Заключенія книги сея

The first conclusion. About the end of good deeds Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father, who is in heaven, says Christ 1670. What is the use, my brother, if someone says to have faith, but why not have it? Can faith save him? etc. As the body without the soul is dead, so faith without works is dead 1671. I beseech you, O Lord, to walk worthy of the rank to which you are called, with all humility and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another with love, etc. 1672 § 270. Not every good deed that seems good to human eyes is good. A good deed is judged by a good end. Why, although good is done, but not to a good end, good cannot be. Hypocrites often create their own good deeds; they often pray, sigh, and even weep, give abundant alms, show signs of humility, clothe themselves in ruins, bow their heads, speak quietly, call themselves sinners and, according to the visible image, show piety: but his powers are rejected. For they do their deeds, and they will be seen by men; why their deeds are rejected from God, who knows everyone's heart and intention, and judges every business according to that. For this reason, only a good deed, a truly good one, is a good deed that is done well. Good is done when it is done with faith and to a good end (as we will see in the next paragraph). An evil tree cannot bear good fruit, Christ said in 1673. For the sake of which not only good should be done, but also good. Where did Basil the Great say: "not only what is commanded, but also as commanded, one must do" 1674. § 271. The end of good deeds: 1) We must do good deeds, so that we show obedience and obedience to our God, who tells us: turn away from evil, and do good 1675. If we call Him Father: Our Father, Who art in heaven, as we pray in the Lord's prayer every day, then we should show obedience to Him, as to sons, of filial love. If He is our Lord, then, as slaves, we must work for Him with fear, and not be slaves to sin, do not allow Him to possess us. Who is the son of his father, to whom the slave of his mistress does not listen? When a son obeys a carnal father, a slave to his mistress - people like himself, how much more this obedience should be shown to God, who is the Supreme Lord of fathers and children, masters and slaves. And although we, for the sake of our weakness, cannot show such obedience to Him, which His holy and righteous law requires of us, because the flesh lusts after the spirit 1676, nevertheless we must strive for this with all our hearts, so that we do not let the flesh rule over us, but rather the flesh subdues the spirit, and the deeds of the flesh by the spirit will kill, as the apostle taught in 1677. We promised to show this obedience or obedience to God, our Lord and Father, when we joined Christianity, when we renounced Satan and all his works, and promised to serve Him reverently and truthfully before Him all the days of our life 1678. And so that this obedience of ours takes place with zeal and a free spirit, He Himself promised to help us in this; for the sake of which he prays, he commanded: ask, and it will be given to you 1679. We repeat our promised obedience as many times as we repent before Him of our sins. Therefore, whoever is not ashamed to show this obedience to God will say to Him in vain: Lord, Lord! How does Christ answer such a person: You call Me: Lord, Lord, and you do not do what I say? 1680; for he has another master whom he serves, that is, mammon, or evil and impure lust, or something similar. Also, it is not in vain that the sons of God express their voice to God: Our Father, art thou in heaven; because he has a second father, whom he shapes with his manners and creates his will. Once upon a time, the Jews who hated Christ boasted: God is the only Father of the imams; but they heard a terrible answer from Him: you are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father 1681. It is necessary to beware of Christians who profess God, but their deeds will be avenged by Him 1682, so that this manslayer and the father of lies will not be true sons. This word is terrible for everyone, but if you take into account the properties of the son and the father, it must be recognized as the truth. The son must please the father, for as the seed is, so is its fruit. And the apostle said: if you commit sin, there is a devil, as from the beginning the devil sinned 1683. This terrible title befits those who sin not because of weakness, but because of their will, and they violate God's law for little or, what is worse, for nothing. And they will not get rid of this until they sincerely turn to God and purify themselves with true repentance. - 2) We succeed in turning away from evil and doing good to glorify the holy name of God. Christians should not do good deeds as pagans once and now hypocrites do - for their own praise and glory - but for the praise and glory of the One from whom they come, that is, God's. For without God we cannot do anything good 1684. For as the good that comes from God, so we should turn to the glory of God, according to the words of Christ: so that your world will shine before men, so that they will see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven. The name of God is both holy and glorious in itself, and does not require glorification: but we are either glorified when we confess Him as His holy Word has revealed, and live as His servant, naming His name and recognizing Him as our Lord, should, or it is dishonored and blasphemed when we do not confess Him as openly, and not so we turn and behave as befits servants of God, as the apostle leads from the prophets to the Jews: the name of God is blasphemed by you in tongues 1685. For a father is blessed when his sons live forever, and a mistress is praised when her servants are correct in their calling. The truth of this is indisputable. This is how glory to the Heavenly Father happens when Christians who recognize Him as their Father and Lord live according to the rule of God's holy Word, and as sons of such a great and good Father, and servants of such a terrible Lord, it is fitting. To the glorification of God's name, the case of divine properties provides us with knowledge, and diligent thinking about them. The name of God includes his divine properties, which are revealed in the Holy Scriptures, namely: holy, righteous, omnipresent, omnipresent, great, almighty, good, generous, merciful, true, and others. This is how we glorify His omnipresent existence, when we acknowledge and confess from our hearts that He is, is one, and has no end or beginning. We glorify His truth when we wholeheartedly believe in His true promises. This is how Abraham, our forefather, gave glory to God, as the apostle teaches, when God's promises are not doubted by unbelief, but possible by faith 1686. We glorify His righteousness, which rewards everyone according