This is the sign of good disciples, that they obey their teacher not only in the first (his demand), but also when he commands the opposite (this demand). For this reason (the Apostle) said: "in all things," wishing to show that the Corinthians, in case of disobedience, would shame not so much him as themselves, deserving the glory of disobedience. And he does this in order to induce them to obedience, wherefore he says: "For this I have written unto you." Although he did not write for this purpose, since his main goal was the salvation of the sinner, he nevertheless speaks "in order" in order to dispose them all the more in favor of the guilty. However, by this he does not harm himself in achieving the main goal, and he makes the Corinthians happy. By the words "in all things" he reminds them of their first obedience, and here he makes it on display with the intention of praising them. "And whomsoever ye forgive in what, that I also" (v. 10). You see how he again humiliates himself before them, placing them in the first place, and himself in the second; and all this in order to soften hardened souls and bow coarse hearts. Then, in order not to give reason to think that the whole matter is left to their power, and so that they do not persist in forgiving (the guilty), he again urges them to do so, saying that he himself has granted him forgiveness. "For I also, if I have forgiven anyone in anything, I have forgiven for you" (For I, too, if I have given gifts, if I have given gifts, for your sake). "And this," he says, "I have done for you." And the first time, when he commanded that the culprit should be cut off, he did not give them the power to forgive him, saying, "I have already decided... who did such a deed... to deliver him up to Satan" (already judged to deliver such a person to Satan), and then He allowed them to participate in this sentence, when He said: "In your assembly... to deliver him up" (to those who are gathered together to deliver up to you) (1 Cor. 5:3-5). He did this with two important things in mind: to pronounce judgment, and not without the consent of the Corinthians, so as not to grieve them. And so not one of them pronounced sentence, so that the Corinthians would not think of him as a proud man and despising them, nor did he appropriate all power to them, so that they, having become sovereign judges, would not prematurely grant forgiveness to the guilty and thereby destroy him. He does the same here, when he says, "I have already granted forgiveness, I, who in the first epistle condemned him." Then, so that the Corinthians would not be offended, as if they were despised (by the apostle), he says: "For your sake." What is it? Did he forgive the sinner for people? No, – for this reason he added: "from the presence of Christ" (about the person of Christ). What does it mean: "in the presence of Christ"? Either – by the will of God, or – for the glory of Christ. "Lest Satan do us harm, for we are not ignorant of his designs" (v. 11). You see how he first arrogates (to the Corinthians) the power of judgment in order to soften them, then again takes it away in order to destroy all pride in them. However, this is not the only thing he wants to achieve with his words; He also wants to show that in case of their disobedience, the harm will be common to all. This is what he did at the beginning. As then he said: "A little leaven leavens the whole dough" (1 Cor. 5:6), so now he says: "lest Satan do us harm"; and everywhere he assimilates the forgiveness of the sinner, both to himself and to them (the Corinthians).

