How will we show our obedience? If we really fulfill His commandments. "Not the hearers of the law," says the Scriptures, "are righteous in the sight of God, but those who do the law will be justified" (Romans 2:13). And what good is it to us if we hear (about the commandments of God) every day, and do not care about their fulfillment? Therefore I exhort all, let us hasten to good works, for otherwise it is impossible to be saved, let us cleanse our sins, and thus be worthy of mercy from the Lord Himself, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom be glory to the Father, with the Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

DISCOURSE 48

"The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 'You are the prince of God in our midst; in the best of our burial places bury thy dead" (Gen. 23:5-6).

The burial of Sarah and the acquisition of Abraham's first landed property; the denunciation of contemporaries in their addiction to acquisitiveness and exhortation to justice and almsgiving. Abraham's concern for the choice of a wife for Isaac from his kindred tribe and his firm faith in the Lord Provident. — The story of the journey of the slave Abraham to Mesopotamia, with moral application to the life of the listeners.

1. You saw yesterday, beloved, the courage of the forefather. We have seen a soul stronger than adamant. (They saw) how, as much as depended on him, out of his love for God, he became a priest of his own son, stained his hand with blood and offered a sacrifice; but, through the ineffable love of God, he received his son back alive and well, and for his readiness he was glorified and adorned with a bright crown. Such was his supreme feat, which he accomplished; here his God-loving soul was fully revealed. Let us now look at the power of this righteous man's (fatherly) love, at the care he takes for his son. After that extraordinary and wonderful sacrifice, when he returned (from the mountain), sorrow for Sarah came upon him. Having begged the sons of Hittite for possession of a tomb and bought a place, he buried his dead wife there, and thus, with the death of Sarah, the forefather made the first beginning of his acquisitions. The Divine Scriptures, showing in all things the virtue of this righteous man, and the fact that he spent all his time as a stranger and a stranger, also noted this (circumstance), so that we may know that, having enjoyed such help from above, having become so glorious and having received the promise of so many descendants, he did not even have a place of his own (burial), not as many do now, taking care to acquire fields and villages and all other riches without measure. He had enough wealth of soul, but did not take any care of material things. Let those who suddenly, in one minute, want to seize everything into their own hands, who extend, so to speak, the passion of their avarice to everything, hear this. Let them better imitate their forefather, who did not even have a place to bury the mortal remains of Sarah, and only on this occasion, prompted by extreme necessity, bought a field and a cave from the sons of Hittite. And that he was respected by the inhabitants of Canaan, listen to what the sons of the Hittites say to him: "You are the prince of God in our midst; in the best of our burial places bury thy dead; none of us will refuse you a burial place." But see how the righteous also teaches them by his very works, not before agreeing to take the tomb from them, but having paid the due price for it. Though you, he says, show me such favour, yet I will not consent to take the tomb from you before I have paid the proper price for it. And having given the money, it is said, he took the tomb, "buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field in Machpelah, opposite Mamre" (Gen. 23:16, 19). Therefore (a man) so illustrious and respected, who had such an intimacy with God, and who enjoyed such attention from all who lived in that place, that the sons of the Hittites even called him king, such a man did not possess even an inch of land. That is why Blessed Paul, glorifying the virtue of this righteous man, wrote: "By faith he dwelt in the promised land as in a strange land, and he dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, joint heirs of the same promise" (Hebrews 11:9). Then, teaching us how he traveled in faith, the apostle adds: "For he was looking for a city having a foundation, of which God is the maker and builder." In the hope of the future, he despised the present and, expecting great (blessings), cared little about the blessings of the present life. And so (he did) even before the law and before grace. Tell me, then, what excuse shall we have, after such great gospels and promises of unspeakable blessings, having so much addiction to temporal goods, buying fields, striving always and in all things to shine, acquiring all these things with greed and predation, and in fact fulfilling what the blessed prophet, weeping, said: "Woe to you, you who add house to house, who add field to field, so that there is no room for others" (Isaiah 5:8)? Is this not what we really see every day, whether the property of widows is not taken away, whether the orphans are not robbed, and whether the powerless are not oppressed by the strong? But this is not how the righteous man (acted). Wishing to buy the tomb, although he saw that those from whom he had asked for it were ready to give it to him, he did not consent to take it before, as having paid the due price. Reflecting on this, beloved, let us, who live under grace, imitate what has been to the end. Let us not inflame in ourselves a passion for greater and greater acquisitions, and through this prepare for ourselves only a greater and fiercer fire, an inextinguishable fire, an unbearable flame. If we continue in such predation and covetousness, we will hear it said to the rich man: "Fool! this night thy soul shall be taken from thee; Who will get what you have prepared?" (Luke 12:20)? And why, beloved, do you try to collect so many and such blessings? After a short time, having been taken from here, you will leave them here, not only not having received any benefit from them, but having also borne the burden of sins with repentance, already in vain. The treasures which you have greedily collected may pass into the hands of your enemies, and you yourself will be judged and punished for them. What madness it is to work for others, and to suffer execution for one's own labors!