to their deeds, when we recognize in punishment with the prophet: You are righteous, Lord, and Your judgments are righteous 1687! - and we confess our sins and repent, and we say this: Thee, O Lord, is the truth, we are ashamed of our faces 1688. We glorify His majesty and omnipotence when, knowing and acknowledging our meanness and nothingness, we humble ourselves before Him. We glorify His supreme dominion and power when we earnestly obey His will and command. We glorify the omnipresent and omniscient Ego, when everywhere and in every place we turn away from evil and do good; we give Him, as omnipresent, Who hears our word, sees the deed and thought, penetrates the plan and intention, - we give Him, by word, word, deed and thought, high reverence, as the highest Lord and King, not only by not doing, but by thinking and saying nothing, holier than Him obscene eyes and ears. We glorify His holiness, when we ourselves keep the sanctuary, keep away from all unclean flesh and spirit 1689, according to His words: you shall be holy, as I am holy 1690. We glorify His wisdom when we believe in His wonderful providence, by which everything is orderly managed to its proper end, although it is incomprehensible to our blind mind, and we do not test our higher selves, but with humility and silence we leave to His wisdom and omnipotence what we are not given to know and understand. We praise His goodness when we love and thank Him alone, as the highest good. We glorify His mercy and generosity, which always pours out abundantly on us when we sincerely thank Him from the heart, and, as a sign of gratitude, we ourselves try to be merciful and generous to our neighbors. We glorify His immaterial and spiritual existence when we honor Him with spirit and truth 1691; we do not place that honor in external rites only, but in heartfelt zeal, passion and love; and what we believe with our hearts, we confess with our mouths fearlessly, where it is due. And we not only do this ourselves, but also encourage others to do so by word and deed. This is how our holy and terrible name of God is sanctified and glorified. And because we cannot fulfill these duties ourselves, due to our weakness, when we do, we must write down His grace, which works in us, so that praise and glory may be to Him, who is the one to whom good is done. And this is how we glorify God in this part, when we do not glorify ourselves in deeds, not for our own name of honor and praise, but for God's we seek, according to it: not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name, give glory for Your mercy and Your truth 1692! We glorify His truth when we confess our unrighteousness before Him with the prophet: You, Lord, are the truth, we are ashamed of our faces, and here we ask Him, we believe and hope to be justified by the truth of His only-begotten Son, who died for sinners in 1693. We glorify His holiness when we confess our impurity before Him, and we seek communion in His shrines 1694. We glorify His truth when we confess our lie before Him, as every human lie 1695. We glorify His goodness, mercy, long-suffering, wisdom, and fortitude, when we sincerely confess before Him our anger, unmercifulness, impatience, blindness, and weakness, and we ask Him for His goodness. This is how the name of God is glorified in us, when our name, glory and praise fade away, as if all flesh does not boast before God 1696, when we sweetly boast with the apostle in our infirmities, so that the power of Christ dwells in us 1697, all active, and the weak strengthens and fills the weak , - let his power and strength work in us, Therefore praise and glory will be ours. Therefore, those who do not seek God's glory in their good deeds, but their own, and who lead their lives in a seductive way and contrary to the word of God, do not give glory to God; for that reason, even the very glory promised to those who glorify Him will be graciously glorified 1698, will not please them; but they heard what was said by the prophet: let the wicked rise up, let him not see the glory of the Lord 1699. - 3) We succeed in doing good deeds, and we testify to God, our Benefactor, our heartfelt gratitude (for this, see the chapter on thanksgiving to God). True gratitude requires not only verbal confession and glorification of the benefactor, but also heartfelt love for him. Love is known from the creation of the commandments of His saints. Anyone who loves Me, says Christ, will obey My word 1700. And verbal thanksgiving without heartfelt love is nothing but hypocrisy, about which God speaks through the prophet: these people approach Me with their mouths, and with their lips they hear Me, but their heart is far away from Me 1701. For this reason, gratitude to God should be shown not only with the mouth, but also with the heart and good deeds, that is, coming from the heart. Therefore, Christians who do not fulfill this duty are ungrateful to God, their Benefactor, even though they approach Him with their mouths, because their deeds will avenge Him. And because they forsake God, they themselves forsake the righteous judgment of Him. Why does it happen that such people fall into all sorts of delusions and from sin to sin. Such a person, who is without God's grace, is like a ferocious horse without a bridle, which is followed by self-inflicted destruction. Hence, it is not a sin for those who are called Christians to offend their neighbor, to break an oath, to pervert the judgment of God, to make a place of judgment into a market place and an inn, to do violence to a father and a widow, to justify the impious and the unjust, to condemn, to lie, to deceive, to seduce and other lawless deeds, which pagans do bow down, do These are the true signs of an ungodly heart, even though they confess His name with their mouths. Every Christian should beware of this, and show his gratitude to God with love and obedience, so that the above error does not enter. - 4) It is necessary for us to have the faith that we have in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, to show our faith for our sakes, as the apostle says: let us show your faith for your sakes 1702. And although a single faith in Christ, the Son of God, who died for us and rose again, will justify us without looking at our own works, this faith cannot be idle, but it has love attached to it. Love is a source of good deeds. Whence the apostles of the saints, preaching Christ to all creation, put faith in Christ as a foundation; but they teach and admonish us to bear witness to that faith by love and other good works, as is evident from their message. Put in your faith virtue, in virtue mind, in mind temperance, in temperance patience, in patience piety, in piety brotherly love, in brotherly love love, says Saint Peter 1703. Because true faith is like a spark, it is kindled by the Holy Spirit in a human heart, which emits the warmth of love. This