Lest anyone think that this is spoken of any ordinary man, it is not Isaiah, nor Jeremiah, nor any other prophet of private men, but the king himself; and the king (you know) can call no one his Lord but God. If it were a private man, another shameless person could say what (David) says about a person; but now, as king, he certainly would not call a man his Lord. If David had said this of a simple man, how would he have said that (this man) sat at the right hand of the great and unspeakable glory (of the Lord)? It's impossible. And he says of this (person): The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool. Then, lest thou should think that (this person) was weak and powerless, David added, "With thee is the beginning in the day of thy power," v. 3. And in order to show this still more clearly, He said: "From the womb before the dawn of the day criterion I begot Thee." But no man was born before Lucifer. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek (v. 4). He did not say, "According to the order of Aaron." Ask the Jew, then, if the ancient priesthood was not to be destroyed, why did (God) introduce another Priest, after the order of Melchizedek? When Paul came to this place, see how he explained it. Having said of Christ, that as He also saith: Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek, he added: "Of whom we have many words, and it is not convenient for us to speak" (Heb. V, 11); then, reproaching his disciples - let us say in abbreviation - he says who Melchizedek is, and gives this story about him: "Who has slain Abraham returned from the slaughter of kings, and bless him, and to him separate Abraham from all." Then, revealing the meaning of this image, he says: "See, this one, Abraham, the patriarch of the elect, gave him a tithe (Heb. VII, 1, 2, 4). He said this not simply, but in order to show that our priesthood is much more important than the Jewish one. And this superiority is already revealed in advance from the very images of things. Abraham was the father of Isaac, the grandfather of Jacob and the great-grandfather of Levi; for Jacob had a son, Levi. From Levi the Jewish priesthood originated. But it was this Abraham, the progenitor of the Levites and the priests of the Jews, who stood in the place of the layman before Melchizedek, who was the image of our priesthood, and showed this in two ways: by giving him tithes, for the laity gave tithes to the priests; and because he received a blessing from him, for the laity receive a blessing from the priests. See, then, how great is the superiority of our priesthood when Abraham, the patriarch of the Jews, the progenitor of the Levites, is blessed by Melchizedek and gives him a tithe. Both are described in the Old Testament, i.e., that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and that Abraham gave him tithes (Gen. 2:10). XIV, 19, 20). Putting this on display, Paul said, "See, this is this." Who? Melchizedek, he says, Abraham the patriarch of the elect gave him tithes (Heb. VII, 4). And those who receive the priesthood from the sons of Levi have the commandment, and the people shall be decimated according to the law, that is, their brethren, even if they come from the loins of Abraham (v. 5). This means that the Levites, the Jewish priests, had the right by law to receive tithes from other Jews. Though all are descended from Abraham, both the Levites and the rest of the people, yet the Levites receive tithes from their brethren. And Melchizedek, who was not reckoned with their family (for he was not descended from Abraham, nor from the tribe of the Levites, but from another generation), was Abraham's decimate, i.e., he took a tithe from him. But besides that, he did something else. What is it? And bless him who has the promises of Abraham (v. 6). What, you say, does this mean? That Abraham is much smaller than Melchizedek. How is that? Without any reproach, the least of the greater is blessed (Heb. VII, 7). Hence, if Abraham, the progenitor of the Levites, had not been less than Melchizedek, this one would not have blessed him, and he would not have given him a tithe. Then, to show that this was the case with Melchizedek, Paul added, "And let this river, Abraham and Levi, receive tithes, tithes you have given to eat" (v. 9). What does this mean? That Levi himself, before he was born, had already given tithes to Melchizedek in the person of his father. Again, he says, in the loins of his fathers, when Melchizedek cut him down (v. 10). For this reason Paul said beforehand, "Yes, this is the river." And in order to show why he spoke of this, he draws the following conclusion: if the perfection of the Levitical priesthood was, for the people were lawful in it: if it was necessary, according to the order of Melchizedek to another priest, and not according to the order of Aaron, v. 11? What does this mean? If the Jewish rites were perfect, and the law was not the shadow of future blessings, but gave perfection to all things, and did not have to yield (its place) to another; if the old priesthood is not to cease and a new one is to be introduced in its place; then why did the prophet say: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek" (Ps. CIX, 4)? It should have been said: after the order of Aaron. That is why Paul says, "If the perfection of the Levitical priesthood was, what is the need for another priest according to the order of Melchizedek, and not according to the order of Aaron? From this it is evident that that priesthood has ended, and in its place a new, much better and more exalted one has been introduced. If this is true, then it is also true that another order of life will be introduced, in accordance with the (new) priesthood, and a better legislation, namely ours. Proving this, Paul says: "For there is a change in the priesthood according to necessity and law, but the creator of these is one" (v. 12; II, 11). For most of the ordinances of the law concerned the duties of the priesthood, and the former priesthood had been abolished; it is obvious that, with the introduction of a different priesthood, better legislation had to be introduced. Further, explaining about whom this is spoken, the Apostle continues: "For of whom these are spoken, commune with the other tribe, and from whom no one shall approach the altar." For it is manifest that our Lord hath risen from the tribe of Judah, of whom the tribe of Moses hath spoken of the priesthood (Heb. VII, 13, 14). Thus, when it is shown that Christ is descended from this tribe, i.e., Judah, and is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, and Melchizedek is much higher than Abraham, it is at the same time fully proved that the other priesthood that is being reintroduced is much higher than the first. For if the image (Melchizedek) was so great and far more glorious than the Jewish priesthood, how much more so is the truth itself. Proving this, Paul said: "And there is more, for in the likeness of Melchizedek there is a priest, who is not according to the law of the commandment of the flesh, but according to the power of life indestructible" (v. 15, 16). What does this mean: not according to the law of the commandments of the flesh, but according to the power of the indestructible life? That none of the (Christ's) commandments were carnal: He commanded not to slaughter sheep and calves, but to serve God with spiritual virtue, and as a reward for this He offered us a life that never ceases. And again, by His coming, He raised us up who had died from sins, and made us alive, destroying the twofold death, the death of sin, and the death of the flesh. Thus, since He has brought us such great blessings, therefore Paul says: Not according to the law of the commandments of the flesh, but according to the power of the life that is indestructible.

