Книга 28 [глава 38, стихи 1–11]

The first eleven verses of the thirty-eighth chapter are explained in various senses, but especially in the moral sense. 1. After the loss of property, the death of his children, the wounds of his body, the words of his wife that inclined him to evil, the hurtful speeches of his comforters, and so much affliction as he had received, blessed Job would have received from the Judge a reward for his so great constancy, if he were taken from this world just now. But after he is left in this world and receives twice as much as he had, after his health is restored, so that he can enjoy more of his restored property, Almighty God must rebuke him with strict justice, the one whom He preserves alive, so that his victory does not turn into death for him from pride. For what usually kills the soul more fatally than the consciousness of virtue? For when he puffs himself up from attention to himself, it deprives him of the fullness of truth; and while he believes that the presence of virtue is sufficient in itself to achieve reward, it distracts him from progress towards improvement. Job was righteous before his tribulations, but he became even more righteous after his tribulations; and, having been praised before by the voice of God, he increased even more after the blow. For as a rod is lengthened by hammering, so it was raised higher to the glory of God when it was struck down by heavy afflictions. But he who stood upright in his virtues when he fell on his face wounded was bound to be humiliated. He had to be humiliated so that the weapon of pride would not pierce his strong chest, of which it was clear that even the wounds that had been inflicted would not break him. To do this, it was undoubtedly necessary to find someone superior to blessed Job. But who could it be if the voice of the Lord said about him: Have you seen my servant Job? For there is no man equal to him on earth (Job 1:8, 2:3) 2620. After this, with whom should he be compared in order for him to be surpassed, the one who is said by the testimony of God Himself that he cannot be surpassed in comparison with any man? What then could have been done, if not that the Lord Himself related His virtues to him and said to him: can you lift up the morning star in your time, and can you lift up the evening star above the sons of men (Job 38:32) 2621? And again: Did the gates of death open for you, and did you see the dark doors (Job 38:17) 2622?, or: Did you command the dawn after the sunrise, and did you show its place to the morning (Job 38:12) 2623? For who can do these things except the Lord? And yet the man was asked about this in order that he might know that he was not able to do it; so that a person who has grown in boundless virtues, such that no other person can surpass him, does not swell with pride, knowing that he is incomparably superior in comparison with God. But how greatly will he exalt, who is so sublimely humbled! Oh, how great will be the victory of a person who is worthy to be compared with God! Oh, how much he has gained, who has learned and confirmed how much less than God he is! For he is very strong, the one who confirms with his answers to such questions that he is weak. And since we have now come to discussing very complex issues, let us now return again to the words of the text. Verse 1. But the Lord answered Job from the storm and said (Job 38:1) 2624. 1. The way I see it is that if the speech were addressed to a person in health and well-being, the Lord would not be described as speaking out of a storm. But because He speaks to one who was scourged, He is described as speaking out of the storm. For the Lord speaks to His servants in one way when He improves them within, and in another when He sends them burdens so that they do not become arrogant. For through the kind words of the Lord His mercy is revealed, but through His severity His almighty power is revealed. The first guides souls along the path forward, the second checks how they develop along this path. The first shows what to desire, the second shows what to fear. To one He says: rejoice and rejoice, daughter of Zion, for behold, I will come and dwell in your midst (Zechariah 2:10) 2625. To others He said: The Lord will come in a storm, and His ways appear in a whirlwind (Isa. 66:15) 2626. For He is truly merciful, Who comes to live among us. But when He makes His way a storm and a whirlwind, He certainly troubles the hearts He touches; and, in order to tame their pride, He reveals Himself powerful and terrible. 2. It should also be said that the Lord's speeches are in different ways. The Lord speaks Himself, or His words come to us with the help of an angelic being. But when He speaks Himself, He reveals itself to us solely by the power of His inner inspiration. When He speaks Himself, the heart is immersed in His speech without words or syllables; because His power, as we know, has a kind of inner height. Such a force, if it enters a filled mind, lifts it, but when it enters an empty mind, it lowers it down... This is a disembodied light that fills the internal parts without boundaries. It is silent speech that opens the ears, but does not utter a word. For this is what is written about the descent of the Holy Spirit: Suddenly there was a sound from heaven, as of a mighty one approaching, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them (Acts 2:2–3) 2627. The Lord really appeared by fire, but He spoke to them Himself inside them. And the sound does not show that the fire was God; the sound shows externally what He has done internally. For because He inwardly made the disciples holy in zeal and skilled in speech, He is reflected in tongues of flame. The signs were therefore used with meaning so that their bodies could feel the fire and sound, and their hearts could be taught by the invisible fire and the voice without sound. The appearance of fire was external, but the knowledge that it gave was internal. And when Queen Candice's eunuch sat in his chariot, and traveled, and held Isaiah in his hands, without understanding him, the Spirit, doubtless, said to Philip in his heart: Dock in the chariot (Acts 8:29) 2628. When Cornelius sent soldiers who feared God to call Peter, Peter undoubtedly heard the Spirit in his mind: Behold, three men are looking for you. Arise, get down and go with them (Acts 10:19) 2629. For the Spirit of God, as it were, speaks secretly some words in us, in order by His hidden power to communicate what must be done, and to commit in an instant, without sound or slowness of speech, to the unlearned heart of man the hidden secrets. For the ear does not immediately understand all the statements that it catches, since it perceives sentences by words, and words by individual syllables; but our vision perceives suddenly and at once the entire object it sees; the words of God who speaks to us are seen from within, not heard; because, while He manifests Himself without stopping to speak, He suddenly shines a light on the darkness of our ignorance. Whence, when Baruch the son of Neriah explained how he heard the words of the prophet Jeremiah, he said: he spoke all these words with his mouth as if he were reading them, and I wrote them down (Jer. 36:18) 2630. For he who speaks when reading looks in one direction, but pronounces his words in another, because he speaks what he sees. The prophets of God, therefore, see rather than hear His words in their hearts, and speak as if they were reading. 3. But when God declares His will through an Angel, He indicates it sometimes by words, sometimes by things, sometimes by words and things at the same time, sometimes by images shown to the eye of the heart, sometimes even by images taken for a time from the air and shown to the eyes of the body, sometimes by celestial substances, sometimes by earthly substances, and sometimes by both earthly and heavenly substances together. But sometimes God speaks through an Angel to the hearts of people in such a way that the Angel Himself is presented to the gaze of the mind. 4. For the Lord speaks in words through Angels, when nothing is displayed outwardly, but the words of Heavenly speech are heard; as to the Lord, saying: Father, glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You (John 17:1) 2631. He immediately answered: I have glorified Him, and I will glorify Him again (John 12:28) 2632. God, Who speaks without time, by the power of an internal impulse, said this outside of time with the voice of His Nature, but at the same time made human words clear. Speaking, undoubtedly, “from heavenly places,” He put into a form understandable to a rational being these words of His, which He wanted to be heard by people. 5. But sometimes God speaks through Angels with the help of signs, when nothing is said in words, but future events are announced through images composed of elements. So Ezekiel, without hearing the words, saw the appearance of enamel in the midst of a fire (Ezekiel 1:4) 2633; so that by studying these objects he can understand the things that are to happen afterwards. For enamel (“electrum”) is a mixture of two metals: gold and silver. In enamel, the admixture of silver actually becomes more shiny, and the brightness of gold softens. What is revealed to us under the name “enamel”, if not the Mediator between God and people? For, although He presented Himself to us as a union of Divine and human natures, He seemed to make His human nature more glorious through His Godhead, and tempered the Divine nature to be perceived by our eyes through His human nature. For when human nature shone forth with so many wonders from the power of God, silver was strengthened with gold; and because God appeared in the flesh, and suffered so many hardships in it, the gold, as it was, is overshadowed by silver. And this enamel is well represented in the midst of the fire, because it is the flame of Judgment that follows the mystery of His incarnation. For it is written: The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22) 2634. 6. But sometimes God speaks through Angels, in words and deeds at once, when He teaches with certain gestures what He says in words. For Adam, after his sin, could never hear the Lord in His Divinity, but he heard words of reproof from the Angel, of whom it is written: When he heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden on the afternoon wind, he hid himself among the trees of the garden (Gen. 3:8) 2635. What does it mean that after the fall of man God no longer stands, but walks in the garden, except that He left the heart of man after the invasion of sin? What does it mean if He does this in the wind of the afternoon, if not that the bright light of truth is gone, and the cold of sin will freeze his sinful soul? He denounced Adam, therefore, even by this walk, showing that He could let the lagging souls know their wickedness, not only in words, but also in deed; so that a sinful man can hear His words about what he has done, and perceive His walking as a revelation of the impermanence of his variability, the loss of stability of eternity, and in the wind he could observe his own cold when the warmth of grace left him, and understand by the decline of the sun that he is approaching darkness. 7. Sometimes God speaks through Angels, revealing images to the eyes of the heart; for example, when Jacob was sleeping, he saw a ladder leaning against the sky (Gen. 28:12) 2636. Or when Peter, in a frenzy, saw a linen cloth full of reptiles and four-legged animals (Acts 10:10–12) 2637, for he would not have been in a state of trance (frenzy) if he had not looked at it with his inner eyes, not his body. Also, a man from Macedonia appeared to Paul in a vision at night and asked him to come to Macedonia (Acts 16:9) 2638. Sometimes God speaks through Angels in images created temporarily from the air and presented to bodily eyes. When, for example, Abraham not only saw three people, but also led them into an earthly dwelling, and not only received them, but also treated them to food (Gen. 18:2) 2639. If the Angels, while declaring certain truths, had not for some time revealed their bodies from the air, they would not, in truth, have been visible to our bodily eyes; they would not have taken food with Abraham if they had not carried for our benefit certain solid substances from the celestial elements. And it is not surprising that they are often called "Angels", and sometimes "Lord", because the word "Angels" designates those who serve, and when they are all spoken of together as "Lord", this points us to the One who rules them from within, so that it is clearly indicated in Whose power they are (Ex. 3: 2-4) 2640. 