divine spark is heated and fanned with God's help by reading or listening to God's words, thinking about the previous deeds of God, prayer, partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ; and outwardly, like a good tree, it bears the sweet fruits of love: patience, meekness, mercy, faithfulness, self-control, brotherly love, peace-loving and other Christian virtues. These are the fruits of a good tree, these are the signs of a good heart, cleansed by the faith of Christ; this essence was witnessed not by the flesh of the walking man, but by the spirit 1704. These witnesses will appear at the universal judgment of Christ and bear witness to the true and unhypocritical faith of God's elect, by which they are justified, and by which these beautiful withered fruits. Thich, like some treasure, will be pronounced by the righteous Judge Himself, and will announce them before the whole world: I am fed up, and I will give you to eat; I was thirsty, and give Me a drink; I was strange, and you brought me in; naked, and clothe Me; sick, and visit Me; I ran to prison and came to Me. How unfaithful will be the witnesses of their infidelity of their evil deeds: you are fed up, and I will not let you eat; I was thirsty, and do not give Me drink; I was a stranger, and you did not bring me in; naked, and do not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and do not visit Me 1705; - and again: I will rebuke you, and I will present your sins before your face 1706. For this reason, test yourself, beloved Christian, whether you are in the faith, although you confess God Christ the Son of God with your mouth. The apostle admonishes against this temptation: tempt yourselves, while you are in the faith, tempt yourselves 1707. Know for sure that there is no saving faith in one who has no good works, but there is some oral, hypocritical, or, as the apostle teaches, dead: for as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead 1708. For this reason, Christ also said: not everyone, we say: Lord, Lord, enter into the kingdom of heaven, but do the will of My Father, who is in heaven 1709. The will of the heavenly Father consists in this, so that we repent of our sins, believe in Christ and listen to His holy disciple, as He Himself declares: This is My Beloved Son, you who are willing: Listen to Him 1710. And what does this heavenly and universally preached Teacher teach us, His holy Gospel presents to us. – 5) We must turn away from evil and do good, so as not to defame and dishonor the high Christian rank and name. Christians should reason and remember that the apostle writes: God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness 1711; remember and take into account what St. Peter attributes to them: you are a chosen race, a royal sanctification, a holy tongue, people of renewal, as if the virtues will proclaim you out of the darkness of the One who called you into His wonderful world, who sometimes were not people, but now are God's people, etc. 1712; remember that they call upon the heavenly God, hear and pray: Our Father, who art in heaven 1713; it is necessary to pay attention to what the theologian writes: you see what love the Father has given us, so that we may be called children of God, and we are 1714; and again: our communion with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1715; they will remember and think that, according to the apostle, they are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in them; the church is because God's holiday is 1716. The great, high, and absolutely heavenly is called Christian, which is why earthly and worldly filth and impurity must be removed. The royal measure of this family does not tolerate walking in ruins, and it is protected from the vices that darken its glory, but it is covered with porphyry and hyssop and other objects worthy of an earthly kingdom. Christianity is the family name of the heavenly King, whose ruins of worldly stench and filthy sins are extremely indecent; but just as she is clothed with porphyry and the pure silk of the truth of Christ, so she walks in that royal adornment, and with the grace of God the creatures of Christian virtues adorn themselves. For this reason, the apostles of the saints, discussing this high Christian dignity, everywhere in their epistles lay before us our spiritual eyes and teach us to live worthy of it and admonish: I pray you, a bondman of the Lord, to walk worthy of the rank to which you are called, etc. 1717 And again: the saving grace of God appeared to all people, commanding us, yes, rejecting wickedness and worldly lusts, we will live chastely and righteously and piously in the present day 1718. This is what teaches us to crucify our flesh, which lusts after the spirit, to crucify with passions and lusts, to put off the old man and to put on the new 1719, etc. Oh, how many so-called heavenly dishonorers, who not only do not do deeds worthy of it, but also defile themselves with sinful vices, like stinking ruins! In this way, they clearly show that they have departed from that and turned to that darkness from which they were called by the grace of God into a wonderful world. For this reason, they must, while the time is favorable, while the day of salvation is there, admitting their error, until they return with a pure heart to the God who called them and now calls all, and prays to Him to accept His mercy first. - 6) Christians should note and remember what Christ said: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire 1720, - and what the apostle: if you live according to the flesh, you must die 1721. A tree is a person who is spiritually discerned, who, although he confesses the name of Christ, and with that confession, like a tree with leaves, is beautified and magnified, but his confession does not produce worthy fruits, that is, good works: why not to anything else, but to the eternal fire of Gehenna, like a barren tree on burned, will be delivered by the righteous judgment of God. That is why the apostle said: if you live according to the flesh, that is, if you follow the lusts of the flesh, you must die, where death is not temporary, but eternal, because both the righteous and the sinful die a temporary death: but those will rise to the resurrection of the belly (eternal), and these to the resurrection of judgment (eternal condemnation). 