6

Thus, this has already proved that with the change of the priesthood it was necessary to change the law. However, it would be possible to prove the same thing directly, and to cite the prophets as witnesses, who say that the law will change, the social order will be better, and that the Jews will never again have a king. But since it is necessary to speak as much as the listener can accept, and not all at once and suddenly; then, putting it aside for another time, let us now conclude our discourse, with the advice of your love to remember what has been said, and to add it to what has been said before. And now we ask again the same thing that we have asked you before: turn your brethren to salvation, and diligently take care of the neglected members. We do not undertake such labor in order only to speak, or to hear applause and noise, but in order to return those who have deviated to the path of truth. And no one says to me, "I have nothing to do with him; may God grant me to correct my own affairs." No one can correct his deeds without loving his neighbor and not caring for his salvation. For this reason Paul also says: Let no one seek his own, but his neighbor (1 Cor. X, 24), knowing that each one's own benefit is united with the benefit of one's neighbor. You are well, but your brother is sick. Therefore, if you have a good heart, you will grieve greatly for the sufferer, and in this you will begin to imitate the blessed (Paul), who said: "Who is faint, and I am not faint?" Whoever is offended, I do not liquefy (2 Cor. XI, 29)

As unjust and covetous people, stealing what is not their own, and doing many evils to their neighbors, when they depart there (into eternal life) and see those who have been wronged by them (and they will certainly see them, as the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows), they will not be able to open their mouths, nor say anything in their defense, but, covered with shame and dishonor, they will be led away into the rivers of fire in the presence of those (the offended); so, on the contrary, those who in this life teach and instruct (their neighbors), when they see there that those who have been saved by them intercede for them, will be filled with great boldness. In explaining this, Paul said, "We boast unto you, as ye also are to us" (2 Cor. I, 14). When? Tell. On the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ convinces to this, saying: "Make yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you become poor, they shall receive you into eternal dwellings" (Luke 2:11). XVI, 9). Do you see what great boldness will be for us from those who have benefited us now? But if such crowns, such a reward, such a reward are only for the expenditure of money; then will not great and most important blessings be (given) to us for the help given to the soul? If Tabitha was brought back from death to life because she clothed widows and helped the poor; if the tears of those who had benefited from her again brought her departed soul into her body, when the resurrection had not yet come; then what will not the tears of those who are saved by you do? As this widow, having surrounded her, was restored from death to life, so then those who have been saved by you will surround you, they will intercede for you with great love for mankind (Judges), and they will snatch you out of the fire of hell. Knowing this, let us be ardent and diligent, not only until the present hour, but, having gone out from here, kindle the fire that is now in you, and arrange the salvation of the whole city; and if you do not know who is sick, try to find them. Then we too will converse with you more willingly, knowing from experience that we have not sown on a stone; and you yourselves will be more diligent in virtue. As in money matters, one who has received a profit of two pieces of gold is inflamed with a great desire to collect and accumulate ten and twenty more; so it is with virtue: whoever does one good deed and podvig, receives from this very podvig an incentive and encouragement to undertake others (podvigs). Therefore, in order that we may save our brethren, and prepare forgiveness for ourselves of sins, and especially great boldness (towards God), and, above all, to contribute to the glorification of the name of God, let us go out together with our wives, children, and household members to this trap, let us snatch from the snare of the devil those who are captive by him into his will, and let us not leave until we have done all that is possible for us, whether they will obey us, or not. However, it is impossible