5. Consider again (all that he said): "But if anyone has grieved," he says, "he has not grieved me, but in part, not to say much, and all of you" (if anyone has offended me, do not offend me, but in part, so that I do not burden you all); Then further: "For such a punishment from many is sufficient." Such is his sentence and determination. However, he did not stop at this sentence, but again called on the Corinthians to participate in it, saying: "So it is better for you to forgive him and comfort him... Wherefore I beseech you to show him love." But, having delivered the guilty into their hands, he again proceeds to assert his authority, saying: "For this I have written, that I may find out by experience whether you are obedient in all things" (for this is what I write to you, that I may understand your skill, if you are obedient in all things). Then again he attributes the forgiveness of the sinner to the Corinthians, saying: "It is better for you to forgive him already" (if you grant him anything); And then to himself: "And I," he says, "have forgiven" (and az... if you have given anything); and finally to them and to themselves together: "For I also," he says, "if I have forgiven anyone in anything, I have forgiven for you in the presence of Christ" (for I, too, if I have given them for your sake, in the face of Christ," i.e., either for the glory of Christ, or because Christ Himself commanded (to forgive the sinner). which served to the glory (of Jesus Christ) and was pleasing to Him. After this, he again brings to the attention of the Corinthians the common harm to all in case of their disobedience, saying: "Lest Satan do us harm" (so that we may not be offended (πλεονεκτηθώμεν) by Satan). Here he very appropriately used the word theft (πλεονεξίαν), since the devil no longer takes his own, but steals ours. Do not tell me that only the sinner could become the prey of this beast, but also imagine that the whole flock is threatened by a decrease in its number, and especially now, when it is possible to recover what has been lost. "For we are not ignorant of his designs" (For we do not misunderstand his designs), i.e., that (Satan) can lead to destruction even by the way of godliness. He can destroy not only by leading to fornication, but in the opposite way he can also plunge into perdition, namely, by immeasurable sorrow during repentance. Thus, if (Satan) seizes ours along with his property, when he destroys both the one whom he leads to sin, and the one whom we command saving repentance he steals from us, then what can this be called if not theft? It is not enough for him that he brings us down through sin; He does the same through repentance, if we are not careful. That is why (the Apostle) very justly called theft the case when (Satan) overcomes us with our own weapons. It is characteristic of Him to possess us through sin, and not through repentance, because the latter is our weapon, and not his. And so, if (Satan) can take possession of us through repentance, then judge for yourselves how shameful this defeat is for us, how he will mock and mock us as powerless and weak, if he conquers us with our own weapons? And truly, in the highest degree, it is extremely ridiculous and extremely shameful if he inflicts wounds on us with our own medicines. For this reason (the Apostle) said: "For we are not ignorant of his designs" (for we do not fail to understand his intentions), i.e. how cunning, insidious, insidious and full of malice he is, and what harm he does to us even under the guise of piety. Therefore, thinking about this, let us never despise anyone (of those who sinn), nor ourselves, sinning, give way to despair, nor remain careless; on the contrary, let us heartily grieve over our iniquities, not only repenting of them in words. In fact, I know many who, although they say that they lament their sins, nevertheless do nothing of importance. True, they fast and wear coarse clothes, but at the same time they have a greed for money much greater than that of merchants, they give themselves over to greater anger than beasts, and they find pleasure in backbiting more than others in praise. This does not constitute repentance; it is only a phantom and shadow of repentance, and not repentance itself. Therefore it is fitting for these (sinners) to say: "See that Satan does not harm us, for we are not ignorant of his intentions (so that we may not be offended by Satan: for we do not misunderstand his intentions). Some he destroys through sins, others through repentance, and these in another way, when he does not allow them to enjoy the fruits of repentance. When Satan does not find an opportunity to directly destroy someone, he approaches him in a different way, urging him to intensify his labors, but not allowing him to enjoy the fruits of his labors, and trying to assure him that he has already done everything necessary, and therefore may not care about anything else. Therefore, in order that we may not exhaust ourselves in vain with labor, let us talk a little with those wives with whom this happens, because women are mainly subject to this disease. Of course, it is also beautiful what you do now, that is, fasting, lying on the ground and sprinkling ashes on your head. But all these things will be of no use unless others join in. God has shown how He forgives sins. Why, then, do you, having left the indicated path, pave for yourselves another? The Ninevites once sinned, and did what you do now. But let us see what served to save them. Just as physicians, although they use many remedies to cure the sick, the prudent one does not look at what the sick person has taken, but at what served to heal him, so here too it is necessary to look. So, what saved those Ninevites? On their wounds they laid fasting, and strict fasting, lying on the ground, sackcloth garments, ashes and tears, and at the same time changed their way of life.