1722. May this terrible end frighten us from the evil and bitter fruits of sin, which are delivered to eternal fire, and may it move us to repentance and its sweet fruits. - But when we look at the temporary calamity, we will see that it is not unusual how this lawless and unrepentant human life is happening. Hence fires, famines, scarcity of bread and other everyday goods; hence plagues, earthquakes; hence the wars, terrible battles, bloodshed, the death of many thousands of people, and the lamentable cries of wives, parents, and children that follow, the destruction and devastation of cities and states, etc. Thus the truth of God, irritated by human iniquities, sends the terrible sword of His judgment and strikes the lawless! Let's fear this terrible sword, and create fruits worthy of repentance 1723. - 7) The apostle said: piety is useful for everything, the promise has the life of the present and the future 1724. God graciously and graciously promises piety not only in the future, but also in the present He will reward it with His blessing. If you walk in My commandments, and keep My commandments, and I will create: and I will give you rain in its time, and the earth will give its fruit, and the trees of the field will give their fruit; and you will receive the threshing of rye, the choice of wine, and the choice of wine will achieve the sowing, and you will eat your bread to the full, and you will settle firmly on your land, and war will not pass through your land; and I will give peace to your land, and you will sleep, and you will not be frightened: and I will destroy the wild beasts from your land, and so on. 1725 The 36th psalm beautifully presents to our eyes the blessing of God, which is given to the pious: even as the wicked, although they rise and rise, like the cedars of Lebanon, they also disappear so that their place is not found, even if you search for them. Piety also helps the pious on the day of death. It will be good for the one who fears the Lord, and on the day of his end he will receive grace 1726. In the future, all good things, which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed, are waiting for those who love God, according to His true promise 1727. However, this should not be understood as if our works deserve what God has; because even our good deeds must be attributed to God, who acts in us with His grace; ours are called so because we obey God's calling and working grace, and, sanctifying and strengthening that grace, we put to death the deeds of the flesh, and we create the fruits of faith, which is the gift of God, we fear and love God, and we show love to our neighbor. God owes nothing to anyone, and what He gives us is good, He gives it, according to His only goodness. For the sake of the one who promises His goodness, by which promise He arouses faith in us and the desire for piety, so also the promised one He gives to those who obey Him and believe, according to His one goodness. In this case, we need to remember the word of Christ: when you do all that is commanded you, say that we are slaves without keys: as those who are obliged to create, created 1728. But who is there who would fulfill all the commandments? One Christ, the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, fulfilled all and earned grace and glory from God, His heavenly Father. That is why glory and praise are appropriate, and we should always humbly confess: Thee, Lord, the truth is ours is the face of shame 1729, and pray: not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name, give glory for Your mercy and Your truth 1730. However, it should not be concluded from this based on carnal reasoning that when one sinks with a single faith, and not with good works, good works from God are obtained, then good works are also unnecessary. My opinion is so wrong. Whoever has such an opinion has no faith, because where there are no good deeds, there is no faith, which is known as a tree of good deeds (as it is said under the number 4 of this paragraph, and it will be offered below in the second book). For this reason, one must have faith, and testify to it by good works, and by faith we will receive God's promise. - 8) Brotherly Christian love is also required, so that we help our neighbor in his need, as it is said in the chapter on love, mercy and others, and spiritually create him as an example of Christian life and pious conversion. This is not said for the purpose, so that we do good deeds for the sake of it, so that we will be seen by this person (this purpose and intention, like Pharisaic hypocrisy, is discredited by the holy word of God), but that the good life of one person can give an opportunity to another, or to the one who is more zealous in the Christian cause, or to I will rise up from despair and despair. For true piety is like a light shining in the night of this world, which, although it is hidden, cannot be hidden, but can be seen from afar. By the example of a pious life, people are created no less than by words. And although this example of piety is necessary for parents for the sake of children, for pastors, that is, for bishops and priests for the sake of the Word of Christ's sheep, whom they shepherd with the word of God, for the authorities for the sake of the subordinates, for teachers for the sake of the students, for all the old for the sake of the young; in the same way, all Christians should not neglect this, but help and encourage each other in the Christian struggle against the flesh and the devil by their example. We can see from the history of the ancient Christians that there are examples of the strength of good conversion. During the persecution of Christians, how Christians followed each other in confessing the name of Christ, fearless in the face of tormentors, and how they encouraged each other by mutual example to suffer for Christ, church history testifies, so that not only men and women, perfect in age, but also the very young and youths, and the most almost children's age (age) diligently bowed their heads to the sword for Christ. And although that pious zeal was a gift of God, the same saving fire received its greater power and action from the mutual example, just as a natural kindled fire turns into a bigger flame when a second fire is attached to it and joins it, and the wind blows. - 9) The evil end of a impermanent life, that is, temptation, should stir us to a pious life and pious conversion. Good rule is God's word. Thy law is a lamp to my feet, O Lord, and a light to my paths, says the psalmist 1731. This lamp shines for us, those who walk in the darkness of this world, and shows how they walk, live and turn, what they do, and what they bow down to. Why temptations come in two main forms: the first, corrupt and contrary to the word of God by scholars, as heretics and other superstitions do; secondly, the one who lives contrary to the word of God and conducts himself corruptly among his brothers is a temptation. For both a good and an evil example strike one in the heart, another through hearing or vision; the one to good, and the other to evil prompts the seer or the hearer. Temptation is like a pestilence, which, having begun in one person, infects and kills many who live nearby: so corrupt teaching begins in a single heresy leader, but infects and destroys countless people; so also a corrupt single life often gives many people an opportunity to break the law, and they do what they