2. But if we have been so careless until now, then at least from now on we will take care of what is due. Let us try not only to increase our possessions, but also to take care of justice. Our affairs will not be limited to the present life, and we will not always be in this alien country; but a little later we will move to our fatherland. Let us do everything in such a way that we do not endure deprivation there. Of course, what is the use of leaving one's wealth in a foreign country, and not having what one needs in one's true homeland? And so, I beseech you, let us hasten, while there is still time, to transfer there what we have acquired here, in a foreign land. Although the distance of places is great, it is very convenient to move there from here, because people are ready for us who are able to carry it there, people who are on the right path there, and who put in a safe treasury everything that we would like to send there through them. And if it is so convenient and reliable, why do we delay, why do we not do it with all care, in order to find our possessions where we will need them most? That is why the forefather (Abraham) lived in the land of Canaan, as a stranger to him, waiting for that "city whose artist and builder God is" (Hebrews 11:10). And so, if we wanted to imitate this righteous man, then we too would reach that city, and soon dwell in the bosom of our forefather, because the communion of deeds brings us communion and blessedness. But let us return, if you will, to the continuation of the discourse, and see how, after the death of Sarah, the righteous man cares for his son, I mean Isaac. Let us listen to how the Divine Scripture tells us about this. "Abraham," it says, "was already old and in advanced years. The Lord blessed Abraham in all things" (Gen. 24:1). Why does the Scripture notice this to us? Since at that time the forefather directed his care for Isaac to find him a spouse, therefore (the Scriptures) now mean the age of the forefather. When, it says, he had reached a very old age, then, wishing to turn Isaac away from kinship with the Canaanites, so that he would not take a wife from among them, (the forefather) summoned the most prudent of his household and, entrusting him with this task, said: "Put thy hand under my thigh" (Gen. 24:2). In Greek, it is written thus: "under my thigh"; and in Hebrew it reads: "under the loins." Why does the forefather say so? Such was the custom of the ancients; also because here was the beginning of the birth of Isaac. And in order to be convinced that this was the real custom, see how he, having commanded the servant to put his hand there, immediately adds: "And swear to me by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth" (Gen. 24:3). Notice how he teaches the servant to know the Creator of all things, because when he said, "God of heaven and God of earth," he signified (with these words) all creation. What was the oath? "You will not take for my son a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but you will go to my land, to my homeland, and take a wife for my son Isaac" (Gen. 24:3-4). Do you see what commandment the forefather gave to his household? Do not ignore these speeches, but ponder the intention of the righteous man; Consider how in ancient times they did not care to acquire a lot of money, wealth, slaves, or so much space of land, did not seek only external decorum, but sought the beauty of the soul and purity of morals. The forefather, knowing the corruption of the inhabitants of Canaan, knowing what a great blessing it is to have a wife of the same nature (with her husband), with an oath, commands the servant: to bring a wife to Isaac from a kindred tribe. Neither the distance of the seats nor other inconveniences deterred him; but, knowing the necessity of this work, he exerts all his diligence, and sends a servant. The forefather acts this out of his concern for the virtue of the soul and out of aversion to the vices of the local inhabitants. And now hardly anyone would want to think of anything like this. On the contrary, even though the wife has a thousand vices, now they are looking for only one, a lot of money, and everything else is considered by them to be a secondary matter. But they do not know that, as soon as the heart is corrupted, even if immeasurable wealth flows, a man can very easily come to extreme poverty, and that there can be no benefit from wealth if there is no soul capable of using it properly.