6. Let us see which of these remedies healed them. "But how do we know this?" someone will say. We will find out if we come to the Doctor, or ask Him Himself. He will not hide from us; on the contrary, he will readily reveal it. He even wrote down this medicine in a book, which healed them, so that everyone would know it and not have to ask about it. "And God saw," says (the prophet), "their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, and God was sorry for the calamity, which He had spoken of that He would bring upon them" (John 3:10). He did not say: "I saw fasting, sackcloth, and ashes." I say this not to reject fasting—no—but to persuade you to do what is better than fasting—to abstain from all evil. David also sinned: let us see how he also repented. For three days he sat in the dust. However, he did this not to atone for his sin, but praying for his (sick) child, not yet sobered up from the intoxication of passion. He cleansed his sin in a different way, namely: by self-abasement, contrition of heart, sorrow of soul, strict abstinence from such sins, unceasing remembrance of the sin committed, complacent endurance of all the sorrows that befell him, mercy on his offenders, and finally, by not only did he not take revenge on his enemies who reviled him, but did not allow others to avenge him when they wanted to. Thus, when Shimei heaped innumerable curses on him, and when the military commander who was (with David) was indignant at this, then he said: "Let him curse, for the Lord has commanded him to curse David" (leave him to curse me, as the Lord has commanded him) (2 Samuel 16:10). He had a contrite and humble heart, and this was what especially cleansed his sins, because this is what confession consists of, this is repentance. On the contrary, if we remain arrogant while fasting, then not only will we not receive any benefit, but we will also suffer harm. Therefore, humble your heart and you, that you may propitiate God: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted (The Lord is near to the brokenhearted) (Ps. 33: 19). Thou seest how those who dwelt in bright palaces endured dishonor, how, being reproached even by the last of their servants, they did not reproach, but endured reproach for the disgrace with which sin covered them. Do the same. If anyone reproaches you, do not be hardened, but weep and groan, not because you are reproached, but because of the sin that subjected you to such dishonor. Weep and groan when you sin, not that you will be punished, since this means nothing, but that you have offended your Lord, who is so meek, loves you so much, cares so much about your salvation, that he betrayed his Son for you. This is what weep and groan about, and do it without ceasing, because this is what confession consists of. Do not be happy today, sorrow tomorrow, then cheer again, but always remain in weeping and contrition. "Blessed," says (the Lord), "are they that mourn" (Matt. 5:4), i.e. those who do this without ceasing. Do this unceasingly, always pay attention to yourself and break your heart, just as one would be crushed who has lost his beloved son. "Tear asunder," says (the Lord), "your hearts, and not your garments" (Joel 2:13). But that which is torn apart is no longer lifted up, and contrition rises no more. That is why (the Scriptures) say in one place: "Dissolve," and in another: "God will not despise a broken and humble heart" (Psalm 1:19). Therefore, whether you are wise, or rich, or strong, tear your heart apart, that is, do not allow it to be arrogant and haughty, because that which is puffed up does not puff up, even if it be something that is puffed up: it cannot endure this puffing, because it is puffed up. In the same way, humble your heart. Think that the publican was justified for one word, although what he said was not so much humility as true confession. And if true acknowledgment has such power, how much more humble is humility? Forgive the offenses of those who have sinned against you, because this also serves for the forgiveness of your sins. Of the first (lamentation and sorrow for sins) it is said: "I saw that he was old (sorrowful), and healed his ways" (Isaiah 77:17, 18). This also stopped the wrath of God against Ahab (3 Kings 21:29). And about the second (forgiveness of offenses) it is said: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). There is still another way in which this cure is obtained, and that is by condemning oneself in one's iniquities: "Speak thou, that thou mayest be justified" (Isaiah 43:26). In the same way, the grateful feeling with which we endure sorrows atones for our sins, and above all almsgiving. Enumerate the healing means for the healing of your wounds and apply all of them one by one unceasingly: self-abasement, confession, forgiveness, thanksgiving for the sorrows sent upon you, helping the poor with money and things, and finally, unceasing prayer. With persistent prayer, the widow propitiated the cruel and unmerciful judge (Luke 18:5). But if this widow propitiated the unjust judge, how much more will you propitiate the meek Judge. In addition to these methods (for the cleansing of sins) there is another – the intercession of the offended. "Defend," it is said, "the fatherless, intercede for the widow... Then come and we will judge... If your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; if they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool" (Isaiah 1:17, 18). And so, will you be worthy of any excuse when, having so many paths leading to heaven, and so many means for healing the wounds of the soul, we remain in these wounds even after baptism? Let us not become fossilized in them. And those who have not yet fallen, let them try to preserve their beauty unharmed, nay, let them increase it even more, because although they are now blameless, the virtues mentioned will adorn them still more. As for us, who have already sinned much, let us strive to make use of the means offered for the cleansing of our sins, so that we may stand before the judgment seat of Christ with much boldness, which may we all be vouchsafed to receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

CONVERSATION 5

"When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, although the Lord had opened the door to me, I had no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus [there]" (2 Corinthians 2:12, 13).