have seen or heard, and it is not otherwise, as a house catches fire from a burning house next door, the lawless example of an unholy example is ignited and ignited by the flame. From here we see that another city and village is more abundant than the other with another lawlessness; others possess mammon and love of money; in one, luxury and all carnal pleasures are abundantly poured out, in the other, the pride of life shows itself more than others. It is also noted in houses and families: because one sees or hears evil from another and takes it, and thus becomes corrupt; but the second one learns the same thing, and so the stinking smell of a lawless life spreads and eats away at the soul, like an ulcer that has intensified. Although everyone can tempt one another, parents are especially tempting to children, shepherds to people, superiors to their subjects, masters to their slaves, teachers to students, old to young. For the life of the higher and the example of the lower is like a rule, or like a mirror in which they look, and according to that they correct themselves. The slanderers who scatter the sins and iniquities of others and fill the ears of their listeners with these things serve and help to dispel temptations. Woe to measure is temptation, Christ said in 1732. Woe to him, whose sake comes! It would have been better for him to have a millstone from Osel lay on his neck and thrown into the sea, than to tempt the little ones alone 1733. From this we can see that the great evil is temptation, which, like an ulcer, spreads and kills many. Let this evil convince us to turn away from lawlessness and strive for a virtuous life, so that the grief that tempts, according to the words of Christ, does not overtake us. - 10) We should strive for a virtuous life and for that sake, let us stop the mouths of our adversaries and enemies, who sharpen their poisonous tongues to abuse and slander us, and look to speak against us: thus, when they see that our life is not what they crush and spread, they will be ashamed and stop it. his mouth will be silent. And although it is the property of slanderers to find a reason for censure and slander there, where there is no reason; in the same way, their slander, as false and unjust, will be in vain, when the Lord will bring forth the truth of the innocent as holy, and their fate as the noonday, and then their sword, which they draw against the innocent, will plunge into their hearts 1734. - 11) Our pious life should lead us to such an end, yes, after seeing our good life, those who do not know and do not confess the name of Christ will turn to Christ, and they will be one with us, and they will glorify our Father, who is in heaven 1735. This is how many ancient Christians converted to Christ, as we read in church history. § 272. Reasoning about good deeds gives the opportunity to recall the ancient Christians (about whom little was said in the previous paragraph) and the state of the Christians of the present age, in order to present to everyone with intelligent eyes how far the present-day Christians have retreated from the Christian duty. The reader can also notice this in the discussion in which it was proposed about the fruits of faith, about earnest obedience to God, about glorifying His name, about gratitude to Him, and so on. For such an end it was proposed, that everyone may tempt himself while still in the faith of 1736. In the Apocalypse, Christ said to the angel (bishop) of the Ephesian church: imam on you, as you left your first love. Remember where you came from and repent; and create the first works. If not, you will come soon, and another 1737. This admonishing word of Christ our Lord is suitable for Christians of the present age and concerns them, as the love that the first Christians had and left behind. The ancient Christians had one heart and soul, as the apostle testifies: the people who believed had one heart and soul, 1738, that is, there was peace, harmony and love between them, the mother of all good. This is a sign of true Christianity, as the prophet foretold about this blessed agreement: they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles, and they will not turn their tongues against the sword's tongue, and they will not learn to save themselves 1739; - and Christ will say: everyone understands this, as you are My disciples, if you have love among yourselves 1740. The present ones do not have that, but heart against heart and soul against soul rise up; friends plot evil against each other in their hearts and souls. And what is hidden in the heart, that also comes out through quarrels, curses, backbiting, slander, insidious words, insults, bienia and other evil fruits. Not only every town, village, city and country knows this truth, but almost every house is a witness. It is hard to find a house where there is no mourning between friends. But what is strange, or rather pitiful, brother with brother, sister with sister, husband and wife, whom natural love should bring together, are in disagreements and quarrels. - Among the ancient Christians, there was not a single one of them, 1741, because they were philanthropic, merciful and generous, imitating their Father, who is in heaven. This is not the case with the present; but the streets and houses are filled with beggars; the dungeons are filled with impoverished debtors who are sitting for debts, arrears of dowries, bills and other needs; many wander away from fire accidents without homes with their wives and small children; many remain for the day's food, many go to ruins, many are half-naked. The reason for this is the self-love and avarice of the rich, who themselves want to be sufficiently and excessively satisfied, to rest, to adorn themselves with silks and linens, to live in rich palaces, to present rich tables, to drink expensive wines, to have enough servants, to ride in trains on chosen horses, to keep the dog's appetite, to play cards and other amusements; but they do not want to neglect and look at their own, similar brothers, who are suffering. - Ancient Christians sold villages and houses, and the price of those sold was brought together for the benefit of the *faithful* 1742. Not so today; but each other takes villages, lands, fields, fields, courts and other necessities of life from each other; they drive them out of their homes, they shed the tears of the poor, widows, orphans and other defenseless people. - Ancient Christians were simple-hearted, they did not deceive each other, but they declared the truth to each other, and therefore they believed each other. Not so today; the same thing shows the opposite, when a friend flatters, caresses, but thinks evil in his heart. They speak in tongues like Judas Christ: Rejoice! and in the heart they teach betrayal and murder. They caress with their mouths: brothers, but in their hearts they have an enemy. They promise with their