that they, the Christians, would not listen. And so that you do not have this excuse, I will say this: when you, having exhausted many words and done everything that depends on you, see that your neighbor is stubborn, take him to the priests; they, of course, with the help of God's grace, will catch the prey; and all success will belong to you, as the one who brought him. Husbands with wives, wives with husbands, fathers with children, and friends with friends talk about this. Let the Jews, and those who seem to be of the same mind with us, but (in reality) hold to their way of thinking, let them know that we are anxious, anxious, and vigilant for our brethren who flee to them. And, probably, before us, they will drive away from them those who flee from us to them. Rather, no one will dare to run away from us to them, on the contrary, the body of the church will be clean. But God, Who willeth all men to be saved, and to come to the understanding of the truth (1 Tim. II, 4), and may He strengthen you for this trap, and may He lead them out of this error, and, having saved all in general, may He make them worthy of the kingdom of heaven - to His glory, for to Him is due glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

EIGHTH WORD.

1

THE Jewish fast has passed, or rather, Jewish drunkenness. After all, you can get drunk without wine, you can be drunk in a sober state and go into a frenzy with intoxication. If it were impossible to get drunk without wine, then the prophet would not have said: "Woe to those who are drunk not with wine" (Isa. XXIX, 9). If it were impossible to get drunk without wine, Paul would not have said, "Do not be drunk with wine" (Eph. V, 18). Since it is possible to get drunk on other things, therefore he said: do not get drunk with wine. It is possible, indeed it is possible, to revel in anger, and impure lust, and love of money, and vanity, and an innumerable multitude of other passions. For ecstasy is nothing but the loss of sound concepts, a frenzy, a disorder of mental health. Thus, not only of the one who has drunk a lot of wine, but also of the one who has another passion in his soul, it can be said that he is very drunk. Intoxicated, for example, is the one who loves another man's wife and lives with harlots. As one who has drunk much wine and is weakened by it utters indecent words and sees one thing instead of another; so he who is seized with unclean lust, as if with wine, does not utter a single sound word, but (speaks) only shameful, depraved, base, and ridiculous (words)

Likewise, he who is possessed by anger is intoxicated, his face swells, and his voice becomes hoarse, and his eyes are filled with blood, and his mind is darkened, and his sense is lost, and his tongue trembles, and his eyes wander, and his ears hear one thing instead of another, because anger strikes the brain more strongly than any wine, and produces in it a storm and uncontrollable agitation. But if everyone who is possessed by lust and anger is drunk, how much more intoxicated and foolish is the wicked man, who offends God, who resists His laws, and does not want to abandon this foolish obstinacy; he is worse than both the frenzied and the frenzied, although he himself does not seem to feel it. Intoxication is especially characteristic of the fact that a person, acting disorderly, does not feel it at all, since the misfortune of madness lies especially in the fact that the sick do not even realize that they are sick. In the same way, the Jews, who are drunk now, do not feel this. And so their fast, which is more shameful than any drunkenness, has passed; but we, however, will not cease to care for our brethren, and will not think that it is no longer time to take care of them, but will act as soldiers do.

In the same way, just as we have already driven out the Jews by the mercy of God, having armed the prophets against them, now, returning, let us look in all directions, whether any of our brethren have fallen, whether anyone has not been carried away by this fast, whether anyone has participated in the Jewish feast; We will not betray anyone to burial, but we will raise and heal everyone. In external battles, a warrior who has once fallen and given up his soul can no longer rise and return to life; and in this war and battle, even if someone receives a mortal wound, we can, if we wish, with the help of the grace of God, bring him back to life. Here death is not by nature, as it is there, but by freedom and volition; and the dead will can be resurrected, the dead soul can be forced to return to its life and know its Lord.