3. So the forefather gave the servant precise instruction and bound him with an oath. Let us now look at the good sense of this household, how jealous he was of his master's love of God. Seeing that the righteous man commands him with such power, he says to his forefather: "Perhaps" the woman will not "want to come with me," "Do you want to bring your son back to the land from which you came?" (Gen. 24:5)? If, he says, any obstacle should be encountered in this matter, then, in order that I may not transgress thy command, I ask thee what I should observe in such a case, and whether it pleases thee that Isaac should go thither himself, and take his wife there, and return from thence again, if the wife does not consent to go with me, as thou hast commanded. What about the righteous man? He does not agree to this, and says: "Beware that you do not return my son there" (Gen. 24:6). And you will not need it, he says, because He who gave me the promise and promised to spread his (Isaac's) seed to such a multitude — He will also prosper you in this matter. Thus, "Thou shalt not bring my son back there, O Lord God of heaven and God of earth" (Gen. 24:7). See, just as before the forefather, adjuring the servant, taught him about the Creator of all things, so now, expressing the spirit of prayer, he repeats the same words, thus teaching the household to set out on the journey with firm hope in God, and to be sure of a successful end to the work. He impresses upon him what great favor God has enjoyed from the beginning, and that He who called him from his fatherland, and has hitherto so arranged his affairs, and in his very old age has given him a son, Isaac, will prosper him in the work ahead. "The Lord God of heaven and earth," he says, "took me out of my father's house, and out of the land of my birth," the same "Who said to me, To thy seed I will give this land," the One who showed such great care for me. "He will send his angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there" (Gen. 24:7-8). Go, he says, with confidence: I firmly believe that He who has shown me so many favors will add this (new) one to the former mercies, "He will send His angel before you." He will arrange all things for you; He will show you also a wife, and you will take her and return. But if it happens (which is not the case) that the wife does not agree to go with you, then you will be free from the oath. Only, "Do not return my son there." But I have no doubt that the Lord will be pleased with you. Thus showing how much he trusts in the power of God, (the forefather) forbids the servant to take (Isaac) there. After he had given his command to the servant with such precision, and freed him from doubt (since the servant was afraid to break his oath by not fulfilling the command), "the servant put his hand under the tread of Abraham his master, and swore to him this" (Gen. 24:9), i.e. that he would not take Isaac there. Do you see how from the very beginning the servant showed his master his diligence? See further, how from the instructions of his forefather he became even better and began to imitate the piety of the righteous man. Having taken, it is said, "ten camels, and all the treasures of his master, He arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, and stopped the camels outside the city, at a well of water, in the evening, at the time when the women go out to draw, and said, 'Lord, God of my lord Abraham' (Gen. 10-12). Notice the good sense of the servant: he calls the Lord of the universe the God of the forefather, saying: "Lord, God of my master Abraham," Thou who hast shown him so many blessings. Why are you surprised if a slave calls him the God of Abraham? And God Himself, showing how much He appreciates the virtue of the righteous, says: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6). So the servant said: "Lord, God of my master Abraham! send her this day to meet me, and show mercy to my lord Abraham" (Gen. 24:12). As if he were saying: "Create, that his desires may be fulfilled, arrange everything according to his intention; "Have mercy on my lord Abraham." What does it mean: "do mercy"? So, fulfill his wish. Then he says: "Behold, I am standing at a fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of the city go out to draw water; and the maiden to whom I will say, 'Tilt your pitcher, I will drink,' and who will say, 'Drink, and I will give your camels to drink until they are all drunk; this is the one which Thou hast appointed unto Thy servant Isaac; and by this I know that you are showing mercy to my master" (Gen. 24:13-14). Take note of the servant's prudence: he knew the strangeness of his forefather, and that the maiden whom he was to bring to him must have the same disposition as the righteous man; Wherefore the servant seeks no other sign, but wants to know the character of the maiden by her hospitality, and says, "If she bends the waterpot to me when I ask her for water, she will not only grant my request, but will also show her own hospitality, and say, "I will give your camels a drink too," then by offering water she will give sufficient testimony of the goodness of her disposition.