words, but think otherwise with their hearts. - Among the ancient Christians, chastity and abstinence flourished. Today it is not like that: drunkenness, luxury, carnal lust, and the following dissimilar games, songs, calls, are almost everywhere. Ancient Christians were meek, they forgave each other's sins from the heart. The current one is not that; but for the opposite word, or drawing both, they want to eradicate both. This is evidenced by the courts, which are filled with scathing slanders from one friend to another. - The ancient Christians had some zeal for glorification of God, for prayer, for listening to God's word, from this it is clear that until they had churches of God's prayers for the sake of persecution, they gathered in their homes for the sake of that God-pleasing work, and so their houses were like churches; otherwise, deserts and nativity scenes were prayer houses. Today it is not like that, but although the churches are, and always open, and always with the ringing of the bell, as with a favorable voice, the church calls Christians to the glorification of God and communal prayer, but still few people hurry. Although many come, but for the sake of the ceremony, and others, what is worse, for a single temptation, with laughter, conversations, and other unnecessary amusements. Many freely roam the streets, make noise and debauchery in drinking houses and taverns, rather than go to the churches for the glorification of God and prayer. About the word of God and they will announce nothing, which, although it is little and rarely preached, is the same as those who are full, or rather, as those who are incapacitated by a fever, take food, they indulge too much with funny and seductive books to console *and cheer up* their flesh, rather than seek the words of God for the benefit of the soul, for which it was given. - The ancient Christians had such love and zeal for Christ, that is why it is clear that men, women, boys, girls, and young adults joyfully surrendered themselves to death for His name: now that is not the case. Their tormentors - kings and princes could not turn away from Christ with the cruelest tools: current silver, gold, lust of the flesh, luxury, drunkenness and other passions turn away. - Ancient Christians often partook of Christ's Mysteries, as the sinners of food are immortal; from whence even now the holy church calls out daily: approach with the fear of God and faith! The current ones do not have what the case itself shows; but once a year, and even then almost under compulsion, they start eating that immortal meal, and many put it off to the point of illness, others almost to the point of death. A thing worthy of pity! People rush to banquets with joy, but to the spiritual and holiest meal, to which Christ calls, they go almost out of necessity! - Among the ancient Christians, the love of strangers was so strong that they invited each other to the company of strangers, following the faith and love of their forefather Abraham. The current one does not see that; but either they do not open the door to travelers at all, or they open it, but with a wage agreement. - The ancient Christians did not hear lies and cunning: among the modern ones, lying, deceiving, and seducing are not considered a sin. - You must see what care and attention the ancient Christian shepherds had for the flock of Christ: I am not talking about the present ones; everyone knows about it (by pastors I mean bishops and priests). - Ancient Christians, sitting in judgmental places, how diligently they observed the truth and wiped the tears of the poor! Now that is not heard: but instead of perjury, violation of the truth, or rather, it was banished, and judicial places became markets and taverns: instead of God's judgment, a purchase is made; instead of God, mammon is worshiped, and instead of truth, gold and silver utter their voice. Everyone will know this truth when they come to court without money. - The ancient Christians taught their children in the law of God, the passion of God and all piety: today's people do not have that; but instead they teach children dancing, world politics and other nonsense. Why does it happen that there is no piety in fathers, and there is nothing to look for in children and grandchildren. Thus, today's Christians have left the first love, and with love faith and true piety. And although many of today's Christians build churches of God, as we can see, they are stone or wooden, but they destroy animated ones. They decorate the Gospel with gold and silver, but what the Gospel teaches, they do not want to touch, or rather, do not know. Others give alms, but others take it away. And what is the use of that? For this is not God-pleasing, but God-opposing work. And this is how the current pagan state entered Christianity. For although not by mouth, but by deeds, the present-day Christians reject Christ, whom the ancient Christians, even when forced by torments, did not want to renounce. God is professed to be known, and His deeds are avenged, said the apostle, 1743; - and again Christ: these people approach Me with their mouths, and with their lips they hear Me, but their hearts are far away from Me 1744. § 273. For this reason, we should pay attention to what Christ said to the bishop of the Ephesian church: remember whence you have fallen, and repent. This sweet voice of our merciful Savior hits everyone's ears. Oh, let him hit the hearts with his divine strength, and wake up the souls that have fallen asleep in the heavy sleep of sin! Hits the shepherd: change your calling and shepherd the flock of God (My), which comes not by necessity, but by will, and according to God; below unrighteous profits, but diligently; not as possessing the sacrament, but let the images of the herd be, which I have redeemed with My blood 1745. They hit the judges: remember where you are sitting; Азъ рѣхъ: bozi este. How long will you judge falsely, and the faces of sinners will be crushed 1746? Hit the parents: remember your children; educate them in the discipline and teachings of the Lord 1747. It will hit everyone in general and every class of people: remember where you slept from and repent! The Holy Spirit says in the psalm: today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts 1748. Fornicate, brothers, says the apostle, lest there be in some of you a wicked heart, full of unbelief, in which the living departs from God. But comfort yourselves every day, until today it is called, so that no one will be hardened by your sinful flattery. Because we are partakers of Christ, even at the beginning of the composition, even to the end, we will keep the known 1749. If we harden our hearts, then we will listen to what Christ said to the aforementioned bishop: you will come soon, and so on. This already comes to us with various punishments, the invasion of foreign tribesmen, our enemies, pestilence, frequent