Слово 27. Против евномиан 231 и о богословии первое, или предварительное

1. A word to those who are cunning in words, and I will begin from the Scripture: behold, you are proud (Jer. 50:31), that is, for learning, and hearing, and thought! For there are, indeed, there are people whose ears and tongues itch during our speeches, and even, as I see, their hands, who delight in nasty idle talk, and the contradictions of a false mind, and disputations of words that lead to nothing useful (1 Tim. 6:4, 20). For Paul, the preacher and introducer of the word abbreviated (Rom. 9:28), teacher and disciple of the fishermen, so calls everything superfluous and refined in the word. It would be good if those we are talking about were also somewhat skilled in active philosophy, just as their tongue is resourceful and capable of finding noble and choice words. Then, little and probably less than now, they would go into absurd and strange wisdom and play with words (about a funny thing, and I’ll put it funny) like checkers. 2. But, abandoning all paths of piety, they have one thing in mind - to ask or decide some question, and they resemble spectacular wrestlers, representing not those struggles that lead to victory according to the laws of warfare, but those that attract the eyes of those who do not know the matter and steal their approval. And it is necessary that every square be resounding with their speeches, that every feast should be filled with boredom, idle talk and tastelessness, that every holiday should become unfestive and full of despondency, and with every lament they should seek consolation in a greater evil - in the proposal of questions, so that in every woman's chamber - this refuge of innocence - the calm will be disturbed and the color of modesty will be stolen by haste in words! And if it has already come to this, if evil has become uncontrollable and unbearable, there is even a danger that our great sacrament 232 will be turned into a low craft, then let these spies show so much patience so that when our fatherly heart becomes agitated and our feelings are tormented, as the divine Jeremiah says (4:19), they will accept this word about them without bitterness and, although only a few, if they can, keep tongue, incline your ears to us. And, without a doubt, you will not suffer any damage. Or I will speak into the ears of those who hear, and then the word will bear some fruit, namely that which you use the word, because although he who sows the word sows in the heart of everyone, yet only one good and fruitful heart bears fruit. Or you will leave me, laughing at this word, finding in it a new subject for objections and slander against me, which will give you even greater pleasure. Don’t be surprised if I say a word and it is not according to your law and is strange for you, who too bravely and courageously (I’m afraid to offend by saying: ignorant and impudent) claim about yourself that you know everything and are able to teach everything. 3. Not everyone can philosophize about God - yes! not everyone. This is not acquired cheaply and not by crawling on the ground! I’ll add one more thing: you can’t always philosophize, not in front of everyone and not touching on everything, but you must know: when, in front of whom and how much. Not everyone can philosophize about God, because people who have tested themselves, who have spent their lives in contemplation, and who have first of all purified, or at least purified, both soul and body, are capable of this. For the unclean, it may be unsafe to touch the pure, as for weak eyesight it is unsafe to touch a ray of sunshine. When is it possible? When we are free from external mud 233 and rebellion, when what is sovereign in us 234 does not merge with worthless and wandering images, like the beauty of writing mixed with bad writing, or like the fragrance of the world mixed with dirt. For, indeed, we must cease to understand God (Ps. 45:11), and when we take the time, judge the correctness of theology (Ps. 74:3). In front of whom is it possible? Before those who deal with this carefully, and not along with other things, they talk about it with pleasure and about it after horse shows, shows and songs, after satisfying the belly and what is worse than the belly, for for the latter it is part of the fun to argue about such subjects and distinguish themselves by the subtlety of their objections. What should one philosophize about and to what extent? About what is available to us, and to the extent to which the state and ability of understanding in the listener extend. Otherwise, just as excessive sounds or foods harm some the hearing, others the body, or, if you like, just as heavy loads are beyond the strength of those who lift them and heavy rains are harmful to the earth, so listeners will lose their former strength if, I say, they are burdened and suppressed with the burden of difficult teachings. 