8. Sometimes God speaks through Angels with the help of heavenly things, as it is written, for example, that when the Lord was baptized, a voice sounded from the cloud saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17) 2641. Sometimes God speaks through Angels with earthly things, for example, when he rebuked Balaam, He put human words into the mouth of a donkey (Num. 22:28) 2642. Sometimes He speaks through Angels with earthly and heavenly things together. For example, when He declared the words of His will to Moses, He gathered fire and bush together, and one was on top of the other (Ex. 3:2) 2643. But this is done only when such a connection means something. For what else does He indicate when He addresses Moses through the burning bush, if not that he will become the ruler of this people, who will feel the flame of the Law on them, and still will not escape the thorn of sin? Or what will come out of this people, the One who will take away the sins of our flesh with the fire of His Divinity, like the thorns of a bush, but will preserve human nature even in the flame of the Divine? 9 . But sometimes God pours out the power of his inspiration into the hearts of people through angels through their secret presence. Therefore Zechariah says: And the angel who spoke in me said to me (Zechariah 1:14) 2644. By saying that the Angel spoke in him, and also to him, he clearly showed that the One who spoke to him did not do without any bodily manifestations. Where did he add a little after: and, behold, the angel who spoke in me comes out (Zechariah 2:3) 2645. For they do not appear outwardly, but, since they are angelic spirits, they make known the will of God to the senses of the prophets, and raise them to sublime considerations, and all events that are still in the future, they set forth as happening now. For the heart of man, burdened with the weight of corruptible flesh, carrying its body as an obstacle, does not penetrate into things, but lies as a heavy burden outside; because it has no strength within to lift it. Therefore, as has already been said, angelic virtue turns itself, as it is, to the feelings of the prophets, and their mind rises, as if touched by a subtle spirit, no longer lazy and sluggish, but, filled with inspiration in motion, it rises to a height, and from there it sees below it, as from a high eminence, the things that are to come. But it is necessary that no one should think that in the indicated words of Zechariah, the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit is designated by the word “Angel.” If he thinks so, let him turn to the text of the Holy Scriptures, and it will quickly change his mind. For they never call the Father, or the Holy Spirit, “Angel,” nor the Son, except in cases where His incarnation is preached. And this is clearly revealed in the words of the same Zechariah, that the Angel, that is, the being, actually spoke in him when he said: and behold, the Angel who spoke in me came out. And he immediately communes: and another Angel comes to meet him, and says to him: tell this young man, saying: He will populate Jerusalem without limitation (Zechariah 2:3-4) 2646. The Angel, therefore, who is sent, and who is entrusted by the Angel with what words he should speak, is not God. But because in the eyes of their Creator, the Angels are distinguished according to their ranks (in order that, enjoying the common happiness of their blessed state, they may rejoice together, looking to their Creator, and yet serve each other according to their rank) An Angel sends an Angel to the Prophet, and both teach and guide him, whom they see next to them in their common joy in God. 10. The above was said to show how God speaks to people. But when the Lord said that He answered Job from the storm, it is a moot point whether He spoke to him Himself, or through an Angel. For disturbances in the air could have been made by an Angel, and these words, which were communicated, could have been conveyed through him. And again, at the same time, the Angel could create a whirlwind, and the Lord could sound in his heart with His power within him without words; In order to be able to believe that one who is filled with God has heard this without words, the words of the sayings of the Lord that follow are pronounced. Therefore it is said: Verse 2. Who is this who draws condemnation with unskillful words (Job 38:2) 2647? 11. As we have said before, in previous parts, questions of this kind, which ask “who is this?”, are the beginning of conviction. For Elihu spoke arrogantly. And we don’t ask “Who is this?” about people, except for those people we don’t know. But knowledge on the part of God is affirmation; His ignorance of someone is a rejection. That is why He says about those whom He rejects: I don’t know who you are, where you come from; Depart from Me, all workers of iniquity (Luke 13:27) 2648. What then does the question about this arrogant person mean, “Who is this?”, if not openly said: I do not know you, arrogant one, that is, I do not approve in the height of My wisdom of an arrogant life. Because although the arrogant are puffed up by human praise, they are deprived of the true glory of eternal reward. But in the fact that He said condemnation, we, of course, understand that this is not good. And He says that they were involved in this with unskillful words, because they spoke in the language of boasting. For this is the fault of inability: to have what is righteous and use it unrighteously, that is, to pervert the heavenly gift with the desire for earthly glory. For, as it often happens that good things are presented poorly, and bad things are presented well, so the arrogant Elihu put forward the right truths incorrectly, because, in defense of God, he uttered humble words with unhumble feelings. Therefore, he deservedly serves as the image of all those who in the Church fall into vanity: for they consider themselves skillful, but are found guilty of ineptitude by the Divine court; because, as the apostle said: if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he still does not know anything as he should know (1 Cor. 8:2) 2649. And since the primary mistake of that same Angel was the pride of the heart, humility in assessing oneself becomes the true wisdom of a person. And anyone who refuses this, even while thinking about great things, is even more outrageously stupid. Therefore Elihu is condemned, and those like him utter unskillful words, because he knew the truth that he spoke about God, and yet his foolish pride made what he said foolish. Therefore, looking at this man with contempt, His words are directed at Job’s teaching. Verse 3. Gird up your loins like a man (Job 38:3) 2650. 12. The Holy Scriptures are in the habit of calling “husband” those people who undoubtedly follow the path of the Lord with firm and consistent steps. Where the psalmist said: “Take courage, and let your heart be strengthened” (Ps. 30:25) 2651. Therefore Paul says: lift up your hanging hands and weak knees (Heb. 12:12) 2652. Where does the wisdom in the parables say: to you, men, I call (Proverbs 8:4) 2653, as if she openly says: I do not speak to women, but to men, for they, who are fickle in mind, cannot understand my words at all. But “girdling the loins” means limiting lust, either in action or in thought. For the joys of the body are in the belt. Whence it is said to the holy preachers: Let your loins be girded and your lamps lighted (Luke 12:35) 2654. For the loins signify lust, and the lamps the brightness of good deeds. They were commanded, therefore, to gird up their loins, and light their lamps. It was as if they had heard openly: first, limit the thirst in yourself, and then show examples of good deeds for others. But we know that blessed Job was endowed with such great chastity, why then was it said to him after so many disasters: gird your loins like a man (that is, like a brave man restrain your lusts), except that there is one lust - the flesh, with which we pollute our chastity, but there is also another lust - the heart, because of which we boast of chastity? He said, therefore, to him, “gird your loins like a man,” in order that he who first overcame the lusts of the flesh should now restrain the lusts of pride; so that he does not become proud of himself for patience or chastity, becoming more deadly lustful before the eyes of God, the more patient and chaste he appears before the eyes of people. Hence it is well said by Moses: circumcise the foreskin of your heart (Deut. 10:16) 2655, which means that when you have limited lust in the flesh, you must also cut off unnecessary thoughts. From here: I will ask you, and you explain to Me (Job.38:3) 2656. 13. Our Creator is in the habit of questioning us in three directions; when He strikes us with the severity of punishment, and reveals what great patience we either have or should have in us. Or when He prescribes certain things that we don't like and reveals our obedience or disobedience. Or he reveals to us some hidden truths, and hides others, and makes known to us the measure of our humility. For He tests us with the scourge, when He punishes with sorrows the mind that was duly subjected to Him in times of calm. The same Job was at the same time praised by His Judge, and yet fell under the blows of the punisher, so that his patience could manifest itself the more truly, the more severely he was punished. But He tests us by putting us through tough things, like Abraham, who was ordered to leave his country and go where he did not know (Gen. 12:1) 2657 to bring his only son to the mountain, and sacrifice him, the one he received when he was old as a consolation. For, undoubtedly, this was a good answer to the question of how obedient he was to the command: Now I know that you fear God (Gen. 22:12) 2658. Or, as it is written: The Lord your God is testing you to know whether you will love Him (Deut. 13:3) 2659. For God tests us, thus questioning us through his mighty commands. His knowledge of us is also His demonstration to us of our own obedience. But God asks us, revealing some things to us, and closing others, as the psalmist says: His eyelids try the sons of men (Ps. 10:4) 2660 When our eyelids are open, we see; when they are closed we see nothing. What do we understand by the words of the eyelids of God, if not his judgments? That in one respect they are closed to people, and in another they are opened so that people who do not know themselves can recognize themselves; so that, while they understand some truths, they are not at all able to understand others, and their hearts secretly search themselves when Divine judgments prompt them. For Paul was shown by these questions, who, after he had experienced inner wisdom, after heaven had been opened to him, after ascending to the third heaven, after the mysteries of heavenly words, still says: I do not count myself to have attained (Phil. 3:13) 2661. And again: I am the least of the Apostles, and I do not answer to be called an apostle (1 Cor. 15:9) 2662. And again: It’s not that we can think anything as if from ourselves; but our ability is from God (2 Cor. 3:5) 2663. Paul then, when asked of God with his open eyelids, answered correctly, for he, having attained to the heavenly mysteries, yet stood exalted in humility of heart. And again, when he was discussing the secret judgments of God concerning the renunciation of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and could not reach an understanding, he was asked how it was by the closed eyelids of God. But he carefully found the correct answer, in his ignorant state he wisely bowed before God, saying: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are His destinies and His ways unsearchable! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor (Rom. 11:33–34) 2664? And so! while asking questions about hidden secrets, like with closed eyelids, he gave the correct answers. For he knocked at the door of mystery, because he could not through his knowledge understand these things, and he stood before the door in humble repentance, and what he could not understand he praised with inner fear. Therefore, blessed Job is now, after being tested with the scourge, undergoing a test with words in order to force him to also consider things that are higher; and in order that, when he does not understand them, he may return to himself, and learn that he is almost nothing in comparison with heavenly things. Let him hear, therefore: I will ask you, and you explain to Me. As if it were clearly said: I will awaken you with My words to consider the sublime truths, and at that time you will notice that you do not know those things that are higher than you, I will make you better known to yourself. For you will answer Me correctly if you understand that you do not know these things. From here: Verses 4, 5, 6. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched the rope along it? On what are its foundations fixed (Job 38:4–6) 2665. Allegorical interpretation 14. Everything is taken together in a historical narrative, and it seems that only the origin of the world is being talked about. But something is immediately added, something that seems to be said about the creation, not of the world, but of the Church. For it is said: Or who laid the cornerstone? For this is something that was not done at the beginning of the world, and it is revealed by an expression that was not used in describing the creation of the world. For when some obscure objects of various natures are mixed with those which are simple and obvious, it is done for such a purpose; so that, as a result of considering what does not agree with the literal meaning, we consider from a mystical point of view what we want to understand literally. For just as by some things that open we recognize others that are closed, so we come across closed things in order to approach with deeper understanding those which we thought were open. Therefore, let him answer the question: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? In the Holy Scriptures, what else do we understand by foundations if not holy preachers? For as God placed them at the foundation of the Church, the whole structure of the subsequent fabric rose upon them. Therefore the priest commanded, when he entered the tabernacle, to carry twelve stones on his chest (Ex. 28:21) 2666 because, precisely, our High Priest, offering Himself as a sacrifice for us, when He established the great preachers at the very beginning, also carried twelve stones under his head on his chest. Therefore, the Holy Apostles are chest stones that will be displayed at the base of the building. And, therefore, when David the prophet saw that the Holy Church was created and built on the high minds of the apostles, he said: Its foundation is on holy stones (Ps. 86:2) 2667. But when Scripture speaks not of “foundations,” but of “ground,” in the singular, no one else is meant except the Lord Himself, by whose power and Divine will our weak, sick hearts are made strong. Paul also says about the same thing: No one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11) 2668. For He is truly the foundation of foundations, because He is both the first principle for new converts and the constancy of the strong. Therefore they are mentioned who carry our load, our foundations, so that blessed Job does not become swollen with pride in the strength of his virtues. And therefore, at the very beginning of the Lord’s questions, he is tested by the mention of holy preachers; so that by looking at those who are more worthy of admiration, he might think worse of himself in comparison with them. And this is described by the Lord as something that has already passed, because what is externally still in the future action has already been accomplished by predestination. He said, therefore, to him: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? As if it were openly said: consider the virtue of the strong, and think of Me, your Creator before all ages, and when you look at these beautiful people whom I created in time, think how much you must be subject to Me, Whom you see as the Creator of miracles outside of time. It follows from this: Verse 4, 5. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched the rope along it ( Job 38:4–5 ) 2669? 15. Measurement lines are laid on the ground so that the correct dimensions can be observed in all directions. But the Lord, having come to the Church in the flesh, measured out measures on the earth with lines, because He marked out the boundaries of the Church by the subtlety of His secret judgment. Secret lines were drawn across this land when holy preachers were called by the Spirit to go into some parts of the world, and keep away from other parts. For when the Apostle Paul neglected to preach in Macedonia, a Macedonian man appeared to him in a vision to say: come to Macedonia and help us (Acts 16:9) 2670. But, on the other hand, as it is written, the apostle tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them (Acts 16:7) 2671. When holy preachers are called to Macedonia, and are kept from going into Asia, this line of secret measure is laid out on one side, and withdrawn from the other. It is shown here that Macedonia can enter the boundaries of the Holy Church and that Asia can remain without the boundaries of faith. For then there were some there who should not have been gathered into the bosom of the Church, and after they were lost according to their desire, Asia was embraced by the limits of the measures of the Church, the bounties of God. 16. Within the boundaries of these measures are all the elect, outside them are all the scoundrels, even if they seem to be within the limits of faith. Therefore it is written in the Apocalypse: Exclude the courtyard that is without a church, and do not measure it (Rev. 11:2) 2672. For what else does a court mean if not the breadth of real life? And those who are designated as a court without a church should not rightfully be measured, because narrow is the gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:14) 2673 and the breadth of life of the wicked does not admit them to the measures and rules of the elect. These spiritual lines are stretched by secret judgment when one person who said: Teacher! I will follow You wherever You go (Matthew 8:19) 2674, received an answer in the voice of the same Teacher: foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20) 2675. These measures were extended when one person who said: Lord, let me first go and bury my father (Luke 9:59) 2676, received an answer in the voice of the same Teacher: Let the dead bury their dead, and you go preach the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:60) 2677. Here! one promises that he will follow Him, and is rejected; the other asks to be released, but is kept. Where is this from? Moreover, the lines of heavenly judgments were stretched in the secret spaces of the heart so that their secret measures could surround some from within, while others would rightly remain without them. But since everyone knows that God extends these secret judgments, why did he say to Job: Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched the rope along it? This question is asked to remind him of what he knows and yet forgets; to remind him that he must consider much more carefully the question of the secret judgments of God, namely, that the ordering of man does not depend on human power, but on the power ("Manu") of the Creator. For, constantly remembering Who invisibly performs these works, he cannot attribute any of these merits to himself, and no longer tries to think that anything is of himself, when he fears the secret judgments of God. But, given the measures secretly extended from above, he can remain more firm in the humility of fear, the more he sees every thing depending on the power of Him who measures by measures. It follows from this: Verse 6. On what are its foundations fixed ( Job 38:6 ) 2678? 17. What else do we understand by the foundations of this earth, if not the teachers of the Holy Church? For the columns rise from the base, and the weight of all the rest of the material rests on the columns. The holy teachers are therefore rightly designated by reasons. For, they preach what is right, and in living according to their preaching, they support the whole weight of the Church by the unfailing force of the example of their works; they endure sharp attacks from unbelievers, and, no matter how the faithful fear how difficult it is in God’s commandments, they proclaim that it is easy by examples of their deeds. Therefore, when the tabernacle was established as a type of Church, it was well said to Moses: Make four columns, and cover their bases with silver (Ex. 26:32) 2679. For what is meant by silver if not the brightness of the Divine word? As it is written: The words of the Lord are pure words, silver, purged from the earth by fire, purified seven times (Ps. 11:7) 2680. Foundations covered with silver support the four columns of the tabernacle, because the preachers of the Church are adorned with the Divine word in order to set themselves as an example for everyone, and to carry the words of the four evangelists both in their mouths and in their deeds. 18. Prophets can also be designated by fundamentals; when they first spoke openly of the incarnation of the Lord, we saw how they grew with foundations from the foundation, and how they supported the whole weight of the rest of matter. Therefore, when the Lord commanded the pillars of the tabernacle to be erected, he commanded Moses that their foundations should be covered with silver. For what do columns mean, if not the apostles, who spread their preaching widely throughout the world, and what do the foundations of silver mean, if not the prophets, who themselves are strong and stable, serving to support the columns installed on them? Because, although the life of the Apostles is subordinated to their own preaching, it is also strengthened by their strength. Why are the columns taken together arranged in pairs on separate bases? Because when the holy prophets agree in their words concerning the incarnation of the Mediator, they instruct, no doubt, the subsequent preachers of the Church, and when they are in agreement with themselves, they create a more solid and stable foundation for them. And it is true that the foundations by which prophets are signified should be covered with silver. For the brightness of silver is preserved only if it is used; when not in use, it gradually darkens. The sayings of the prophets, because they were not made with the use of spiritual knowledge, remained, as it were, in the dark until the coming of the Mediator, because they could not be understood due to their obscurity. But after the Mediator, His Coming purified them, as it were, for our eyes by the hand of His Incarnation, so that the light that was hidden would shine, and He would reveal the meaning of the words of previous generations, because He set forth the words with events. Does the word “foundations” designate the prophets, or the teachers who succeeded them in subsequent times, let it be said: On what are its foundations fixed? You understand, as I do, one more thing: who holds all things together, but first of all turns the internal to what is good externally. For he who ascribes what is good to himself does not have a solid foundation; for until it rests on the foundation, its own weight sinks it to the bottom. But since many things have already been said about the building of the Holy Church, the consciousness strives to hear by what virtue the previously hostile peoples were united, that is, how the various structures in this house hold together. Therefore it follows: Or who laid the cornerstone (Job 38:6) 2681? 19. Now it is clear to all, by Divine grace, Whom the Holy Scriptures call the chief cornerstone. He in truth, Who takes into Himself on the one hand the Jewish people, and on the other hand the pagan people, unites, as it were, two walls in one fabric of the Church; He of whom it is written: He made both one (Eph. 2:14) 2682, Who set Himself as the chief cornerstone, not only in things below, but also in things above; because He united the nations of the Gentiles and the people of Israel on earth, and both together, with the Angels in heaven. At His birth, the Angel exclaimed: on earth there is peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14) 2683. For they would not have offered their joy to the people of the world as a great thing at the birth of the King, if before that they had not been at odds with them. The prophet said about this stone: The stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the corner (Ps. 117:22) 2684. Jehoiachin, the king, symbolized the stone, the one that Matthew, describing fourteen generations, counted twice (Matthew 1:11–12) 2685. For him, whom he put in at the end of the second generation, he put in again at the beginning of the third. For he was removed to Babylonia with the people of Israel; and while he led them from one side to the other, he was rightly counted twice, once for each side, as for a wall. And by this migration he signifies the cornerstone. For where order is diverted from the right path, of course, in order to go in another direction, it makes, as it were, a corner. He could, therefore, justly be counted twice; for he showed, as it were, two sides of himself on either wall. Whence did he rightly symbolize Him, Who was born in Judea, and, having gathered the pagans, went, as it was, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and bound them together in His Person, by the art of love, as the building of faith, which before was split in the hostility of discord. But these things which have been considered as describing the Holy Church, it seems also well to be briefly considered in a moral sense. For it is right for us to return in our own hearts to those things which we know, as was said to blessed Job; because then the mind understands more accurately the words of God when it seeks Him within itself. For it is said: Verse 4. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4) 2686. 