fires, the destruction of the fruitfulness of our fields, diseases and sorrows and various calamities, and somehow persuades us to listen to his voice and repent. Even so, we will not listen: this is a preparation for the judgment of His throne, 1750. The Lord is coming among His holy angels to judge all and to rebuke all the wicked for all their wicked deeds, etc. 1751 This, he himself said, I am coming like a thief: blessed is he who watches and eats his robes, but he does not walk naked, and he sees his shame 1752 . As they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and encroaching, until the day when Noah put them into the ark, and did not take them out, until the waters come and take everything away: so shall the coming of the Son of man be 1753. For this reason, come before that day, which is terrible for sinners, does not come. Come all of you. Let's return to the shepherd and visitor of our souls, Christ the Son of God. He will call us as we have heard and wait; He is ready to embrace everyone with His most holy love, like a father to a prodigal son. Let no one be embarrassed by the multitude and majesty of sins! He calls all, small and great, sinners, and promises eternal peace to souls: come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest 1754. Let no one doubt His surpassing mercy and love of humanity! His holy Gospel and His love for humanity depicted in it, which He showed to sinners while wandering on earth in the most holy flesh, firmly convinces us. How diligently he attracts the wife of the Samaritan, a former harlot! He promises her an eternal spring of water flowing in her life 1755. With a favorable face he looks at the sinner washing his feet with tears, and he utters a kind and comforting voice to her: otpuschayutsya tebesy 1756. How humanely he allows an adulterer! I do not condemn you; go, and do not sin against anyone 1757. How benevolently and mercifully He will receive all publicans and sinners who approach Him 1758. How vividly does He depict His careful and zealous mercy for the recovery of sinners in the image of the owner, who, having a hundred sheep, and destroys one of them, does he not leave the ninety and nine in the desert, and follow the trail of the lost, wherever they are? And the obret lays it on its frame, rejoicing, and the rest 1759. How mercifully He looks at the rejected student 1760 in the midst of his suffering, and with His eyes gives His mercy and grace to comfort and strengthen him, so that his faith does not weaken 1761! What a merciful hand of help, already hanging on the cross, is given to the thief, and almost from the very gates of hell he praises him, and opens the doors of the heavenly kingdom! Amen I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise 1762. How finally, from the height of glory, His gracious and loving voice strikes the ears and heart of Saul, the former blasphemer and persecutor and tormentor! Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me 1763? And he makes the persecutor a preacher of his name, and the whole universe a teacher 1764. Our Lord deals with sinners so meekly, so mercifully, so humanely! As I do not want the death of a sinner, but to turn him from the path of evil, and live to be him 1765. When we have such a merciful Lord: come, let us put aside the dark cloud of hostile thoughts that covers our hearts, and, having put aside the dark deeds, let us put on the armor of the world 1766, let us remember whence we slept, and when we remember, let us weep before the Lord who created us and redeemed us with his blood His own, as He is our God, and we are His people and the sheep of His hands 1767. We will all raise our voice with one accord from our hearts: soon let us anticipate Your bounties, Lord, as the poor are afflicted with evil! Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of Your name. Lord, deliver us and cleanse our sins, for Your name's sake 1768. And again: Lord God of strength! choose us, and enlighten Your face, and we will be saved 1769. And again: return us, O God of our salvation, and turn Your fury away from us. Are you always angry with us? or spread Your wrath from generation to generation? God! You turn and revive us, and Your people rejoice over You. Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation 1770. And again: hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and those who live in the distant seas 1771. And again: remember us, Lord, in the favor of Your people, visit us with Your salvation, see Your chosen ones in goodness, rejoice in the joy of Your tongue, boast in Your glory. Those who have sinned with our fathers, the lawless, the untruthful 1772. This reasoning of mine does not concern those who, by the grace of God, stand immovably in faith, and faith shows fruits. I know and firmly hold that the Lord has His servants who worship Him, and He knows them. The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: the Lord knows His existence, said the apostle 1773. He knows His own, and His creatures know Him 1774. Therefore, I wish to remain in that grace of God, and succeed day by day, that strength comes from strength to strength, and to the end to strive in that feat, and to help my brothers, who have forgotten and are forgetting their Christian duty, with fervent prayer. This is what Christ said: be faithful even unto death, and I will give you a crown of life 1775. And only here my word belongs to those who boast of piety, but its strength, which consists in faith, passion and love of God, are rejected 1776, they profess to know God, but their works will avenge Him 1777, on the tongue of faith, but in their hearts they have unbelief and godlessness 1778. The second conclusion. About constancy and ultimate permanence in faith He who perseveres to the end will be saved, Christ said in 1779. No one puts his hand to the plow and turns back in vain, it is ruled in the kingdom of God, Christ said 1780 Be faithful even to death, and I will give you a crown of the stomach 1781. Even if the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits unrighteousness, according to all the iniquities that the wicked person has committed, all his righteousness that he has committed will not be remembered: in his transgressions, he will transgress, and in his sins, he will die in them 1782. Don't you know how those who run in disgrace, all run away, but only one will lose honor? So flow, and reach 1783. § 274. It is not enough for salvation to begin piety, but one must also end one's life in the act of piety. Many start, but not all finish, as the very thing shows. Such is similar to the beginning of the path from one place to another, and back again with the path returning; like one who begins to build a church, but leaves it unfinished; similar to one who begins to build a pillar, and one who does not complete it. Such a person gives himself up to the ridicule and insult of his enemies, the devil and his servants, who, when he sees it, will begin to curse him, shouting: how this man has begun to surrender, and cannot complete 1784. Why does the holy word of God attribute salvation to only the faithful who remain in faith to the end, endure to the end 1785; who, at the beginning of the composition, even to the end, hold fast 1786, do not turn back from the devoted holy commandments 1787, will strive to the end with a good feat, finish the course, observe the faith 1788. This is the crown of truth 1789. For this reason, the good that is begun, the good must be finished in order to receive the promise of God - eternal life. § 275. Obstacles to perfect salvation and obtaining eternal bliss. 