1. These words seem unworthy of Paul, since they show that he neglected the opportunity of contributing to salvation because of his brother's absence. Moreover, they apparently have no connection with (what has been said before). What do you want me to prove to you first? Is it that (the apostle) did not say anything unworthy of himself here, or that what he said has a close connection with the previous one? It seems to me that the latter must first be proved, because then the former will be more comprehensible and clearer to us. So, what is the connection between these words and what was said before? Let us recall what has been said before, and then we will understand what has been said. What did he say before? What I said at the beginning of the epistle, namely: "We do not want to leave you, brethren, ignorant of our tribulation that was with us in Asia, because we were weighed down exceedingly and beyond our strength" (1:8). Then he shows how he was delivered from the threatening danger, and after expressing further intermediate thoughts that serve to justify him, he finally again makes it known that he had another sorrow. Which one, and how? The one who did not find Titus. Verily, even the temptations endured (by the Apostle) constituted no small sorrow for him and could plunge his soul into despondency. And when there was no one who could console him and lighten the burden of his sorrow through sympathy, then, naturally, the storm of the soul had to increase even more. And this Titus is the same of whom (the Apostle) speaks below, and who came to him (from the Corinthians), and from him was sent back to them, and of whom he spoke so much with great praise. Therefore, wishing to show that he also grieved over the absence of Titus because of them, (the apostle) spoke the above words. From this it is evident that these words have a close connection with what has been said before. And that these words are not unworthy of Paul, I will try to prove this also. For he does not say that absence prevented the salvation of those who wished to join the believers; nor does he say that because of this he despised the believers; but only says that he had no rest, that is, he grieved and grieved over the absence of his brother, wishing thereby to show what the absence of a brother meant, and for this reason he left Troas. What is the meaning of the words, "Having come to Troas to preach the gospel"? "I have not come without intention," he says, "but to preach. And yet, despite the fact that I came (to Troas) with such an intention, and there I found very much to do: "Though the door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit," he says. However, this did not interfere with the work of preaching. How then does he say: "But when I took leave of them, I departed" (departed from them)? That is: "I could not stay there for a long time because of the hardness and sorrow of my heart"; or perhaps because the very absence (of Titus) served as an obstacle to the work. And this also served not a little to appease the Corinthians. "If," he says, "only because I did not find a brother (in Troas), I had to depart from there in haste, although there was an open door for me to preach, for which I came thither, how much more should you excuse us by the straitness of circumstances, which govern us everywhere, and do not allow us, as we would like, either to leave anywhere, or to spend any more time, according to our wishes." That is why, as above he assimilated his journeys to the Spirit of God, so here he attributes to God, adding the words: "Thanks be to God, who always gives us to triumph in Christ, and spreads by us the fragrance of the knowledge of himself in every place" (v. 14). Lest it be thought that (the Apostle) is complaining and murmuring at the compulsion from God to be there or in another place, he sends thanks to God. The meaning of his words is this: "Everywhere there are sorrows, everywhere there is crowding! I came to Asia, and there I was weighed down beyond my strength; he came to Troas, but did not find his brother there; did not come to you, and this caused me great, even very great grief, both because many of you have sinned, and because for this reason I could not see you." "Sparing you," he says, "I have not yet come to Corinth" (1:23). Therefore, in order not to appear to murmur against God in this way, (the Apostle) adds that: "In these afflictions we not only do not lose heart, but also rejoice; And what is most important, we rejoice not only for the sake of future rewards, but also for the sake of present ones, since by enduring sorrows we also gain praise and glory for ourselves in this life. That is why we are