2

Let us not be lazy, brethren, let us not weaken, let us not lose our vigor. Do not tell me such words that it was necessary to warn and do everything before the fast (of the Jews), and now, when the fast is already over, how the sin has been committed, how iniquity has been committed, what will be the benefit (of admonition)? Whoever knows what it is to take care of one's brethren also knows that now it is especially necessary to take care and show all diligence. One should not only warn before sin, but after the fall should give one's hand. If God had acted in this way from the beginning, if He had warned only before sin, and after sin, rejected (man) and left him to lie forever in the fall, then none of us would ever have been saved. But He, Who loves mankind and is merciful, and most of all desires our salvation, does not do this, but even after (our sins) shows (for us) great care. Thus He warned Adam even before sin, and said to him: "From every tree in paradise thou shalt take away food: but from the tree, if thou knowest good and evil, thou shalt not take away from it: but in the next day thou shalt take away, ye shall die of death" (Gen. 2:10). II, 16, 17). Behold, (God) warned against the lightness of the law, and by the abundance of permitted (fruits), and by the severity of the punishment threatened, and by the speed of its execution (for He did not say, "After one, or two, or three days," but, "On the very day in which you will be carried away, you will die"), and in every way in which it was necessary to warn a person. However, when man, even after such care, teaching, admonition, and beneficence, fell down and did not obey the commandment, God did not say: "What more good is to be expected? What is the use? (A man) has tasted, fell, transgressed the law, believed the devil, dishonored My commandments, received a blow, became dead, gave himself over to death, fell into condemnation; why else talk to him?"

(God) did the same with Cain. And he warned him and admonished him even before his sin, saying, "Thou hast sinned, be silent: his appeal is to thee, and thou shalt possess that (Abel)" (Gen. 2:10). IV, 7). Look, how much wisdom and understanding! Thou fearest, saith God, lest thy brother, whom I esteemed, should take away from thee the privilege which belonged to the firstborn, lest he steal thy preeminence (for the firstborn were to enjoy greater honor than those born after them). Be trustworthy, do not be afraid, and do not worry about it: his appeal is to you, and you will possess it. That is, remain in the honor of the firstborn, be your brother's refuge, covering, and protection, and possess and rule over him; Only do not indulge in murder, do not come to a legitimate defeat (of your brother). However, even after this, Cain did not listen and did not calm down, but committed that abominable murder, and plunged his right hand into his brother's neck. What then? Did God say, "Let us leave him at last, what good can we expect? He committed murder, killed his brother, disdained My admonition, dared to commit an incorrigible and unforgivable murder, after having so much benefited from such care, instruction, and exhortation; I threw it all out of my mind, paid no attention to anything. So let him finally be forsaken and abandoned, and not be worthy of any care on My part." God did not say or do anything of the kind; on the contrary, he came to him another time, corrected this man, and said, "Where is Abel thy brother?" (v. 9). Nor does he abandon him when he renounces; on the contrary, he brings him, and against his will, to the consciousness of the crime; and when (Cain) answered, "I do not know," said (God), "Your brother's blood cries out to me" (v. 10); the deed itself, he says, heralds murder. What about Cain? My guilt is forsaken by me. If thou hast driven me out of the earth, I will hide myself from thy presence" (vv. 13 and 14). This means: I have sinned so grievously that I do not deserve an apology, nor forgiveness, nor forgiveness of guilt; but if Thou wouldst avenge what I have done, let I, who am deprived of Thy protection, be subject to all (who wish to kill me). What about God? Not so: whosoever slayeth Cain shall be avenged seven times, v. 15. Do not be afraid of this, he says; you will live long, and whoever kills you will suffer many punishments (the number seven in the Scriptures means an indefinite multitude). For Cain was doomed to many punishments, anxiety, trembling, groaning, despondency, and weakness of the body; then he who killed you (Cain), says God, and freed you from these punishments, will bring punishment upon himself. These words seem heavy and unbearable, yet they show great solicitude. Wishing to bring descendants to reason, God invented a method of punishment that could cleanse Cain himself from sin. If He had killed Cain immediately, he would have died, hiding his sin, and would not have been known to posterity. But now, left to live for a long time in that trembling, he became a teacher for everyone with whom he met, by his very appearance and the trembling of his body he urged everyone not to attempt such things, so as not to suffer the same punishments. On the other hand, he himself became better: for trembling and fear, constant restlessness and relaxation of the body, restrained him as if by a kind of bridle, and did not allow him to fall again into another similar crime, constantly reminded him of his former sin, and thus made his soul more humble.