20. The mind of a sinner is dust, which is on the surface, and is swept away by the wind of temptation (therefore it is written: not so the wicked, not so, but like the dust that the wind drives away from the face of the earth (Ps. 1:4) 2687). And therefore, nothing prevents us from understanding that the earth is the soul of the righteous, about which it is written: for the earth drinks of the often coming rain, brings forth herbs for those for whom it grows, and receives blessing (Heb. 6:7) 2688. But the foundation of this land is faith. The foundation of this earth was laid when the first cause of perseverance, the fear of God, breathed in the secret places of the heart. Man does not yet believe in the eternal truths that he hears; but when faith is given to him, the foundation is laid for the building of subsequent work. Now he knows the eternal truths, but is not yet afraid of them; he despises the fear of coming judgment: he boldly falls into the sins of the flesh and spirit. But when the fear of future things suddenly takes root in him so that the edifice of a good life can rise upward, the foundation is now built. When the foundation of fear is laid and the fabric of strength rises to heights, it is necessary for anyone to measure his strength in order to know that he is making progress. So, although he has already begun to build the Divine building, he can, without ceasing, look back at what he was; in order that, humbly remembering what he was, he could not take credit for how he had been changed by grace. Therefore, blessed Job is called by a voice from above, and so that he cannot dare to boast of his virtues, he is reminded of his past life. And it was said to him: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? It is as if the Truth openly said to the sinner: Do not appropriate to yourself the dignity that was received from Me. Do not exalt yourself against Me because you have received a gift from Me. Keep in mind where I found you, when I laid the first foundations of virtue in you by My fear. Keep in mind where I found you, when I strengthened My fear in you. For then I may not destroy in you what I have created, if you do not cease to remember within yourself how I found you. For whom did not the Truth first discover in sins and excesses? And after that, we can also retain who we have become if we never neglect to remember who we were. But pride still sometimes, out of habit, sneaks secretly even into cautious hearts, along with the thought of good deeds, in small steps, when he advances to a greater height of virtue, forgetting his own weakness, and not remembering that he was in sin. Where does Almighty God, because He sees that our weakness increases even sometimes due to our receiving the means of salvation, sets limits to our very progress, so that we do not receive some perfections of the virtues for which we strived, and so that we seek others until we can possess the first. In order that our mind, when unable to achieve these things which it desires, may understand that it does not possess in itself even what it possesses, and due to the fact that some virtues are present without its desire, and those desired are not given, those virtues that are bestowed can be humbly preserved. Therefore, it rightfully belongs to this earth, that is, to the righteous soul: Verse 4, 5. Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched a rope along it (Job 38:4–5) 2689. 21. For who, if not our Creator, lays down the measures for this earth? Who, through the secret ordering of the inner court, will feed one with the word of wisdom, another with the word of knowledge, another with perfect faith, another with the grace of healing, another with miracles, another with prophecy, another with discerning of spirits, another with different tongues, another with the interpretation of the word; so that one person may, by the same Spirit, be strong in the word of wisdom, but not strengthened by knowledge (because he is able to understand and know the truth, which he does not achieve by study and training;) and that another, who shines with the word of knowledge, will not be strong in the word of wisdom, because he is able to fully understand everything that he has learned, but cannot rise by himself in the understanding of a small subtle matter that he has not studied. One man controls the elements by faith, but does not cure bodily infirmities with the gift of healing. Another removes diseases by prayer, and yet cannot, through prayer, give rain to a thirsty land. And this man even brings the dead back to life with miracles, and yet he does not have the gift of prophecy, he does not know what things are about to happen. Another sees all future events as if they were happening here and now before his eyes, but cannot perform any miracle. One person discerns the cunning of spirits in the hearts of people, but does not distinguish between their types; another distinguishes between types of spirits, but does not see them in the hearts of people. One man skillfully explores the meanings of words and interprets them in one language that he knows, and yet patiently dispenses with other gifts that he does not have. 22. Thus, therefore, our Creator ordered all things: he who could be swollen with the pride of possessing a gift that he has, could be humbled by a virtue that he does not have. He so regulates all things that when He exalts anyone by giving one gift by grace, He also distinguishes another person with another gift, placing the first below the second, and the second below the first. And he causes each one to see in the one who is below him, as he is superior in some other gifts, and, although feeling that he is in some respects better, he can still see himself as inferior to the person whom he is superior. He so regulates all things that, although all have separate gifts, they become the possessors of all of them, because the property of each person separately is united by the bonds of love. And each person sees in the other something that he himself does not have, and he humbly entrusts to his friend the opportunity to receive it, as it were, into his own possession. For, therefore, Peter said: And each one has received a gift, and serve with the same gift to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Pet. 4:10) 2690. Under the manifold grace of God, it is well shown that the gift which has been received does not belong to the one who possesses it, but to those for whom it is used by the possessor. Therefore Paul said: through love serve one another (Gal.5:13) 2691. Charity sets us free from the yoke of guilt when it draws us through love into mutual service, when we see that the gifts of others belong to us, and we give our gifts to others as if they belonged to them. Therefore Paul said again: Therefore even the body is not made of one member, but of many. If the leg says: because I am not a hand, I therefore do not belong to the body, but is it really because it does not belong to the body? And if the ear says, I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body; then does it really not belong to the body? If the whole body is eyes, then where is the hearing? If everything is hearing, then where is the sense of smell? And a little later: but if everyone had one member, then where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body (1 Cor. 12:14–17,19–20) 2692. 23. For what is the Holy Church if not the body of its Heavenly Head? Where one is the eye that beholds high things; the second - with the hand doing the right things; the third - with the foot, walking on command; the fourth - with an ear that understands the voice of the commandments; the fifth - with a nose that keenly perceives the stench of the wicked and the aroma of good deeds. And, while they do different but mutual things, as members of the body, they form together one body, and, while they do different things in charity, they understand how they differ from each other, and at the same time how they are related to each other. If they all did the same thing, they would certainly not be a body that consists of many members; and this body of many parts could not exist if this harmonious variety of elements were not bound together. Therefore, when the Lord divides the gifts of virtues among the holy members of His Church, He places the measures of the earth. Therefore Paul says again that God divided the measure of faith for everyone (Rom. 12:3) 2693. And again: from whom is the whole body, composed and joined together through all kinds of mutually fastening ties, with each member working in its own measure (Eph. 4:16) 2694. 24. But our Creator and Administrator with excellent wisdom gives certain gifts to some, which He denies to others, and denies to the former those gifts which He bestows on others; and whoever aims to do more than he has received tends to exceed the measures set for him. As if, perhaps, the one who is given to interpret the secret meanings of the commandments will also try to blind with miracles; or, as if he, who has been granted the heavenly power to work miracles, strives, in addition, to reveal the secrets of the Divine Law. For he puts his foot forward on the edge of the abyss, who wants to go beyond his measures. And he who boldly rushes to understand those things which he is unable to achieve usually loses the power which has already been given to him in another. For we use the service of our limbs correctly when we clearly preserve for them their own functions. For with our eyes we see light, with our ears we hear a voice. But if someone, trying to reverse the order, tries to recognize the voice with his eyes and turns his ears to the light, these gifts are opened to him in vain. If one wants to distinguish aromas with the mouth and taste the taste with the nose, he will not succeed in both senses, because he perverts them. For when they are not applied to their proper use, they do not perform those functions that are available to them, and do not achieve those that are alien to them. 25. The Prophet David, for example, rightly limits the foot of his heart in accordance with the measure that he received from Divine grace when he said: I have not walked in great deeds, nor in deeds wonderful to me (Ps. 131:1) 2695. He, to tell the truth, would go about doing things wonderful to him if he sought to manifest a power beyond his strength. For a person rises above himself in wonderful things if he tries to be capable even of those things of which he is not capable. Paul also justly limits himself in these measures, even in the broad force of his preaching, when he says: for I dare not speak of any of these things which Christ does not do to me (Rom. 15:18) 2696. And the measure which has been received is then rightly preserved when the lives of spiritual people are considered as being brought before the eyes. It follows from this: Verse 5. Or who stretched the rope along it (Job.38:5) 2697? 26. For ropes are stretched over this earth, when the examples of the previous fathers indicate to each soul of the elect what rules of life should be adopted in order to consider in their life everything that is to be maintained in their affairs. Observing the right path, a person will not be able, through negligence, to fall short of the measure, and will not be able, through pride, to reach for more; he will neither strive to do less than he is capable of, nor to obtain more than he has received; so that he either does not reach the measure that he should, or does not leave this measure, going beyond the limits of what is permissible. For narrow is the gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:14) 2698 and he enters it, carefully limited in all his affairs, according to his subtlety of discernment. For he who, with a fearless mind, extends himself beyond the allotted measures through his desires, condemns himself to the exclusion of the possibility of passing through the narrow gate. For the measures of this earth must be preserved, and the rope is extended to him from heaven; because the lives of the saints are spread before us in the Holy Scriptures so that our defects can be corrected and our excesses limited; and so that what was visible and to what extent should be done, their ability to discern was established before us by example. 27. Here a person, fearing either the loss of things or bodily sorrows, is afraid of threats to worldly power, and assumes not to support the truth against the power of opponents. But Peter sees his fear, and returns him to the wide space of power, setting before him the line of his example. For when he was scourged by the leaders of the people, and realized that he could be released, on the condition that he should cease preaching, when he was ordered not to speak, he did not yield even for a time (Acts 4:18, 5:40) 2699. For he immediately answered and said: We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) 2700, and again: because we cannot help saying what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20) 2701 but he, who was formerly weak, and, fearing momentary loss, when he contemplates examples of such great courage, now follows the example of Peter, through the power of the word, is now not afraid adversity, and despises, even with a torn body, the powers of the world that oppose God. But if he overcomes the force of his persecutors by daring fortitude, and the more, in the midst of adversity, he does not yield to any conditions, the more he sets himself above others, even when among his brother believers; Moreover, he chooses his own schemes, and trusts himself and not others. He, undoubtedly, at the same time overpowers the possibilities of his virtue, and does not yield to the opposition; he puts his foot beyond the limits of his due measure, not even accepting the correct advice of others. Such a one Peter calls upon to return to the limits of his measure, when, after he had overcome the power of the rulers by the freedom of his speech, he listened in humility of heart to the counsel of Paul concerning the uncircumcised Gentiles. For he was willing to rebel against his opponents by his power, until he ceased to trust himself in those points where he was wrong, in order that he might overcome the arrogance of his powers, and perhaps show humility by heeding the good advice of his younger brothers. He thus at one time opposes himself to others, and at other times listens to others in order to oppose himself. On Peter’s path, the line of power and humility passes as if before our eyes, so that at one time fear does not prevent our mind from reaching its measure, and at another time, so that pride does not force it to exceed this measure. 