so far from lamentation and murmuring that we even call the sorrows that happen to us triumph and boast about them." In this sense (the Apostle) said: "Thanks be to God, Who always allows us to triumph in Christ" (but thanks be to God, Who always overcomes us), i.e., makes us glorious for all. Though it seems dishonorable to others that we should suffer persecution everywhere, yet to us it is the greatest honor. That is why he did not say, "Who makes us famous," but, "He who creates overcomers," wishing to show that these persecutions serve for us throughout the earth instead of the glorious monuments of the unceasing victories won over the devil. And having pointed to the Giver of victories, he then tells the reason (for these victories) and thus encourages his hearers. "Not only," he says, "are victories given to us from God, but also in Christ," that is, through Christ and preaching. "And in gaining victories," he says, "it is impossible not to be glorified by us, who bear the sign of victory, since it is we who bear it. That is why we are known and strong everywhere. "The fragrance of the knowledge of Himself spreadeth by us in every place" (And the stench of his mind is manifested by us in every place).

2. Above (the Apostle) said: "Always overcomes him who creates us"; now he says: "in every place," indicating that every place and time is filled with apostolic feats. In doing so, he uses a new metaphor borrowed from the fragrant smell. "In the same way," he says, "we are made known to all, as well as those who bear the precious myrrh," calling the knowledge (of Christ) the world of great value. And he did not simply say "knowledge" (reason), but "the fragrance of knowledge" (the stench of reason), because this is exactly what our knowledge is today: not quite clear and not completely open. That is why in the first epistle he said: "Now we see as through a glass darkly, divination" (13:12), and here he calls the knowledge of Christ "the fragrance of knowledge" (the stench of reason). Whoever smells the fragrance knows that somewhere there is fragrant myrrh; but what this myrrh is in itself, he cannot know, if he has not had the opportunity to see it before. In the same way, we know that God exists; but that He is in essence – we do not know. "Therefore we," he says, "are like a king's censer; and wherever we go, everywhere we exude heavenly myrrh and spiritual fragrance." In saying this, (the apostle) had a twofold intention: first, he wanted to show the power of preaching, namely, that through enemies who plot they are only more glorified, since persecution makes it possible for the whole universe to see their victories and smell the fragrance of their preaching; secondly, he wanted to persuade the Corinthians to bravely endure sorrows and temptations, because through this they would gain unspeakable glory even before their recompense (in heaven). "For we are the fragrance of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing" (v. 15). "Whether one is saved," he says, "or perishes, the preaching of the Gospel always preserves its dignity." Just as light, even when it blinds the weak with sight, remains light, although it blinds; or as honey, though it may seem bitter to the sick, does not cease to be sweet by nature, so the gospel (of Christ) always retains its fragrance, although those who do not believe perish. It is not the gospel that destroys them, but their own hardness. And the destruction of the wicked even reveals the fragrance of preaching. Thus, the power of evangelism is revealed not only in the salvation of the good, but also in the destruction of the wicked. In the same way, the sun especially blinds the eyes of the weak, because it shines very clearly. Likewise, the Saviour, although "He lies for the fall and for the rising of many" (Luke 2:34), nevertheless does not cease to be the Saviour even when an innumerable multitude of people fall. And although His coming to earth served more as a punishment for unbelievers, nevertheless, it always remains salvific. In this sense, Paul also says: "We are the fragrance of Christ to God" (the fragrance of God); i.e., "although some of those who hear the gospel perish, yet we do not cease to be what we are." And he did not simply say "fragrance," but "to God." If we are a fragrance to God and God Himself determines us in this way, then who else will contradict us? And the words "Christ's fragrance," in my opinion, have a double meaning. By this (the Apostle) means either that they, dying daily (1 Corinthians 15:31), offer themselves as a sacrifice to God, or that they are the fragrance of Christ's death, just as someone would say: "This incense is like the