4. And I’m not saying that we shouldn’t always remember God (may people not attack us for this, ready and quick!). Remembering God is more necessary than breathing, and, so to speak, one should not do anything else besides this. And I am one of those who approve of the word that commands us to study day and night (Ps. 1:2), evening and morning and noon (Ps. 55:18), and to bless the Lord at all times (Ps. 33:2). And if it is necessary to add what Moses said, then when lying down, and standing up, and walking along the path (Deut. 6:7), and correcting other matters, one must remember God and with this remembrance raise oneself to purity. Thus, I forbid not to remember God, but to theology unceasingly; I even forbid not theology, as if it were an ungodly matter, but timelessness and not the teaching of doctrine, but non-compliance with the measure. Honey, despite the fact that it is honey, if taken in excess and to the point of satiety, produces vomiting. And the time of every thing, as I reason with Solomon (Eccl. 3:1). Even the beautiful is not beautiful if it is produced out of order; as, for example, flowers in winter, male attire on a woman and female attire on a man, geometry during crying and tears at a feast are completely indecent. Are we really going to value time only where it is most necessary to respect timing? 5. No, friends and brothers (I still call you brothers, although you are not behaving like brothers)! Let us not reason like this, let us not run further than the goal, like hot and uncontrollable horses, throwing off the rider - reason, and rejecting the good rein - reverence, but let us begin to philosophize, without going beyond the limits assigned to a Christian, we will not move to Egypt, we will not allow ourselves to be drawn to the Assyrians, we will not sing the song of the Lord in foreign lands (Ps. 137:4), that is, aloud to everyone, both outsiders and ours, and enemy and friend, both well-intentioned and malicious, who carefully watches us beyond measure and would like every spark of evil in us to turn into a flame, he himself secretly ignites it, fans it, lifts it with his breath to the sky, above the Babylonian flame that scorches everything around it. Since they do not find reinforcement for themselves in their own teachings, they look for it in what is weak among us. And therefore, like flies on wounds, they attack our (what should we call it?) failures or mistakes. But let us no longer remain ignorant of ourselves and disrespect decency in such matters. On the contrary, if it is impossible to eradicate enmity, at least let us agree to speak mysteriously about the mysterious and sacredly about the holy. We will not expose to those who have defiled ears what we should not divulge to everyone. We will not allow those who worship demons, the servants of shameful fables and things, to be worthy of greater respect in comparison with us; because they too would rather shed their blood than reveal their teaching to the uninitiated. Let us know that there is some decency, both in clothing, food, laughter and gait, and in speech and silence; especially since we, in addition to other names and powers, honor the Word in God. 6. About the birth of God, about creation, about God from non-existent 235, about cutting, division and resolution, why should anyone listen to this who listens to this with hostility? Why do we make accusers judges? Are we giving the sword into the hands of our enemies? How and with what concepts, do you think, will the one who approves of adultery and child molestation, who worships the passions and cannot imagine anything higher than the physical, who yesterday and during the day create gods for themselves, gods distinguished by the most shameful deeds, accept the word about this? Is it not with the concepts (to which he is accustomed) rude, shameful, ignorant? And will not your theology make him a champion of his own gods and passions? If we ourselves use such sayings for evil, then it is even more difficult to convince our opponents to be wise as we should be. If we ourselves are the recipients of evil (Rom. 1:30), then how can they not touch what really is in us? These are the consequences of our internecine warfare! This is the benefit of those who strive for the word more than is pleasing to the Word, and from those who suffer the same fate as those devoid of intelligence, who set their own house on fire, or torment children, or drive away their parents, considering them strangers! 7. But having separated from the alien word the numerous legion that has entered the depths, sending them into the herd of swine, let us turn to ourselves (which is the second subject of our word) and, like a statue, we will cut off the theologian in all his beauty. First of all, let us think about what such zeal for the word and this disease of the tongue mean. What is this new disease? What kind of insatiability? Why, having tied our hands, have we armed our tongues? Just as kings grant mercy after a victory, so we give freedom to the passions of others, if only they indulge us and rush against God more impudently or wickedly, and for unkindness we repay with a bad reward, for wickedness with self-will. 8. But I ask you a little, a co-questioner and a prophetic man, but you answer me, says the One who spoke through the storm and