28. It has been shown how the line is drawn, so that we do not fall into guilt in another case, through the courage of some of our actions. Let it now be pointed out how we give up the prudent course (freedom of action?) in the same virtue, if we do not know how to perform it at one time, and how to postpone its execution at another time. For virtue is not always the same thing, and the evaluation of the same actions often varies in different circumstances. This means that, for example, when we are even correctly involved in any desire, it is right for us to abstain from it for a while; and that it is more honorable for the mind to quit the same work for a while, which at the opportune time it performed with great benefit and dignity. For if, for example, as a result of the increase of our lesser virtues (by the practice of which we make progress, but by interrupting which we do not endanger ourselves), a greater evil or trial threatens our neighbors, we must necessarily postpone our progress in the virtues, lest we cause a loss of faith in our weak neighbors; for if what we do upsets the foundations of faith in the hearts of other people for our own sake, it can no longer be a virtue. 29. What a line stretched out before Paul when, on the one hand, he ordered not to circumcise the Gentiles who were coming to freedom of faith (Gal.5:2) 2702 and yet, on the other hand, in Lystra, passing through Iconium, he himself circumcised Timothy, who was born of a Gentile father (Acts 16:3) 2703. For, seeing that he would excite the wrath of the Jews even against those who were present as his comrades, if he did not show that he was observing the commands of the letter, he did not put into practice his own statement, and without prejudice to the faith he protected himself and his comrades from cruel persecution. He did what he ordered not to be done out of love for the faith; but he served the faith by doing something that treacherously contradicted his own words. For virtue is often lost when it is maintained with careless obstinacy, and, on the contrary, when it is carefully left for a time as an exception, it is more firmly held. And this is not surprising if we understand that everything that we see happening in the material world also happens in the immaterial. For the bow is deliberately bent so that at the right time it can be usefully bent again. And if he doesn't get the chance to straighten up, he loses his punching power. Therefore, sometimes when virtue, which is now being trained, is suspended prudently, it seems to accumulate strength for the future; so that she could then strike the vices more powerfully, the more she wisely and prudently refrained from striking. The fine lines of common sense, therefore, spread over the earth, when, setting before every soul the examples of previous generations, they show how virtue rightly acts, and sometimes more rightly abstains from acting. 30. But even when arrogance or insolence can be eliminated from the heart, great attention is needed to ensure that this temporary cessation of the practice of virtue is precisely from the desire for the common good, and not because of fear for oneself, or for the sake of some object of ambition. Otherwise, a person no longer advances in improving the dispensation, but ends up in sin. Therefore, when a person distributes his strength in such a way as to stop the practice of virtue for a while, he must approach this very carefully, and test himself first of all in the depths of his heart to make sure that he is not greedily seeking something for himself, but acts out of concern for others; and so that as a result of this it does not turn out bad, as happens from the wrong intention of thought. Whence the Truth speaks well in the Gospel: the light of your body appears in your eye; if your eye is pure, then your whole body will be bright; But if your eye is bad, then your whole body will be dark (Matthew 6:22–23) 2704. For what does the “eye” mean if not the intention of the heart, which arises before an action? which, before it realizes itself in action, already presupposes what it desires. And what is meant by the expression "body" if not every action which follows its intention as the eye with which it sees? The light of the body is thus the eye, because the virtues of action are illuminated by the ray of good intention. And if your eye is pure, then your whole body will be bright. Everything is so because, if in the simplicity of our thought our intention is fair, we produce a good action, even if it seems not very good. And if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be in darkness, because even any thing that is good comes from a wrong intention, although it seems brilliant before people, is condemned by the sentence of the internal Judge. From here it is rightly added: beware, therefore: the light that is in you is not darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, then what is the darkness (Luke 11:35; Matthew 6:23) 2705? Because if we do not see bad intention in what we believe we are doing right, how great are those misfortunes that we do not know are evil even when we do them? And, if we see nothing in this case, when we seem to see the light of discernment, how blindly do we stumble upon the sins that we commit without even discerning? Through all our actions, our intention must be carefully considered, to choose not those for some temporary thing, but for the purpose of righting ourselves entirely on the solid foundation of eternity; otherwise the fabric of our actions, if it goes beyond the foundation, will break through a gaping hole in the earth. Therefore it is correctly added: Verse 6. On what are its foundations fixed ( Job 38:6 ) 2706? 31. The reasons for each individual soul are its intentions. For just as fabric is supported by columns, and columns by foundations, so our life is based on its virtues, but our virtues are based on our innermost goal. And therefore it is written: no one can lay another foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11) 2707. Our foundations are laid on foundation when our intentions are firmly anchored in Christ. But the attempt of foundations to raise high structures on themselves is in vain if they themselves do not stand on a solid foundation, because people are undoubtedly vain in their deeds, even great ones, if the intentions of their hearts are turned towards beyond eternity, and if they do not seek the reward of true life, they support the heavier ruins, the higher the structure they build without a foundation. For when they are not aimed at the rewards of eternal life, the more they exalt themselves, as if in their strength, the deeper they fall into the trap of vanity. We must not focus on what the foundations support, but on where exactly they themselves are located, for, in truth, the hearts of men study within themselves, by God's help, not only what they do, but also what intentions move their actions. Therefore, when Paul described the strict Judge, he spoke about the kindness of actions: who will reward everyone according to his deeds; to him who through patience in a good work seeks glory in incorruption (Rom. 2:6-7) 2708. And therefore, speaking about a good deed, he actually mentioned the entire structure of the actions of the elect, and immediately clarified on what the foundations of this fabric rest, saying: to those who seek glory and honor and incorruptibility - eternal life. It was as if he was saying directly, although some persons are patient in doing good, they do not receive glory and incorruption unless they have set the intentions of their heart, that is, the foundation of the fabric, on the foundation. Because God does not dwell in the building of even honest life, which was not placed on Him, and which therefore He Himself does not support. 32. The intentions of each chosen one rest on the hope of eternity, therefore, it is rightly said to this earth by the voice of the Lord: On what are its foundations fixed? As if it were clearly said: on what, if not on Me? For when every righteous soul is directed towards Me, everything that it does in time undoubtedly rests on Me, having no immediate purpose. But since we rest even more firmly on the foundation, when we follow the words of God in their outward prescription, and consider them with a deeper understanding of their hidden meanings, it is rightly added: Or who laid its cornerstone (Job.38:6) 2709? 33. The Cornerstone provides several profound insights into the meanings in Scripture. It is laid by Divine power, and if this does not happen, the person remains bound by the darkness of his ignorance. And if this happens, then he becomes free, and knowing the commandments of God, he either follows them as a command, or also learns their inner meaning through contemplation. But our understanding will never achieve this unless He, our Creator, came to change our nature. For He is called the “cornerstone” not only because He united two peoples in Himself, but also because He showed by Himself two models of righteous life, that is, active and contemplative, united together. For the contemplative life is very different from the active one. But our Redeemer, having come Incarnate, gave us an example, uniting them in Himself. For when He both worked miracles in the city, and spent the whole night in prayer on the mountain, He gave His faithful example not to neglect the care of one's neighbors through the love of contemplation, and again, not to abandon contemplation because of too immoderate concern for one's neighbors; but keep your mind intact, applying it in both cases, so that love for your neighbor does not interfere with love for God, and also so that love for God is not driven out of your heart for neglecting love for your neighbor. And since the Mediator between God and man is manifested in the heart of man, when it does not know what it is doing, in order by His works to put in order even temporary things, and to show through contemplation on what everything depends, it is rightly said: Or who laid its cornerstone? It is as if the Lord openly says, besides Me, who sent Him out in time to save people, My Only Son outside of time, so that people can learn in their lives that even various activities are not contradictory. And this must be taken into account that He does not say anywhere that He sent Him, but says that He sent Him out (not “non emississe”, but “Sed dimisisse” in Latin texts 2710). Because in reality the Son, taking on human nature, descended from the heights to the lowest state. But since even the chosen Angels, who did not know this mystery, but marveled at the Mystery of the Incarnation (1 Pet. 1:12) 2711, it is rightly added: Verse 7. When the morning stars glorified me together (Job 38:7) 2712. 34. Since the nature of intelligent spirits is believed to have been created earlier in time, Angels are rightly called "morning stars." But if this be so, while the earth was yet invisible, and in disorder, while darkness was over the abyss, they looked forward in their existence to the coming day of the next age through the light of wisdom. And we should not have heard this careless word “together”, which is nevertheless added; for the morning stars doubtless sing the praises of the power of the Redeemer, together with those in the evening, when the chosen Angels glorify, together with the redeemed people at the end of the world, heavenly Grace. In order to inspire us to glorify our Creator, when the Light arose in the flesh, they proclaimed what we have already mentioned above: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14) 2713. They praise together because they adapt the words of their exultation to our redemption. They praise together because when they see us in praise, they rejoice that their own ranks are being swelled. But they are perhaps also called "morning stars" because they often go out to admonish people, and at this time they announce the coming morning, they lead the hearts of people out of the darkness of this momentary life. But the Angels glorify the Divine Power, because the very sight of such great brightness expands them. But with what virtue do we who are redeemed but still burdened with the bonds of the flesh praise the gifts we receive? How will our tongue speak about what our mind cannot understand? Because: And all the sons of God rejoice with joy (Job.38:7) 2714. 