3

But while I was saying this, it occurred to me to propose the question: why Cain, although he confessed his sin, condemned his deed, and said of himself that he had sinned unpardonably and did not deserve to be excused at all, yet could not be cleansed from sin (while the prophet says: "Thou shalt speak thy iniquities first, that thou mayest be justified" (Isa. XLIII, 26), on the contrary - still condemned? Because he did not say as the prophet commanded. The prophet said not simply: "Thou shalt speak thy iniquities, but how? Thou shalt speak before thy iniquity. The main thing is this: not just to say, but to say first, not to wait for the accuser and accuser. But Cain did not say the first, but waited for rebuke from God, and even then, when God rebuked him, he denied it. Finally, he confessed his sin when the case was decisively revealed, and this is no longer a confession. In the same way, beloved, when you sin, do not wait for reproof from another, but before you are rebuked and accused, condemn your own actions; for if another has already rebuked you, your confession will not be your work, but the fruit of external denunciation. That is why another one says: "The righteous one is a proclaimer of himself in the first word" (Prov. XVIII, 17). This means that the main thing is not to blame oneself, but to blame oneself first, and not to wait for a rebuke from others. Here is Peter, since after his heavy renunciation (of Christ) he himself immediately remembered his sin and confessed his guilt without any accusator, and wept bitterly (Matt. XXVI, 75); then he washed his renunciation so that he even became the first among the apostles, and the whole world was entrusted to him. But it is necessary to return to the subject. What has been said has sufficiently shown us that falling brethren should not be left uncared for and neglected; that it is necessary to warn them against sin, and to take much care of them after sin. Doctors do the same: they tell healthy people what can preserve their health and drive away any disease, and they do not abandon those who have ignored their commands and fallen into illness, but then they especially show great care to free them from illness. Thus did Paul: he did not abandon the fornicator after that grave iniquity, which is not found even among the pagans, but even then, when he rejected the bridle, did not want to accept healing, he jumped and fought back, brought him to healing, and brought him to such a point that he was again united with the body of the Church. And he did not say to himself: what success to expect, what good? He has committed fornication, committed sin, and does not want to give up debauchery, but is still haughty, proud, and makes the wound incurable; So let's leave him and abandon him. He said nothing of the sort; on the contrary, it was for this very reason that he showed special solicitude, that he saw him plunged into terrible depravity, and did not cease to frighten, threaten and punish, to use all measures and means, both himself and through many others, until he brought him to the consciousness of sin, to a sense of lawlessness, and completely cleansed him of all defilement. So do you; be jealous of that Gospel Samaritan who showed so much care for the wounded. There the Levite walked by, and the Pharisee also walked; and neither one nor the other bent down to the lying man, but both left him without pity or compassion and went away. A certain Samaritan, who was not in the least close to him, did not pass by, but, stopping over him, took pity, and poured oil and wine on him; put him on a donkey, brought him to the inn, and gave one part of the money, and promised the other part for the cure of a complete stranger to him (Luke 2:10). X, 30-35). And he did not say to himself, "What need have I to take care of him?" I'm a Samaritan, I have nothing to do with him; We are away from the city, and he cannot go. What if he couldn't bear the distance? Will I have to bring him dead, can they suspect me of murder, blame him for his death? For many, when they see wounded and scarcely breathing people walking along the road, pass by, not because it is difficult for them to lift (those lying down), or because they feel sorry for the money, but for fear that they themselves will be brought to court as guilty of murder. But that good and humane (Samaritan) was not afraid of any this, but, neglecting everything, put (the wounded) on an ass and brought him to the inn; he was not afraid of anything: neither danger, nor waste of money, nor anything else. If the Samaritan was so compassionate and kind to a stranger, how can we excuse our neglect of our brethren, who have suffered a much greater calamity? For these (Christians), who have fasted now, have fallen into the hands of robbers, the Jews, who are even more ferocious than all robbers, and do more evil to those who have fallen into their hands. They did not tear their garments, nor wounded their bodies, as they (the robbers) did, but wounded their souls, and having inflicted a thousand wounds on it, they departed, and they were left lying in the pit of wickedness.