clouds to Job (Job 38:1-3). What do you hear: does God have many mansions or one? – Without a doubt, you will agree that there are many, not just one. Should they all be filled? Or will some be filled and others not, but remain empty and cooked in vain? - Of course, everything, because with God nothing is in vain. - But can you say what you mean by such a monastery: is it the peace and glory prepared for the blessed there, or what else? - Not something else, but this. – But, having agreed on this, let’s consider the following. Is there anything, as I believe, that would bring us these abodes, or is there nothing like that? - There is definitely something. - What is it? – There are different kinds of life and elections and they lead to one or another monastery according to the measure of faith, which is why we call them paths. - So, should we go all the ways or some of them? – If possible, let one go with all of them. And if not, then as many ways as possible. If even that is not possible, then by some. But if this is also impossible, then it will be accepted with respect, as it seems to me at least, when someone goes alone preferentially. – You understand this correctly. Therefore, what do you think the word means when you hear that there is only one way, and that it is narrow? – There is one path relative to virtue, because it is one, although it is divided into many types. It is narrow because of labor and because it is impassable for many, namely for a great number of opponents, for all who follow the path of vice. That's what I think. - But if this is true, then why, best one, as if having convicted our teaching of some kind of poverty, have you abandoned all other paths, and strive and hasten on this one path, on the path, as it seems to you, of reason and speculation, but as I say - idle talk and daydreaming? May Paul admonish you, who, according to the calculation of gifts, strongly reproaches you for this, saying: food are all the apostles? food are all prophets? and so on (1 Cor. 12:29). 9. Let us suppose that you are high, higher than the highest, and, if you wish, higher than the clouds; Let us suppose that you are a spectator of the invisible, a hearer of the ineffable, raptured like Elijah, worthy of theophany like Moses, heavenly like Paul. Why then do you make others saints no more than in one day, make them theologians and, as it were, breathe learning into them and make up many a host of unlearned scribes? Why do you entangle those who are most weak with cobwebs, as if this were a wise and great thing? Why do you stir up hornets against faith? Why do you place competitors against us, like the legends of the giants in ancient times? Why, how many frivolous men are there among those unworthy of the name of husband, having gathered them all like rubbish into one pit, and with your caresses making them even more effeminate, have you built a new workhouse for yourself and, not without reason, are you benefiting from their folly? Do you object to that too? Don't you have anything else to do? Does your tongue need to dominate? You cannot stop the diseases of birth and not give birth with a word? But there are many other abundant items for you. Turn this illness to their advantage. 10. Smite Pythagorean silence, Orpheus's beans and this inflated proverb of modern times: he said it himself! Raze Plato's ideas, the transmigration and rotation of our souls, mindfulness and not at all beautiful love for the soul for the sake of a beautiful body; destroy Epicurus' atheism, its atoms and pleasure alien to philosophy; destroy Aristotle's little-encompassing providence, in which the independence of things, mortal judgments about the soul and the human view of the highest teachings consist in mere artificiality; Smite the arrogance of the Stoics, the gluttony and buffoonery of the Cynics. Smite the emptiness and fullness and those nonsense that are about gods or sacrifices, about idols, about demons, beneficial and maleficent, which are divulged about soothsayers, about the evocation of gods and souls, about the power of the stars. And if you do not deign to say this, because it is unimportant and has been repeatedly refuted, you want to take up your subject and in it you are looking for food for curiosity, then here too I will show you broad paths. Speculate about the world or worlds, about matter, about the soul, about rational - good and evil - natures, about the resurrection, judgment, retribution, Christ's suffering. Regarding this, it is not useless to succeed in your research, and it is not dangerous to fail. Now we will not talk much about God, but soon, perhaps more completely, about Christ Himself, our Lord, to whom be glory forever, amen. The Eunomians denied not only the consubstantiality, but also the similarity of God the Father and God the Son. Moreover, they taught that it is possible to completely comprehend God with the human mind. The present word is directed against this last false teaching of the Eunomians. The Arians taught about the Son of God, what was when He was not, and that, therefore, He became from non-existent to existent.