4. Consider, beloved, how important it was that the gentle maiden who drew water not only did not refuse (the slave's) request, but also took the waterpot off her shoulders, and allowed the beggar to drink from it, moreover a stranger and completely unknown to her, and not only him, but also all the camels, and by this act she presented proof of her spiritual nobility. Or do you not know that many men often refuse such requests? What do I say about almsgiving water? Sometimes people holding lighted candles in their hands, in response to the requests of other people who come up to them to wait a little and let them light their candle, do not want to do even this, while the fire will not diminish in the least, even if there are thousands of people who want to light it. And here a woman, a maiden, carrying a waterpot on her shoulders, not only was not indignant at the request, but did even more than she asked: she gave the wanderer water and voluntarily hastened to water the camels. And all this was arranged by God, the lover of mankind, who heeded the prayers of the forefather and sent His angel before him, so that everything would be done as the servant asked. Thus, the servant actually learned the power of the forefather's prayers, found the maiden he desired, and saw her extreme love of strangers: "And straightway, it is said, she poured water out of her pitcher into the water, and ran again to the well to draw it, and drew for all his camels" (Gen. 24:20). See what diligent helpfulness! In the fact that she "immediately poured the water out of her pitcher into the water, and ran again to the well" – this is precisely the extraordinary helpfulness of the maiden. She did not run away from the slave as if he were a stranger, and did not refuse the request under the guise of chastity, but with great meekness said: "Drink, sir." Just think: at such an age, what strictness of chastity, what great meekness, what zealous love of strangers! Is this not more valuable than any wealth? To what treasures would each of us not prefer this? This is the best dowry; here is incalculable wealth, here is a treasure that never fails. Thus, the prudent servant, seeing in this the manifest providence of God, "with amazement, as it is said, in silence, desiring to understand whether the Lord has blessed his way or not" (Gen. 24:21). What does it mean, "desiring to understand"? This means that he observed the very words of the maiden, and the look, the step, the clothes, and everything else, and waited for an opportunity to find out "whether the Lord blessed his way or not." Everything that had happened up to now had already shown the great and extraordinary virtue of the maiden. Therefore, as a reward for her obedience and for giving her water, the servant offered, as it is said in the Scriptures, "a gold earring, and two wrists"; And then, carefully testing what concerned her, he asked her: "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there a place for us to spend the night in your father's house?" (Gen. 24:23)? Notice now the girl's answer. As before, when he asked her for water, she not only fulfilled the request, but, having given him a drink, afterwards gave the camels to drink, so now, to the slave's question: "Is there a place and whose daughter is she?" the maiden answers: "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor" (Gen. 24:24). She mentions her father and grandfather, so that the servant, having come to know them, would become more benevolent. Notice the good nature of the girl: when asked about her father, she tells not only about him, but also about her grandfather. And when the servant asked only: "Is there a place for us to spend the night in your father's house?" she answers: not only a place, but also "we have plenty of straw and fodder" (Gen. 24:25). The servant, hearing this and being amazed at the maiden's zealous love of strangers, also learned that he had not come to strangers, but to the house of Nahor, who was the brother of the forefather, "and the man bowed down, it is said, worshipped the Lord" (Gen. 24:26). Rejoicing at what he had learned, and at the words of the maiden, he "worshipped the Lord," that is, he offered thanks to the Lord, Who had shown such favor to his forefather and such care for himself, and who had arranged everything so happily for him, and said: "Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken my master in His mercy and in His truth" (Gen. 24:27). After the servant saw the good nature of the maiden and learned everything from her in detail, he finally reveals to the maiden who he is, and with his thanks to God he explains to her that he did not come from someone else's house, but that the one who sent him was the brother of Nahor. Learning this, the maiden with great joy "fled," as the Scripture says. See how she shows her diligence in hospitality by all her actions - running, words, and her modest behavior. "She ran, it is said, and told about it in her mother's house" (Gen. 24:28). Everything she heard from the slave, she told her parents. "Laban ran out to that man, to the spring" (Gen. 24:29). So this one shows his diligence by running. And when he saw the man standing by the well with the camels, he said to him, "Come in, blessed of the Lord: why are you standing outside? I have prepared a house and a place for camels" (Gen. 24:30). Notice how this one also blesses the Lord in the presence of a stranger, and already shows him (in words) great courtesy, even before hospitality in deed. "Come," he said, "come in," I had already prepared a temple and a place for the camels. Then, when he entered, "he unsaddled the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the people" (Gen. 24:32).