35. For “rejoicing” is what is called when the joy of the heart is not fully expressed by the power of the voice, but when one who rejoices in a joy that he can neither hide nor fully express. Let them therefore, praise the Angels, those who are already now in an exaltation of such great brightness. And let the people rejoice who are still suffering here below, constrained in their speech. And because the Lord knew that these things would certainly happen, He does not speak of them as something to come, but rather as something that has already happened. But how is it that while the righteous rejoice in the mystery of their redemption, envy inflames the sinners, and that while the elect are achieving growth, the wicked, in furious madness, persecute them as they grow in virtue, because they do not want to imitate them, but still envy? And yet the One who redeemed does not abandon us even in the midst of these trials. For it is written: But 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, that you may be able to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13) 2715. For our Creator knows when to allow the storm of temptation to arise and when to restrain it. He knows how to restrain it for our protection and benefit, and how to make what He permits against us be for our exercise; so that the raging storm does not go beyond the edges and cannot crush us. It follows from this: Verse 8. Who shut the sea with gates when it burst forth as if from the womb (Job 38:8) 2716. 36. For what do we mean by “sea” if not the world, and what by “womb” if not the rottenness of carnal thoughts? For in this place the word “womb” denotes the secret and evil thoughts of carnal things. And this womb does not conceive bodily substance in order to produce offspring, but the cause of sadness in order to reproduce its malice. It is said about this evil womb in another place: he conceived grief, and gave birth to wickedness (Ps. 7:15) 2717. In this womb the wicked conceive when they think evil. From this womb they are torn out when they perform the evil they thought. The sea surges forth as if from the womb, when waves of worldly threats, conceived in the iniquity of carnal thoughts, raged to destroy the Holy Church. But, with God's help, this sea was closed with a gate, because the holy men were opposed, as a kind of door, against the pride of the persecutors, so that the anger of the persecutors might be crushed by their miracles and humility. For when the princes of this world were humiliated, the Lord raised the Holy Church with their help, higher than the height of the world, and holding back the onslaught of the raging sea, He resurrected the power of the Church. But let's hear what the Lord did for this stormy sea. What follows: Verse 9. When I made the clouds his clothing and the darkness his swaddling clothes (Job 38:9) 2718. 37. The stormy sea is covered with a “cloud” because the cruelty of the pursuers is covered with a veil of their own stupidity. For they are unable to see the clear light of truth, because they are covered with the darkness of their unbelief; and through the desert of their own blindness, they do not know what they are doing in a fit of cruelty. For if they had known, as the apostle says, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8) 2719. This cloud tends to spread not only over unbelievers who are placed outside the Church, but also covers those who live with carnal thoughts in it. Therefore holy people, who sympathize with others who are careless, and think that they themselves are the same, pray to God, and say: Thou hast laid a cloud before Thee, that our prayer should not fail (Lam. 3:44) 2720. As if they spoke openly, our gaze is accustomed to the worldly pleasures given by You in righteous judgment, occupied with fictitious worries, even in sincere prayer; and since You see us descending to the most humiliating desires, You rightly do not allow the blind to contemplate the brightness of Your light; and even when a blind man comes to You, he is wrapped in a cloud of his own thoughts, so as not to see You; and he who constantly thinks about these worldly things because he wants them, secretly turns to them also in his prayer, even when he does not want it. But the pursuing corruption is so restrained by God's will that it does not break through to holy people as much as it wants. And after He said: When I made the clouds his clothing, He immediately included: and darkness as his swaddling clothes. For the legs and arms are bound with swaddling clothes so that they cannot move randomly to and fro in unlimited freedom. Because the persecutors of the Holy Church, restless from their instability of heart, and devoted to this world, do not enjoy the things of adults, but children's frivolous amusements; and those who are bound by darkness and obscurity (and not by Divine judgment) so as to be unable to pursue as much as they will, are said to be wrapped in swaddling clothes. Because, as has been said, they enjoy the things of children, and yet they are restrained by God's providence from stretching out their hands where they please without restraint; and even if they want and easily commit all kinds of sins, this in no way means that they are allowed to do whatever they want. From here: Verse 10. I have surrounded it with My borders (Job 38:10) 2721. The Lord surrounds the sea with His borders because He so limits the wrath of the persecutors according to the dispensation of His judgments that the oncoming wave of their insane rage breaks on the shore of His secret dispensations. Therefore it follows: Verse 10, 11. And I put bars and doors, and said: hitherto you have come, and you will not go any further, and here the oncoming waves will break (Job.38:10-11) 2722. 38. What is signified by “doors” if not holy preachers, and what by “locks” if not the Lord Incarnate? For He actually put strong bars on these doors against the force of the oncoming sea. For these doors of the Holy Church are strengthened by these bars placed behind them, so that even when the waves strike against them, they cannot be broken by them: so that, although the wave of persecution may come upon them from without, yet it cannot penetrate within their hearts. And because holy preachers open themselves in their preaching to their followers, but close themselves to those who oppose them, they are rightly called “doors,” that is, open to the reformation of the humble and closed to the terrors of pride. They are rightly called “doors” because they are both open to the entrance of believers and protect the entrance of non-believers. Let's consider what kind of door of the Church Peter was, who recognized Cornelius asking about the search for faith, and rejected Simon in search of miraculous power at a reasonable price. Saying to one, I have found in the truth that God regardeth not persons (Acts 10:34) 2723, he kindly revealed the mysteries of the Kingdom. Saying to another: your money is your destruction (Acts 8:20) 2724, he closes the entrance to heaven with a sentence of severe condemnation. What are all the apostles, if not the doors of the Holy Church, when they hear the voice of their Redeemer: receive the Holy Spirit; Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him (John 20:22–23) 2725? As if it were explicitly said: Those to whom you have revealed yourselves will enter into Me; and those to whom you have closed yourself will be rejected. Despite the fact that the sea is raging, the Lord opposes it with His locks and doors; because while the storm of persecution is spreading through the world, involving bitter and unbelieving hearts, God is exalting the glory of His Only Begotten, and the veneration of His preachers; And by making known the secrets of Divine power, He breaks the waves of unholy wrath. 39. But it is well said: hitherto you have come, and you will not go further. Because there is, undoubtedly, a limit to the secret judgment, both when the storm of persecution must break out, and when it must cease, for otherwise, if it does not break out, it will not educate the elect, or, if it does not stop in time, it will consume them. But when the knowledge of faith reaches the persecutors, the disturbance of the stormy sea calms down, and the sea breaks its waves, because, having come to the knowledge of the truth, it blushes at every wicked thing in itself. For the wave broken in truth slides back upon itself; because evil, when overcome, accuses even the thoughts in its own heart; and suffers, as it were, because of the violence that was inflicted, because he feels the sting of guilt from the evil that was committed. Therefore it was said by Paul: What fruit did you have then? Such things as now you yourselves are ashamed of (Rom. 6:21) 2726?, as if he said: Why are the waves of your wickedness, which formerly raised themselves up, now sweeping away themselves, suppressed when you are reformed, by the same means with which they exalted you when you were wicked. Therefore, it is rightly said: the oncoming waves will break here too. 40. But we can understand by “sea” in this place not only the crowds of pursuers, but the world as a whole; The Lord erected the gates against the sea twice, because He first gave the human race the commandments of the law, and then the testament of new grace; He limited the violence of this sea a second time by the gates which He set against it, for those whom He chose to obey His will He first kept from idols by giving the law, and then delivered them from the carnal understanding of things by the revelation of Grace. The sea received a gate for the second time because God first forbade humanity from deeds of unrighteousness, and then stopped them from unrighteous thoughts. Let's see how God first set up a gate against the stormy sea. For He said, according to the law: Thou shalt not kill. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness ( Ex. 20:13–16 ; Deut. 5:17–20 ) 2727 . Let us see how the Lord limits this sea to the second gate. Here He says in the Gospel: You have heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28) 2728. And He said again: You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies and do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:43–44) 2729. Therefore He, who first forbids wickedness of action, then combats the errors of the heart, doubtless for the second time setting up a gate from the stormy sea, lest it should go beyond the shore of justice which was outlined around it. 41. But when He said: Who shut the sea with gates when it burst forth, He immediately introduces time: as if coming from the womb. Because it was He who then spoke out for humanity according to the commandments of the Law, when the world, already a little removed from its first beginning, moved forward, from birth until the flowering of carnal life. For to come from the womb is to appear in the flesh in the light of present glory. And this is rightly added: When I made the clouds his clothing. Because, undoubtedly, God did not openly present Himself to people; at that time, He saved them from mistakes and wrong behavior, but had not yet revealed to them the brightness of His own light. He took them, so to speak, out of darkness, but also covered them with a cloud, so that they might leave their former deeds of unrighteousness, and yet not see more clearly at the present future rewards. Where does it come from: and darkness is its shrouds. For when He did not teach ignorant people the open preaching of the Holy Spirit, but bound them, figuratively speaking, with literal commandments, He wrapped them, at that time still weak in knowledge, being in the dark, with His words, as if in swaddling clothes; in order that they may gain strength by being bound by rude intelligible commands, so that they may not perish, through fatal freedom, in their own pleasures. And it was not love, but fear that limited them to the paths of righteousness; God's grace kept them close, as it was to nourish them. For when weak people were reluctant to bear the swaddling clothes of the commandments, they grew stronger and reached a stronger state of themselves due to the fact that they were swaddled. For because fear at first restrained them from sin, they then emerged into another state, into the freedom of the Spirit. These swaddling clothes, which He gave to the beginners, the Lord Himself accuses through the prophet, who says: I gave them commandments that were not good (Ezek. 20:25) 2730. For evil ceases, to some extent, to be evil in comparison with something that is even worse, and good things, so to speak, are no longer so good in comparison with something better. For, as it was said about Sodom and Gomorrah, to convict Judah: You have justified your sisters by the abominations that you have done (Ezek. 16:51) 2731, therefore the good commandments that were given to the ignorant are spoken of as not very good, because of the better commandments of the New Testament that replace