fragrance of such and such a sacrifice." Thus, either in this latter sense he used the word "fragrance," or in the first one I have said, i.e., that (the apostles) daily offered themselves as a sacrifice to God, for Christ. Do you see to what extent he exalted temptations, calling them his triumph, and fragrance, and sacrifice offered to God? Further, since he said, "We are the fragrance of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing," so that you may not think that even those who are perishing are pleasing to God, he added, "To some a smell of death unto death, and to others a smell of life to life" (v. 16). That is, by smelling this fragrance, some are saved, and others perish, so that if anyone dies, he is himself the fault of his own destruction, because fragrant myrrh, they say, suffocates swine, and light, as I said before, blinds the weak eye. And such is the nature of the good that they not only perfect what is akin to them, but also destroy the opposite; and in this latter case their power is especially revealed. In the same way, fire, not only when it shines or purifies gold, turns out to be fire and manifests its proper power; but even more so when he burns thorns. And Christ will manifest His greatness when He "kills with the spirit of His mouth, and destroys by the manifestation of His coming" (He kills the Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth, and abolishes by the appearance of His coming) (2 Thessalonians 2:8). "And who is capable of this?" (And who is satisfied with this?) Since (the Apostle) has said many great and extraordinary things, calling himself both the sacrifice and the fragrance of Christ, and assimilating to himself the universal triumph, he again tries to moderate what he has said, attributing all this to God. Therefore he says: "And who is able to do this?" "All this," he says, "is Christ's, and nothing is ours." Do you see the difference between him and the false apostles? The latter boast that they bring something of their own to the preaching of Christ; but he, on the contrary, puts in praise of himself that which does not call anything his own. "For our praise," he says, "is the testimony of our conscience, that we have lived in the world in simplicity and God-pleasing sincerity, not according to the wisdom of the flesh, but according to the grace of God" (2 Corinthians 1:12). And just as they considered the acquisition of earthly wisdom to be their own praise, so he, on the contrary, counts for himself his ignorance of it. That is why here also He says: "And who is capable of this?" And if we in ourselves are not sufficient for this, then everything that happens (with us and through us) is a work of grace. "For we do not corrupt the word of God, as many do" (v. 17).

3. "Though we," he says, "proclaim many great things, yet we appropriate nothing to ourselves, on the contrary, we attribute everything to Christ. We do not want to imitate the false apostles, who appropriate much for themselves. That would be to act like a merchant when he counterfeits wine, or sells for money what ought to be given free." In fact, it seems to me that (the Apostle) here also ridicules the covetousness (of the false apostles), and again alludes to what I have said before, that is, that they preach the divine with an admixture of their own. Denouncing the same vice, Isaiah also said: "Thy innkeepers mix wine with water" (1:22). Though this is said of guilt, there will be no error if one applies it to doctrine as well. "Not so," he says, "do we; but what is entrusted to us, we offer to others, and we teach pure doctrine – without any admixture – wherefore he added: "But we preach sincerely, as from God, before God, in Christ" (but as from purity, but as from God, before God, in Christ). "We," he says, "do not preach in order to deceive you, as if we were giving you something of our own, or by introducing and mixing something from ourselves, but "as from God," i.e., "we do not say that we give you anything of ourselves, but we affirm that God has given you everything." The expression "as from God" precisely means not to boast of anything as one's own, but to attribute everything to God. "In Christ we preach" (In Christ we say), i.e., "we all speak, not from our wisdom, but enlightened by the power of Christ." On the contrary, those who love to boast do not preach in this way, but as if bringing something of their own. Wherefore in another place (the Apostle), rebuking such preachers, says: "What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if you have received it, that you boast as if you did not receive it?" (What have you received, whom you have received? (1 Corinthians 4:7).