1) Satan, the enemy of our souls, with evil angels lays various tricks on us. Our war is not against blood and flesh, but against the beginning, and against the authorities, and against the peacekeepers, the darkness of this age, against the evil spirits of the heavens, says the apostle in 1790. And again: your opponent will be the devil, like a roaring lion, walking around looking for someone to devour, Saint Peter said in 1791. – 2) Our flesh with its passions and lusts rises against us: the flesh lusts after the spirit, says the apostle in 1792. We feel another law in our hands, warring against the law of our mind, and ensnaring us with the sinful law that is in our hands 1793. - 3) There are many charms and temptations of this measure, with which our weak flesh is irritated and our conscience often fights, so that we are often and reluctantly forced to see them or hear them. Woe to measure comes from temptation: there is no need to accept temptation, Christ said in 1794. And the closer the end of the age approaches, the more they multiply. This is what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, as in the last days there will be times of fury. For men will be self-loving, money-loving, majestic, proud, blasphemers, hostile to their parents, ungrateful, unrighteous, unloving, irreconcilable, arrogant, arrogant, slanderers, slanderers, intemperate, necromancers, ill-wishers, traitors, insolent, pompous, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God 1795. - These are the essence of piety! With these enemies, Christians have an eternal war! Against these faithful ones, day and night, with a cheerful spirit and insatiable diligence, they need to fight! These adversaries often distract the soul from the path of the pious even at the end. With weeping, St. Basil the Great likens a Christian merchant who sails on the sea of ​​this world, tempted by the waves of the confused, and often sees his ship wrecked at the very harbor 1796. This is the end proposed here, so that those who want to receive eternal salvation, shake off the sleep of laziness, do not look at the beginning, but at the end, - the end is the end of everything, - so that they do not rely on their own strength, piety, labor undertaken, but on God, who begins and completes. For this reason, the holy word of God encourages us everywhere to be diligent, careful and watchful. Remember Lotova's wife, Christ said in 1797, who looked back, and there was a pillar of elephants in 1798. Be faithful even to death 1799. Pretend to stand, let's watch, let's not fall 1800 . Work out your salvation with fear and trembling 1801. Sober, stay awake 1802 . § 276. Human desire cannot do anything by itself; A person can neither start, nor do, nor accomplish anything without God. You cannot do anything without Me, Christ said in 1803. God begins the work of our salvation, does it and accomplishes it when we do not resist Him and do what His grace works. We need God's help everywhere. God's help is promised to those who ask Him in faith: ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; push, and it will be opened to you 1804 . And those who ask in faith, seek and knock at the door of heaven, always open to those who ask in faith, then according to the promise they will receive, they will find it, and it will be opened to them. Everyone asks for permission, and seeks and receives, and it is opened to the one who tries, said Christ in 1805. Even though men, who are evil beings, know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more the Father, who is from heaven, by nature good and the source of goodness, will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him 1806. And parents, although they want to help their children, but it often happens that they can't, because not all people can do what they want. God is not like that, but everything is possible. He wants to give us everything as a gift; and everything is possible, as the Almighty. For this reason, in such tight circumstances, in such a difficult and dangerous feat against our enemies, we should not lose heart, not despair, but to Him, as the most merciful Father, our champion, protector and helper, run with faith, ask Him, seek Him, always push with sighs and faith at the door of His mercy: yes the good work of the night is done in us, even until the day of Jesus Christ 1807; yes, with His divine power, He will fulfill our faith in salvation, which is ready to appear in the last time, 1808; yes, having called us to His eternal glory, O Christ Jesus, who suffered little, He will perfect us, confirm us, strengthen us, and establish us 1809; to confirm us and save us from the evil one 1810; do not leave us to be tempted more than we can, but create with temptation and abundance, as you will enable us to bear 1811. "There is a custom," Basil the Great said, "those who are sailing on the sea look at the sky, and from there they will take the current of the sea, during the day it is the sun, but at night it is the northern or other stars that appear, and so they will always notice the right course of the sea. And you, that is, floating on the sea of ​​this world, raise your hair to the sky, following the example of the rexhago: I raised my eyes to You, who lives in the heavens 1812. Look at the Sun of truth, that is, Christ, and, like some bright star, surrender yourself to the commandments of the Lord, and have a watchful eye. Do not give sleep to your eyes, and let your eyebrows slumber, but you will always take the command of the flow. A lamp, for, I say, Thy law is with my feet, and the light is with my paths 1813. Because you will never doze off at the helm while you are in this life: you will receive the help of the assisting Spirit, who will always guide you further, and with a light and quiet breath will even lead you to a saving, quiet and cheerful haven" 1814. To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One Triune God, our Creator, Savior and Provider, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen! 1 Pet. 1, 16; Lion. 11, 44; 19, 2. Gal. 5, 24; Qty. 3, 9, 10; Ef. 4, 22–24. In the words at the beginning of Proverbs.