them. For the minds which clung to the practice of the carnal life could not be improved from their low condition unless they went through the gradual progress of preaching. For this means that, for example, when they settled in Egypt, their love was strengthened by attention and righteous patience, but they were ordered to leave after first taking the gold and silver vessels of their neighbors. But when they came to Mount Sinai, they immediately heard, having received the Law, that you cannot covet anything that is your neighbor (Ex. 20:17) 2732. But by the same Law they are directed to the fact that an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24) 2733 until, finally, by the revelation of Grace, they received the instruction to turn the other cheek when struck (Matt. 5:38–39) 2734. For unrighteous anger exacts much more revenge than the damage done; and they first learn not to repay insults a hundredfold; and subsequently they learn to patiently bear insults of their own accord, even multiplying them. Therefore He forbade these same ignorant people certain rites, but retained others, modifying their original use, and applied them to the purpose of typifying a better state. For they sacrificed animals to idols in Egypt, and He thereafter retained the sacrifice of animals to keep the law, but forbade the worship of idols; so that, having lost part of their customs, their weakness might be consoled by preserving for them something of the past. But by the wonderful dispensation of wisdom the Lord transforms, in the mighty figure of the Spirit, the carnal custom which He had preserved. For what do the sacrifices of these animals signify, except the death of the Only Begotten? What do the sacrifices of these animals mean other than the disappearance of our carnal life? Condescending to the weakness of ignorant people, by the same means the great power of the Spirit was declared through the obscured forms of allegories. Therefore it is rightly said, and the darkness is in its swaddling clothes; because He bore weakness with tenderness, by the same means as He raised spiritual meanings to heights. 42. But since He restrained them within the limits of the regulations from the unbridled wandering of the mind, He rightfully adds: I have surrounded him with My boundaries. And because He restrained the movements of mankind by sending a Mediator, He justly adds: And I set up bars and doors. For He has indeed set bars and doors; because He confirms the preaching of new life by sending our Redeemer to take away the sins of the guilty. For the doors, when closed, are secured with bars. Therefore God, having placed locks upon them, He sent the Only Begotten to appease the senseless motives of the human race, Who confirmed in His actions the spiritual commandments which He taught in words. But it is well understood: hitherto you have come, and you will not move further, and here the oncoming waves will break. For this sea actually passed over its former doors, because the wave of human pride was accustomed to cross the barriers of the door set against it. But after the world learned how different the Only Begotten was from him, he broke the strength of his pride, and could not pass by, because He found the boundaries and closed them. Therefore, the Prophet said correctly: The sea saw and fled (Ps. 114:3) 2735. Under the doors also His sufferings, which He endured, can be understood not unreasonably. And He secretly placed bars against them, because He had strengthened them with the invisible God. Against whom the waves of the world rose up, but they were broken and scattered: for haughty men despise them when they see them, but by experience fear their power. For when the human race first ridiculed and then trembled at the suffering of the Only Begotten, there came a swelling of pride, like a storm in the sea, which is about to rush at the door, but suddenly calms down and calms down. But since all this is said to the blessed Job in order that the praise in his heart of his many merits might be restrained (lest he accidentally take to himself what he knows of his high position), if we consider these words in the moral sense also, we learn how much they were spoken for edification. Let it therefore be said: Verse 8. Who shut up the sea with gates ( Job 38:8 ) 2736? 43. What is this sea if not our heart, agitated by temporary rage, embittered by disorder, swollen in the arrogance of pride, darkened by the deceit of iniquity? And how much this sea rages, anyone notices who understands the secret temptations of thought in themselves. For now we are renouncing our perverted actions, we are now cutting off outwardly our evil deeds. But while we secretly pursue them within, through this storm of our former life in which we have lived hitherto; and unless the barriers of unlimited fear were erected by the thought of judgment and the fear of eternal torment, all the works that were raised in us would, in time, completely fall. For if intention rages, it will burst into deliberate action, and the entire fabric of our life will fall down. Because we were conceived in iniquity and born in sin, we bring decay with us into this world, through the plague of congenital dying, which we must strive with difficulty to overcome. Therefore, it is also rightly said about the sea: when it burst forth, as if coming from the womb. For for the young it is a womb of evil thoughts. The Lord speaks to Moses about them: the feelings and thoughts in a person’s heart are subject to evil from their youth (Gen.8:21) 2737. The evil of decay, which each of us receives for being involved in his carnal desires, he realizes over time during the course of his earthly life; and unless the hand of Divine fear quickly suppresses it, sin quickly consumes all the good that nature has created. Let no one then attribute victory over his thoughts to himself, because the Truth says: Who shut the sea with gates when it burst forth as if from the womb ( Job 38:8 )? For if Divine grace had not restrained the waves of our hearts, from the very first beginning of our thoughts, the sea, raging with the storms of temptation, would certainly have struck the fruitful land in the human heart, washing it with a salty wave so that it would have become barren; that is, we would be enchanted by the deadly pleasures of the flesh, and would perish. Therefore, the Lord alone closes the sea with gates, He who puts barriers of inspired fear against the evil movements of our hearts. And since after this we are removed from involvement in bodily things, we raise the eyes of our mind with admiration to the now invisible, and try to consider the things that we really should follow. But what should we do? These things are not open to our weak eyesight. Now we have already begun to love them, and yet we do not see them, because even if we ever see them partially, we are still in the dark due to our still too weak vision. Therefore it is added: Verse 9. When I made the clouds his clothing and the darkness his swaddling clothes. Who shut the sea with gates When I made the clouds his clothing and the darkness his swaddling clothes (Job.38:9) 2738. 44. This stormy sea (our heart, agitated by thoughts) is covered with a cloud; because it is distorted by the confusion of its own anxiety. This sea is covered with darkness, like swaddling clothes, because it is still kept from contemplating majestic truths in its weak feelings. So Paul is covered, as it were, with some kind of darkness, like a veil, when he says: what we now see as if through a dark glass is guesswork: then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know, even as I am known (1 Cor. 13:12) 2739. And it is clear that he knows that he was a child in the understanding of heavenly things, because right before this he mentions on this issue the comparison of his age: when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child (1 Cor. 13:11) 2740. Therefore, we will then come in the strength of youth from childhood, when we see with strong vision the life to which we strive. But now, since the sharpness of our vision is blinded, through infirmities, our mind is, as it were, bound in swaddling clothes. Therefore, it is correctly added there: Verse 10. I surrounded him with my borders (Job 38:10) 2741. 45. For the Lord surrounds this sea with His borders, because He keeps within the limits of contemplation our heart, which is still troubled by the plague and the things of its corruption; so that (although the heart may desire more) it cannot rise above the limit assigned to it. Or, of course, the Lord surrounds this sea with His borders, because He calms our heart, filled with temptations, with the secret distribution of His gifts: at one time, stopping an evil intention from turning into a deadly pleasure committed, and at other times, keeping the heart from agreeing even with the deadly pleasure committed. He then, the One who watches over the illicit movements of the heart, in some cases restrains them from action, and in others restrains them from delight, even when the action has been accomplished, undoubtedly puts boundaries on the raging sea, so that it does not burst and overflow its banks, and so that, softly murmuring, the wave of temptation retreats into the recesses of the mind. But, since he is then severely limited, when the love of God and the inspiration of virtues oppose in him, this is rightly added: Verse 10, 11. And I put bars and doors, and said: hitherto you have come, and you will not go further, and here the oncoming waves will break (Job.38:10-11) 2742. 46. ​​For what do we mean by “doors” in the moral sense, if not virtues, and what by “constipations”, if not the power of love? These doors, then, are virtuous actions, which the stormy sea will tear into pieces unless the love of the mind, secretly placed on these doors like bolts, holds the doors together. And all the goodness of the virtues is easily destroyed by the temptation of the heart rushing towards them, if it does not have the roots of love within. Whence, when Paul in his sermon spoke of the relation between the doors of virtues and the sea of ​​temptation, he immediately added to them, as it were, the strength of the locks, saying: but above all these things is love, which is the sum of perfections (Col. 3:14) 2743. Love is called the totality of perfections, because every good deed that is done is undoubtedly strengthened in such a way that it does not perish. For temptations quickly enter into any good deed if it is free from the bonds of love. But if the mind is limited in love for God and his neighbor, when the movements of temptations offer him some evil thoughts, love opposes itself to them, and does not allow them to develop, and breaks the waves of sinful convictions at the gates of virtues and the locks of intimate love. Therefore, therefore, the Lord restrains the sins that rise in the heart, by the power of inspired merciful activity, He restrains the beginning of the rise in sea level by constipation. Anger may irritate within, but so that the Heavenly world is not lost, the tongue does not yield to the commands of the mind, so that what sounds noisy in the recesses of the heart does not express itself in words. Lust is kindled in secret thoughts, but in order not to lose heavenly purity, your mind punishes and does not submit to members that could contribute to further impure thoughts within. Greed is exciting; but in order not to lose the Kingdom of Heaven, the mind is restrained within the limits of stinginess, so that it does not come out in evil deeds, and so that in the heat of inner desire greedy actions do not come forward. Pride makes a man proud; but, so that he does not lose his true dignity, he lowers himself down from the sublimity of the ideas of his pride to the fact that he is corruptible. Undoubtedly, what he experiences in a sentence of thought cannot come out in action. It is well said, therefore: I have put bars and doors, and said: Hitherto you have come, and you will not go further, and here the oncoming waves will break, because while each of the elect is attacked by sinful thoughts, but still refuses to act in accordance with the evil proposals, the sea is kept, as it was, within the boundaries. And although they torment the mind from the inside, with stormy waves of thoughts, they do not pass beyond the designated boundaries of a holy life. This sea indeed swells in a storm, but when it rushes against the heart, the waves break and fall. And lest blessed Job perhaps attribute this to himself, that he stands firm against the storms and thoughts of the heart, let him hear what is said by the voice of God: Who shut up the sea with gates, when it burst forth as if from the womb? and further, as if it had been clearly said to him: It is in vain that you see yourself in your good deeds, if you do not see Me within, the One who calms the waves of temptation within you. For the fact that you are able to withstand the rising and attacking waves is thanks to My power, which breaks the waves of temptation in your heart. And the Lord said to Satan: Have you paid attention to my servant Job? for there is no one like him on earth: a blameless, just, fearing God and shunning evil. Can you deduce the constellations in your time and lead As with her children? Have the gates of death opened for you, and have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you ever given orders to the morning in your life and indicated its place to the dawn? (When Elihu stopped speaking) The Lord answered Job out of the storm and said... Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Zion! For, behold, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and His chariots like a whirlwind, to pour out His anger with fury and His rebuke with blazing fire. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. The Spirit said to Philip: Come and dock with this chariot. While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold, three men are looking for you. And Baruch said to them: He spoke to me with his mouth all these words, and I wrote them in ink on this scroll. After these words, Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and said: Father! the hour has come, glorify Your Son, that Your Son also will glorify You. Father! glorify Your name. Then a voice came from heaven: I have glorified it and will glorify it again. And I saw, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud and swirling fire, and a radiance around it. For the Father does not judge anyone, but has given all judgment to the Son. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of paradise. And I saw in a dream: behold, a ladder stands on the ground, and its top touches the sky; and behold, the angels of God ascend and descend on it. And he felt hungry and wanted to eat. While they were preparing, he went into a frenzy and sees the open sky and a certain vessel descending towards it, like a large canvas, tied at the four corners and lowered to the ground; in it were all four-legged creatures of the earth, animals, reptiles and birds of the air. And Paul had a vision at night: a certain man, a Macedonian, appeared, asking him and saying: come to Macedonia and help us. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood against him. Seeing, he ran towards them from the entrance to the tent (his own) and bowed to the ground. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a thorn bush. And he saw that the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Moses said, “I will go and see this great phenomenon, why the bush is not burned.” 4 The Lord saw that he was coming to see, and God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said: Moses! Moses! He said: Here I am (Lord)! And behold, a voice from heaven said: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam: What have I done to you, that you are beating me now for the third time? And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a thorn bush. And he saw that the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. And the angel who spoke with me said to me: Proclaim and say: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I was jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great jealousy. And so the Angel who spoke to me comes out, and another Angel comes to meet him, And so the Angel who spoke to me comes out, and another Angel goes to meet him, and he said to this: go quickly, tell this young man: Jerusalem will populate the surrounding area because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. Who is this, darkening Providence with words without meaning? But He will say: I tell you, I don’t know you, where you come from; Depart from Me, all workers of iniquity. Anyone who thinks that he knows anything does not yet know anything as he should know. Now gird up your loins like a husband: I will ask you, and you explain to Me. Take courage, and let your hearts be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord! So strengthen your drooping hands and weakened knees. to you, people, I cry, and to the sons of men my voice! Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart and do not be stiff-necked from now on. ... I will ask you, and you explain to Me And the Lord said to Abram, Get thee out of your land, from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. The angel said: Do not raise your hand against the boy and do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God and have not withheld your son, your only son, for Me. then do not listen to the words of this prophet, or this dreamer; For by this the Lord your God is testing you, to find out whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The Lord is in His holy church, the Lord is His throne in heaven, His eyes behold (on the poor); His eyelids try the sons of men. Brethren, I do not consider myself to have attained; but only by forgetting what is behind and reaching forward. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. not because we ourselves are able to think something from ourselves, as if from ourselves, but our ability is from God. Oh, the depth of wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who was His adviser? where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched the rope along it? On what are its foundations established, or who laid its cornerstone? These stones must be twelve, according to the number (twelve names) of the sons of Israel (on his two shoulders), according to their names (and according to their birth); on each, as on a seal, one name from among the twelve tribes should be engraved. Its foundation is on the mountains of saints. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the villages of Jacob. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Who put the measure on it, if you know? or who stretched the rope along it? Having reached Mysia, they decided to go to Bithynia; but the Spirit did not allow them. But exclude the outer court of the temple and do not measure it, for it was given to the pagans: they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. for narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it. Then one scribe came up and said to Him: Teacher! I will follow You wherever You go. And Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. And he said to another: follow me. He said: Lord! let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him: Let the dead bury their dead, and you go and preach the Kingdom of God. On what are its foundations established, or who laid its cornerstone? and hang it on four pillars of shittim, overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four sockets of silver. The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purified from the earth in a furnace, refined seven times. ... or who laid the cornerstone thereof. For He is our peace, having made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men! The stone that the builders rejected became the head of the corner. Josiah begat Joachim; Joachim gave birth to Jehoiachin and his brothers before moving to Babylon. After moving to Babylon, Jeconiah gave birth to Salathiel; Shealtiel gave birth to Zerubbabel. where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Not so - the wicked (not so): but they are like dust swept away by the wind (from the face of the earth). The land that drinks the rain that falls on it repeatedly and produces grain that is useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. Serve one another, each with the gift that you have received, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. You, brethren, are called to freedom, so long as your freedom is not an excuse to please the flesh, but serve one another through love. The body is not made of one member, but of many. If the leg says: I do not belong to the body because I am not a hand, then does it really not belong to the body? And if the ear says: I do not belong to the body, because I am not an eye, then does it really not belong to the body? If the whole body is eyes, then where is the hearing? If everything is hearing, then where is the sense of smell?... And if everyone were one member, then where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. By the grace given to me, I say to each of you: do not think about yourself more than you should think; but think modestly, according to the measure of faith that God has allocated to each. from which the whole body, composed and copulated through all kinds of mutually fastening bonds, with the action of each member in its measure, receives an increase for the creation of itself in love. God! My heart was not lifted up and my eyes were not lifted up, and I did not enter into what is great and beyond my reach. for I will not dare to say anything that Christ did not do through me in subduing the pagans by faith, in word and in deed. ... or who pulled the rope along it? And having called them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all about the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:18); They obeyed him; and calling the Apostles, they beat them and, forbidding them to speak about the name of Jesus, sent them away. (Acts 5:40). Peter and the Apostles answered and said: We must obey God rather than men. We cannot help but say what we saw and heard. Behold, I, Paul, say to you: if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. Paul wanted to take him with him; and he took it and circumcised it for the sake of the Jews who were in those places; for everyone knew about his father that he was a Greek. The lamp for the body is the eye. So, if your eye is clean, then your whole body will be bright; if your eye is bad, then your whole body will be dark. So, if the light that is in you is darkness, then what is the darkness? So, look: is not the light that is in you darkness? (Luke 11:35) But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. So, if the light that is in you is darkness, then what is the darkness? (Matthew 6:23) Who will reward everyone according to his deeds: to those who, by constancy in good deeds, seek glory, honor and immortality - eternal life. non emississe (lat. reproduce, send, direct), Sed dimisisse (reject, send, exhibit, release) It was revealed to them that it was not they themselves, but us, who served that which has now been preached to you by those who preached the gospel by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, into which the angels desire to penetrate. with the general rejoicing of the morning stars, when all the sons of God shouted for joy? …when all the sons of God shouted for joy? 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. He who closed the sea with gates, when it burst forth, came out as if from the womb. Behold, the wicked conceived unrighteousness, was pregnant with malice and gave birth to lies. when I made the clouds his clothing and darkness his swaddling clothes. which none of the authorities of this century has known; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. You covered yourself with a cloud so that our prayer would not reach. and I established My decree for him, and set up bars and gates. ... and he set bars and gates, and said: Hitherto you will come and not pass, and here is the limit of your arrogant waves? Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” But Peter said to him: Let your silver perish with you, because you thought to receive the gift of God with money. Having said this, he blew and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; On whomever you leave it, it will stay on it. What fruit did you have then? Such deeds of which you yourself are now ashamed, because their end is death. Don't kill. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor. You have heard what was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. You have heard that it was said: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you. And he allowed them evil institutions and regulations from which they could not live. And Samaria did not commit half your sins; You have surpassed them in your abominations, and through your abominations that you have done, your sisters have been more righteous than you. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor (any of his livestock), nor anything that is thy neighbor's. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot. You have heard that it was said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you: do not resist evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him. The sea saw and ran; Jordan turned back. And the Lord smelled a pleasant aroma, and the Lord (God) said in His heart: I will no longer curse the earth for man’s sake, because the thought of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will no longer smite every living thing, as I have done. Now we see as if through a dark glass, fortune-telling, but then face to face; Now I know in part, but then I will know, even as I am known. When I was a baby, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child; and when he became a husband, he left behind his children. and confirmed My decree to him, and set up bars and gates, and said: Hitherto you will come and not pass over, and here is the limit of your arrogant waves? Above all, put on love, which is the sum of perfection.