The highest virtue is to attribute everything to God and to consider nothing as our own, to do nothing to gain human glory, but everything to please God, because He (and not anyone else) will demand an account from us. In our time, this order is perverted. Now we are not so much afraid of Him who will one day sit down at the judgment seat and demand an account of our deeds from us, as we fear those who will stand with us at the judgment. Where did we get this disease? Where did it get into our hearts? From a rare thought about the future and extreme attachment to the present. That is why we so easily fall into evil deeds; and even if we do something good, we do it only for show, so that from this also comes harm to us. More than once you have looked with shameless eyes at a woman, and you have concealed it both from the one you looked at and from your companions; but you will not hide it from the Eye, which never sleeps. Even before a person commits a sin, He already saw in his soul criminal lust, and inner frenzy, and a violent and unbridled movement of thoughts. The one who sees everything has no need of witnesses and proofs. Therefore, do not look at slaves like you. Even if a man praises your works, it is of no use to you, unless God accepts them; in the same way, even if a man blasphemes them, there is no harm in it for you, as soon as God does not blaspheme. On the contrary, highly appreciating the opinion of your fellow servants, and not fearing and trembling at the indignation of the Judge, see to it that you do not anger the Judge. And so, let us despise human praise. How long shall we humble ourselves and crawl upon the earth? How long shall we rush to earth, when God draws us to heaven? Joseph's brothers would not have plotted to kill their brother in the wilderness, if, as they ought, they had the fear of God before their eyes (Gen. 37). In the same way, Cain, if he had feared the judgment of God, as he ought to have feared, would not have said to Abel: "Go, and let us go into the field" (Gen. 4:8). For why hast thou, wretched and wretched, separated thy brother from his father, and led him away into the wilderness? Does not God see even on the field of your audacious crime? How did you not learn from what happened to your father that God sees everything and is present in all our actions? But why, when (Cain) did not confess his crime, God did not say to him: "Do you hide from Me, Who is omnipresent and knows even secret thoughts?" What did God say to him? "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me" (Gen. 4:10). These words do not mean that the blood has a voice, but are spoken in the same sense as we speak of obvious and obvious cases: the deed itself speaks. Thus, we must always have the judgment of God before our eyes – and all evil will be extinguished. In the same way, during prayers, we can maintain sober attention if we remember with whom we are conversing, if we imagine that we are offering a sacrifice, that we have a knife in our hands, and that we have fire and wood; if, having mentally opened the doors of heaven, we stop there, and taking a spiritual knife, we plunge it into the sacrificial animal, and devour His sober attention, and shed tears before Him. Such is the blood of this sacrifice; Such a sacrifice should be used to smear this altar! See to it that you do not allow a single thought to occupy your soul at this time.

4. Remember that Abraham did not allow a wife, a slave, or anyone else to be present during his sacrifice. In the same way, do not keep to yourself any passion that is proper to slaves and not to free people, but go up alone to the mountain on which he has ascended, and on which no one else is allowed to ascend. And if any of the unworthy thoughts increase in order to ascend the mountain with thee, forbid them to do so, as their lord, and say: "Stay here with the donkey, and I and my son will go thither and worship, and we will return to you" (Gen. 22:5). Leave all that is dumb and foolish, both the ass and the slaves, at the foot of the mountain; go up, taking with you only that which is reasonable, as he did Isaac. And you, like him, build an altar, renouncing all human things and becoming above your own nature, for he, too, if he had not become above his own nature, would not have dared to sacrifice his son. Finally, let nothing disturb you at this time, but be above the very heavens. Weep bitterly, offer a sacrifice of confession (of sins), for it is said: "Speak thou that thou mayest be justified" (Isaiah 43:26). Sacrifice the contrition of the heart. Such sacrifices do not turn to ashes, do not disappear with smoke; They need neither wood nor fire, only a broken heart. It is firewood, it is a fire that engulfs wood in flame, and does not burn it. Whoever prays with fervent fervor burns and does not burn – like gold tested by fire, it only becomes purer and brighter.