5. This is how much people who were still in error cared about the hospitality of strangers. "And he gave water to wash his feet and the people who were with him; and food was offered to him" (Gen. 24:33). But note here the prudence of the slave. What does he say? "I will not eat until I have told my deed." You, he says, have done your work; but I will not think of my rest until I have explained to you the reason why I was sent on such a journey, and why I came hither from Canaan, and how I was brought into your house, so that when you know all things, you also may show your favor to my lord. And he began to tell thus: "I am Abraham's servant; The Lord blessed my lord exceedingly: He gave him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and asses; Sarah, my master's wife, when she was already old, bore my lord a son, to whom he gave all that he had." (Gen. 24:34-36). See how carefully he tells them all things: I am a servant, he says, of Abraham, whom you know. Know also that he has received a blessing from the Lord of all, and lives in great wealth. Then, showing the abundance of this wealth, he says that he has "sheep and oxen, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys." Listen to this, you rich people, who buy a few plots of land every day, build baths and places of entertainment, and magnificent buildings, and see what the property of the righteous man was. He has no field anywhere, no buildings, and no superfluous luxury, but only "sheep and calves, camels and donkeys, male and female slaves." And in order to know whence he had such a multitude of servants, (the Scriptures) says in another place that they were all "members of the household" (Russian translated: his servants born in his house) (Gen. 14:14) [i.e., slaves not hired or bought, but born in his house]. So this lord, who lives in such wealth and deserves great help from above, when he was already in old age, received a son from Sarah. Having only this son, he made him the heir of all: "He gave all that he had." Having thus spoken of the glory of his master and of the birth of Isaac, the servant goes on to speak of the command which he received from his master, and by which he came to Haran. "And he took an oath from me," says he, "my lord, saying, 'Do not take a wife for my son Isaac from among the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, but go to my father's house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son' (Gen. 24:37-38). Thus he commanded me. Then I, imagining the inconveniences in this matter, and reasoning about its difficulty, asked my master: "Perhaps a woman will not go with me" (Gen. 24:39)? He said to me, "The Lord, in whose face I walk, will send His angel with you, and will make your way prosperous, and you will take a wife for my son from among my relatives and from my father's house." If the wife does not agree to come with you here, "then you will be free from my oath" (Gen. 24:40-41). "And so, my lord," says (the servant), having given me this command, and having instructed me with these prayers, he sent me, and I, encouraged by his prayers, when I came to the well, uttered these words: "Lord, God of my master Abraham! If Thou wilt make good the way which I make, behold, I am standing by a fountain of water, and the virgin who will come out to draw it, and to whom I will say, Give me a little to drink from thy pitcher, and who shall say to me, Thou shalt drink, and I will draw thy camels, this is the woman whom the Lord hath appointed for my master's son" (Gen. 24:42-44). And so, he says, I prayed inwardly and asked God; and before my prayer was finished, it was immediately fulfilled, and the word became a deed. "Before I had ceased to speak in my mind, Behold, Rebekah came out, and her pitcher was on her shoulder, and I said to her, 'Give me a drink.' Immediately she took down her pitcher and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels to drink' (Gen. 24:45-46). Seeing in this a clear providence of God, I asked her: whose daughter is she? And when I knew from her words that I had not come to strangers, but to the house of Nahor my lord's brother, I dared to offer her "earrings and wrists on her hands. And I bowed down and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who hath brought me in a straight way, that I might take the daughter of my master's brother" (Gen. 24:47). It is evident that it is so arranged by God, that the prayers of my lord have ascended to Him. Now, if you, for your part, agree, "Do you intend to show mercy and truth to my lord or not? tell me" (Gen. 24:49). Let me know about it, he says, so that I may know what I must do.

