of our mortality. He (Oxf. “Qui”) whom John calls: “The bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16) 2928. For, appearing alive after death, He became our morning star, because while He Himself created us in the likeness of the resurrection, He showed us what light awaits us after. But the Lord raises the evening star over the sons of the earth, because He allows the Antichrist to rule over the unbelieving hearts of the Jews, as their desert demands. And therefore they are rightly subjected by the Lord to this evening star, because they themselves, of their own free will, chose to be the sons of the earth. For, seeking earthly things rather than heavenly things, they were so blinded from seeing the brightness of our morning star, and while they seek the evening star to rule over them, they were plunged into the eternal night of subsequent condemnation. Therefore, the Lord says in the Gospel: “I came in the name of My Father, but you did not receive Me; another will come in his name, and you will receive him” (John 5:43) 2929. Therefore Paul says: “And with all unrighteousness the deceit of them that are perishing, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, so that they will believe a lie, so that all will be condemned who did not believe the truth but loved unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12) 2930. Therefore the evening star would never have risen above them if they had wanted to be sons of heaven. But while they are looking for the visible, having lost the light of the heart, they are in the darkness of the prince of night. 76. But if we consider it from the point of view of moral meaning, we find out how it happens every day; because the morning star undoubtedly rises over the Chosen, and the evening star, at the command of the Lord, rules over the rejected. For there is one and the same word of God in the mouth of the preacher. But while some listen to him with joy, and others with envy, they change the brightness of the morning star for the darkness of the evening. When they humbly listen to the voice of the holy sermon, they open the eyes of their hearts to the light of the star. But while others feel envy of those who wish them well, and do not seek the cause of their salvation, but the glory of boasting, when the evening of their wickedness breaks out, they close their eyes in the sleep of death. The secret meaning, however, is so arranged that the one who is the morning star for the elect is the evening star for the rejected listeners. Because by this holy exhortation, by which good things are brought back to life, the reprobates are mortally perishing in sin. Here it was beautifully said by Paul: “We are a aroma of Christ to God, among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; on some there is a aroma of death unto death, on others a aroma of life unto life” (2 Cor. 2:15-16) 2931. He then saw that his word, by which some rose from iniquity, and others, on the contrary, were lulled into the sleep of iniquity, was both a morning and an evening star for his listeners. And because this happens by the secret judgment of God, which cannot be realized by people in this life, he rightfully adds: And who is capable of this? It was as if he were saying: We are certainly capable of realizing that some things are happening, but we are not able to understand why they are happening. Since it has already been said that the morning star will rise for some, but the evening star will rise for others, and that man cannot dare to comprehend the secret judgments of God, in this place the Lord immediately adds: Verse 33. Do you know the way of heaven, and will you establish the reason for it on earth (Job 38:33) 2932. 77. To know the way of heaven is to see the secret definitions of heavenly government. But to establish the cause on earth is to open hearts to the foundations of such mysteries. To establish the foundation of heaven on earth is either to explore the secrets of heavenly judgments by examination, or to create them by manifestation in words. Which, of course, no one who is in this life can do. If we go in understanding from the smaller to the larger, then who can understand what the secret plan is, for example, if an innocent person returns from court not only unavenged, but even punished, and his evil opponent leaves not only not punished, but also a winner? Who can understand why one person who arranges the death of his neighbors survives, and another - who saves the lives of many - dies? One person, who only strives to hurt others, reaches the heights of power, and the other, who strives to protect the victims, himself lies under oppression. One person who wants peace is involved in many activities, and another who wants to be busy with work is forced to be idle. One person goes from worse to worse, even until the end of his life, and another, starting his life with virtue, continues his life and increases his virtues over a long time. But on the other hand, one who is an evil person does not spare himself for a long time in order to improve, and another person who seems to live righteously, but continues his life until he takes the evil path. One person who was born in the sin of unbelief perishes in this sin, and another, born in the stability of the Orthodox faith, is perfected in the stability of this faith. But, on the other hand, one person who came from the womb of the Orthodox Church is swallowed up at the end of his life by the whirlpool of sins, but another person ends his life in the Orthodox Church, the one who was born in unbelief, absorbed the poison of sin with his mother’s milk. One person is both willing and able to achieve the sublimity of a holy life, while another is neither willing nor able. One is willing but not able, and the other is capable but not willing. Who then can explore the secrets of heavenly judgments? Who can understand the secret balance of hidden justice? For no one can achieve an understanding of the secrets of these judgments. Let this then be said to man, that he may become aware of his own ignorance; let him know his ignorance, that he may fear; let him be afraid in order to be humiliated; let him be humiliated so as not to trust himself; let him not rely on himself in order to turn to his Creator for help, and the one who dies in faith in himself can seek help from the Creator and live. Let the righteous man, who certainly knows himself, but who still does not know what is above him, hear the words: Do you know the way of heaven, and will you establish the reason for it on earth? That is, do you understand the secret secrets of heavenly judgments, or can you convey them to the ears of people? Therefore, Blessed Job is asked about his research into incomprehensible judgments, as if he had been directly told that you must endure all your sufferings more patiently, and moreover, in your ignorance of heavenly mysteries, you do not know why these sufferings were sent to you. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. For when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. Having said this, He spat on the ground, made clay from the spit, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay, and said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which means: sent. He went and washed, and came back seeing. Have you ever given orders to the morning in your life and shown the dawn its place... Who is this, shining like the dawn, beautiful like the moon, bright like the sun, formidable like regiments with banners? and do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for not one living will be justified before You. for we all sin many times. He who does not sin in word is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body. but in my members I see another law, warring against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. The night is past and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the weapons of light. My soul thirsts for the mighty, living God: when will I come and appear before the face of God! What is the advantage of the wise over the foolish, and what is the advantage of the poor man who knows how to walk over the living? Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. for where the carcass is, there the eagles will gather. I am attracted by both: I have a desire to be resolved and to be with Christ, because this is incomparably better. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. For we know that when our earthly house, this hut, is destroyed, we have from God a dwelling in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal. so that it will cover the ends of the earth and shake off the wicked from it. The Pharisees said to each other: Do you see that you do not have time to do anything? the whole world follows Him. some said that He was good; and others said: no, but he deceives the people. If He were not from God, He could not create anything. They answered him: If He had not been an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you. How long will You keep us in bewilderment? if you are the Christ, tell us directly. For all this was done by my hand, and all this was done, says the Lord. But this is who I will look upon: the one who is humble and contrite in spirit and who trembles at My word. Blessed is the man who is always in reverence; but whoever hardens his heart will fall into trouble. so that the earth changes like clay under a seal and becomes like a coat of many colors. If we leave Him like this, then everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take possession of both our place and our people. and that their light may be taken away from the wicked. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see. For the heart of this people is hardened, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, that I might heal them. And Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” and their insolent hand was crushed. because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. They say that they know God, but deny by deeds, being vile and disobedient and incapable of any good deed. And the father said to his servants: Bring the best robe and dress him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Place me like a seal on your heart, like a ring on your hand: for love is strong as death; fierce, like hell, jealousy; her arrows are arrows of fire; she has a very strong flame. He brought me out of the terrible pit, out of the miry swamp, and set my feet on a rock and established my steps. I live! says the Lord, “You will be clothed with all of them as jewelry, and you will be adorned with them like a bride.” Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the wicked. they will perish, but You will remain; and they will all wear out like a robe, and like a garment You will change them, and they will be changed. saying: Give me this power, so that whoever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him: Let your silver perish with you, because you thought to receive the gift of God with money. But I have a little against you, because you have there those who hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to lead the children of Israel into temptation, so that they would eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication. But I have a few things against you, because you allow the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and mislead My servants to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols. Children! lately. And as you have heard that the Antichrist will come, and now many antichrists have appeared, we know from this that the time is last. And now you know what prevents you from revealing yourself to him in due time. For the mystery of iniquity is already in action, only it will not be completed until the one who now restrains is taken out of the way. But through the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and those who belong to his inheritance experience it. looks at everything lofty with courage; he is the king over all the sons of pride. And he said in his heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods, on the edge of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life. for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. I saw then that the wicked were buried, and they came and left the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they did this. And this is vanity! ... so that in the church of God he will sit as God, showing himself to be God. But the Lord said to Moses: Look, I have made you God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet. I will ascend to the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. but God knows that on the day you eat of them, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil. "God! Who is like You, who delivers the weak from the strong, the poor and needy from their plunderer?” ... exalted above everything called God or holy. And then the wicked one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the revelation of His coming. By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return. The Lord will wipe out those who argue with Him; will thunder upon them from heaven. (The Lord is holy. Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not a mighty man boast in his strength, and let not a rich man boast in his wealth, but let him who would boast boast in the fact that he understands and knows the Lord.) The Lord will judge the ends of the earth, and will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed. Have you descended into the depths of the sea and entered into the exploration of the abyss? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who turned the depths of the sea into a road for the redeemed to pass through? ... I became like a man without strength, thrown among the dead, ... but God raised Him up, breaking the bonds of death, because it was impossible for it to hold Him. For wisdom is more mobile than any movement. Have the gates of death opened for you, and have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? The Lord is my helper: I will look upon my enemies. Have you surveyed the breadth of the earth? Enlarge the place of your tent, expand the covers of your dwellings; do not be shy, make your ropes longer and strengthen your stakes; for you will spread to the right and to the left, and your descendants will take possession of the nations and people the desolate cities. And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And the dead whom Samson killed at his death were more than he killed in his life. ... and included in the exploration of the abyss? the abyss gave its voice, raised its hands high. We have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, in the holy place. ...and have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? The king, sitting on the throne of judgment, disperses with his eyes all evil. In equal retribution, I say, as to children, you too will spread. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship has righteousness with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? Have you surveyed the breadth of the earth? Explain if you know all this. They left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus. I wish, brethren, that you should know that my circumstances contributed to the greater success of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ became known to the whole praetorium and to everyone else, ... In tight spaces You gave me space. ... ... Explain if you know all this. Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness? You, of course, have reached its borders and know the paths to its house. You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. but I subdue and enslave my body, so that, while preaching to others, I myself may not remain unworthy. Brethren, I do not consider myself to have attained; but only, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the honor of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I say this not because I have already achieved or perfected myself; but I strive, lest I attain as Christ Jesus attained me. But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is My chosen vessel, to proclaim My name before the nations and kings and the children of Israel. I couldn't find a similar quote. I turned my heart to all this to study that the righteous and wise and their deeds are in the hand of God, and that man knows neither love nor hatred in all that is before him. How can a person know his path? You know this because you were already born then, and the number of your days is very great. for that which is born in Her is of the Holy Spirit. Have you entered the storehouses of snow and seen the treasuries of hail, which I reserve for a time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? Just as a spring spews out water, so it spews out evil: violence and robbery are heard in it, and insults and wounds are always before My face. and, because iniquity increases, the love of many will grow cold. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Because of the brilliance before Him, His clouds, hail and coals of fire fled. Perhaps this refers to the abbreviated psalter of St. Augustine, adopted in Catholicism as a “pocket version” (http://ruscath.ru/orations/differ/diff33.shtml) They will speak of the power of Your terrible deeds, and I will proclaim Your greatness. They will proclaim the memory of Your great goodness and sing of Your righteousness. and, taking him out of the city, they began to stone him. The witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of the young man named Saul. Along what path does the light spread and the east wind spread across the earth? Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. ... and the east wind sweeps across the earth? When the sun rose, it withered and, as if it had no root, withered away. In those days there was a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem; and everyone, except the Apostles, was scattered to different places in Judea and Samaria. Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked him for letters to Damascus to the synagogues, so that whoever he found following this teaching, both men and women, would be tied up and brought to Jerusalem. The people walking in darkness will see a great light. When Peter came to Antioch, I personally confronted him because he was being criticized. For before the arrival of some from Jacob, he ate with the Gentiles; and when they arrived, he began to hide and withdraw, fearing those who were circumcised. Along with him, the other Jews also acted hypocrites, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not directly acting on the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter in front of everyone: if you, being a Jew, live like a pagan and not like a Jew, then why do you force the pagans to live like a Jew? The Spirit breathes where it wants, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes: this is what happens to everyone born of the Spirit. and they said to them, “May the Lord see and judge you, because you have made us hated in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hands to kill us.” No temptation has befallen you other than that of man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but when you are tempted, He will also provide relief, so that you can endure it. Who makes channels for the outpouring of water and a path for thunderous lightning for which I suffer even to the point of being imprisoned, like a villain; but there are no bonds for the word of God. and I will leave it desolate: they will neither prune it nor dig it, but it will be overgrown with thorns and thistles, and I will command the clouds not to rain rain on it. sends His word to the earth; His word flows quickly. ... and the path for thunderous lightning. James Zebedee and John, brother of James, calling them Boanerges, that is, “sons of thunder.” Pray also for us, that God will open the door for us to speak, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. However, the anointing that you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; but just as this very anointing teaches you everything, and it is true and not false, whatever it has taught you, abide in it. Therefore, the one who plants and the one who waters is nothing, but God who increases everything. so that it rains on a deserted land, on a desert where there is no man. I will make a road in the steppe, rivers in the desert. He turns the desert into a lake, and the parched land into springs of water. you should have been the first to preach the word of God, but since you reject it and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the pagans. to saturate the desert and steppe and stimulate the grass germs to grow? they are like a dream, like grass that grows in the morning, blooms and turns green in the morning, is cut down in the evening and dries up. I couldn't find a similar quote. This verse in the English versions of the Bible has nothing in common with the Russian version. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. – To him the mountains bring forth grass: there all the beasts of the field shall play. For him, the mountains produce grass (food), where all the beasts of the field play. In the Russian version, this is verse 15. In the English versions, verse 15 sounds like this: Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox. Look at the Behemoth, which I created together with you, and who eats grass like an ox. In the Russian version this is verse 10. He covers the sky with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the mountains (and grain for the benefit of man) (Ps. 147:8); You cause grass to grow for livestock, and greenery for the benefit of man, to produce food from the earth (Ps. 103:14). And God said, “Let the earth produce green grass, grass yielding seed, after its kind and likeness, and a fruitful tree, bearing fruit according to its kind, in which is its seed on the earth.” And so it became. And wild asses stand on high places and swallow air, like jackals; their eyes are dim because there is no grass. We have no king except Caesar. And the ghost of waters will turn into a lake, and the thirsty earth into springs of waters; in the jackals' home, where they rest, there will be a place for reeds and reeds. If you send forth Your spirit, they will be created, and You will renew the face of the earth. Does rain have a father? or who gives birth to drops of dew? You, O God, poured abundant rain on Your inheritance, and when it was exhausted from labor, You strengthened it. Therefore the rains were withheld, and there was no latter rain; but you had the forehead of a harlot, you threw away shame. for I have determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Our lips are open to you, Corinthians, our hearts are enlarged. My teaching will fall like rain, my speech will fall like dew, like fine rain on the greenery, like rain on the grass. From whose belly comes ice and frost from heaven—who gives birth to it? Listen, heaven, I will speak; and listen, O earth, to the words of my mouth. A prudent man hides knowledge, but the heart of a fool speaks foolishness. The waters, like stone, grow stronger, and the surface of the abyss freezes. Let those who make them and all who trust in them be like them. and do not think of saying to yourself, “We have Abraham as our father,” for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. Just as you were once disobedient to God, but now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient so that you may have mercy, so that they themselves may also receive mercy. For God imprisoned everyone in disobedience in order to have mercy on everyone. Oh, the depth of wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways! ... and the surface of the abyss freezes. How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways! God! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and did they not perform many miracles in Your name? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. For there must also be differences of opinion among you, so that the wise may be revealed among you. but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. (Ex.4:21); But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them... (Exodus 14:4). For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; because the desire for good is in me, but I don’t find it to do it. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh: they oppose each other, so that you do not do what you would like. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful, come out! Behold, winter has already passed; The rain has passed and stopped. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and make up for the lack in my flesh of the sorrows of Christ for His Body, which is the Church, and heard unspeakable words that a person cannot retell. but I restrain myself so that no one thinks about me more than what he sees in me or hears from me. Can you tie the knot of Him and loose the ties of Kesil? Can you deduce the constellations in your time and lead As with her children? He was tortured, but He suffered voluntarily and did not open His mouth; like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. The next day John sees Jesus coming to him and says: Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. God bless us, our God. God bless us. and let all the ends of the earth fear Him. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! For all things are from Him, by Him and to Him. To him be glory forever, amen. and they had faces and wings, all four of them; their wings touched one another; During their procession they did not turn around, but walked each in the direction of their faces. Arcturus is one of the brightest stars in the sky. Visible all night from almost every continent (except the Arctic). Since Arcturus passes significantly north of the ecliptic, in the middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere it is not hidden in the rays of the Sun. In Arabic, Arcturus is called Haris-as-sama, "guardian of the heavens." Part of the constellation Bootes (one of the 7 stars of the constellation). If Abraham was justified by works, he has praise, but not before God. For what does Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Why are you now tempting God, wanting to place on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we could bear? And a branch shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his root; and the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and he will be filled with the fear of the Lord, and will not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor decide matters by the hearing of his ears. There are seven eyes on this one stone. And he said to me: what do you see? And I answered: I see, behold, a lamp all made of gold, and a cup of oil on top of it, and seven lamps on it, and seven tubes for the lamps that are on top of it. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. but when the fullness of time came, God sent His (Only Begotten) Son, who was born of a woman, subject to the law. the star is bright and morning. I have come in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; but if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. and with all unrighteous deception of those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth for their salvation. And for this reason God will send them the influence of error, so that they will believe lies, so that all who did not believe the truth, but loved unrighteousness, will be condemned. For we are a aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: to some a savor of death unto death, and to others a savor of life unto life. And who is capable of this? can you establish his dominion on earth?