At the same time, take care not to say anything in prayer that can anger your Lord: do not approach Him with a prayer for the destruction of your enemies.

If, praying to God, you say: "Smite the enemy," then you are blocking your mouth and binding your tongue, firstly, because at the very beginning of the prayer you immediately provoke the Judge into anger, and secondly, because you are asking for something completely different from what you are apparently praying for. In fact, if you pray for the remission of sins, then why do you ask for punishment? Quite the opposite should be done by you – pray for your enemies themselves, so that you may boldly pray for yourself. And now, demanding the execution of sinners, by condemning them you arrogate to yourself the place of the Judge, which makes you unworthy of any mercy. When you pray for your enemies, then, even if you say nothing in prayer about your sins, you have fulfilled everything. Remember how many victims are specified in the law. The sacrifice of praise, the sacrifice of confession, the sacrifice of salvation, the sacrifice of purification, and others are innumerable; not one is against enemies, but each for its own sins or even for virtues. Do you approach another God with prayer? You are approaching the same God Who said: "Pray for your enemies" (Matt. 5:44). How then do you cry out against them? How dare you ask God to break His own law? This guise is unbecoming of a praying slave.

Everyone should pray not for the destruction of another, but for his own salvation. Why then do you assume the appearance of a praying servant, and speak as an accuser? Moreover, when we pray for ourselves, we scratch ourselves, yawn, and amuse ourselves with innumerable thoughts; and for the destruction of our enemies we pray with all attention. Since the devil knows that at this time we are raising the sword against ourselves, he does not entertain us in the least and does not stop us, in order to do us more harm. But I was offended and upset, you say? So pray for the destruction of the devil, who incomparably offends us more than anyone else. For this you are commanded to pray thus: "Deliver us from evil" (Matt. 6:13). Truly, he is our only irreconcilable enemy, and man, no matter what he does, is always our friend and brother. Thus, we must all turn our wrath on the devil, we must pray to God for his destruction, and say: "Crush Satan under our feet," because he also makes people enemies of us. But if you pray for the destruction of your enemies, then you will pray for what your implacable enemy wants, while prayer for your enemies is a prayer against himself. Why, then, do you, forsaking your true enemy, tear your own limbs, and thus become more ferocious than beasts? You will say, "He has wronged me," or, "He has taken away my possessions." But even in this case, for whom should we weep more – about the one who has been offended, or about the one who has offended? (Of the offender, because) he who has become rich with the possessions of others, has lost the favor of God, and has lost incomparably more than he has gained, he is therefore the offended. That is why it is not against him, but for him that God will be merciful to him.

5. See how many misfortunes the three youths endured, who had done no evil: they were deprived of their homeland and freedom, they were taken captive and became slaves in a foreign and barbarous country, and finally, without guilt and in vain, they were sentenced to death – for a dream (which the Magi could not remember and explain to Nebuchadnezzar – Dan. chs. 1 and 2). What did these three youths do together with Daniel? What did they pray to God about, what did they say? Crush Nebuchadnezzar? Tear off his diadem? Cast him down from the throne? No, nothing of the kind (they didn't say); but they "asked for mercy from God" (Dan. 2:18). They did the same when they were cast into the fiery furnace. That is not what you do; but suffering incomparably less than those three youths, and moreover, often according to merit, you do not cease in prayer to curse your enemies in every possible way. One says: "Cast down (Lord) my enemy, as you have cast Pharaoh's chariots into the sea." Another says, "Smite the flesh" (of the enemy); And there is another who says, "Render unto him upon his children." Do you not know that these are your words?