If you do not agree, I will go to another place and turn "to the right or to the left" (Gen. 24:49). But as God Himself arranged everything through the prayers of the forefather, the maiden's father and brother answered (to the servant): "From the Lord came this matter, we cannot tell you in spite of either evil or good" (Gen. 24:50). Your story, they say, shows that all this happened by God's providence; therefore, do not think that we will become contrary to the will of God: this cannot be on our part. Behold, the maiden is before thee; "Take it and go; let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has said" (Gen. 24:51).

6. Do you see how in ancient times people took care of choosing wives for their sons? How was spiritual dignity sought in preference to wealth? They had no records, no contracts, and no other things that happen today; there were no heterogeneous conditions, such as are now entered in the (marriage) records, as, for example, in case the husband dies without children, if this or that happens. The ancients had nothing of the sort, but there was a much more important and reliable record – the temper of the bride. They also had no music or dances. You will see this when you know how this maiden was brought to the bridegroom. The servant, hearing the words of her father and brother, "worshipped the Lord to the ground" (Gen. 24:52). This is how he always gives thanks to the Lord of all, because the Lord Himself helped him in everything, and, according to the word of the forefather, sent an angel before him, who arranged everything for him. Finally, the servant, having made sure that the goal of his efforts had been achieved, "took out the things of silver, and the things of gold, and gave them to Rebekah" (Gen. 24:53). Now he boldly serves her, as if she had already been betrothed to Isaac in words, he also honors both his brother and mother with gifts, and when he saw his master's command fulfilled, then, at last, he allowed himself to rest. "And he ate and drank, and the people who were with him, and spent the night. And when they arose in the morning, he said, Let me go to my master" (Gen. 24:54). As everything has already been arranged for me so successfully, he says, and there is nothing left (for me to do), and it is desirable for you to do so, "let me go to my master. But her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us for ten days, and then you will go." He said to them, "Do not hold me back, for the Lord has made my way prosperous; let me go, and I will go to my lord" (Gen. 24:55-56). Why, he says, should I postpone and postpone, when God has given me such success in all things? "Let me go, and I will go to my master. They said, "Let us call the maiden and ask what she will say." And they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I'll go." And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his people. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister! let thousands of thousands be born of you, and let your descendants possess the dwellings of your enemies" (Gen. 24:57-60). See how these people, without their own knowledge, predict the future of a maiden, because God Himself directed their thoughts to this. They foretell her two events: that she will be in thousands of thousands," and that her seed "will possess the dwellings of her enemies." Do you see how in all cases the manifest providence of God is revealed, and how the Lord God of all things, even through unbelievers, foretells future events? "And Rebekah and her maidservants arose, it is said, and sat on the camels" (Gen. 24:61). This is the kind of bride the forefather takes! She goes to fetch water, carries a water carrier on her shoulders, and now she mounts a camel. There were no mules with manes decorated with silver, there was no crowd of servants, there was no effeminacy that is visible today; ancient women had such a fortress that they themselves mounted camels and thus made their journeys. "And let's go, it is said, for that man. And when evening came, Isaac went out into the field to meditate, and lifted up his eyes, and saw, Behold, camels are coming" (Gen. 24:63). As Isaac was walking in the field, the Scripture says, he saw camels. "Rebekah looked, and saw Isaac, and got down from the camel. And she said to the servant, 'Who is this man who is coming into the field to meet us' (Gen. 24:64-65)? Notice the nobility of the maiden: when she sees Isaac, she asks who it is. And when she learns that this is the one who wants to take her for himself, she dresses, as it is noted in the Scriptures, in summer clothes, and the servant, coming up, carefully told everything to Isaac. See, beloved, how there is nothing superfluous and empty here, there is no vain pomp, no cymbals, trumpets and dances, no indecent feasts, no backbiting full of all shamelessness, but everything is honest, everything is wise, everything is modest. "And Isaac brought her," it is said, "into the tent of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted in sorrow for his mother" (Gen. 24:67). This is whom let the wives imitate. Let men be jealous of them, let them take care to find brides in the same way. Well, tell me, why do you allow the maiden's ears to be filled with shameless songs and inappropriate noise from the very beginning? Or you don't know how easily youth is accessible to temptation. Why do you disgrace the venerable sacrament of marriage? All this should be banished, and from the very beginning the girl should be accustomed to modesty.

Amen.

DISCOURSE 49