5. If the law were hostile, how did Christ come to its aid, fulfill its righteousness, and reach out to condemn sin in the flesh? This was the only thing that remained to be done, because the law had long since condemned sin in the soul. So, what is it? Has the law done more, and the Only-begotten of God less? Nohow. For the first was done chiefly by God, who gave the natural law, and afterwards added the written law; Otherwise, there would be no use for more if less was not offered. What's really the use of knowing what to do without doing it? On the contrary, there will be an even greater condemnation for it. Thus, He who saved the soul made the flesh obedient. It is not difficult to teach, but to show the way by which it can be conveniently attained is a matter worthy of wonder. For this reason the Only-begotten came, and did not depart before he had delivered us from that inconvenience. Most important of all is the image of victory: (Christ) did not take on another flesh, but the same flesh, subdued, just as the king's son, when he sees that a thin and corrupt woman is being beaten in the market, calls himself her son, and thus frees her from the attackers. The Son of God did the same: He confessed Himself to be the Son of man, came to the help of the flesh, and condemned sin. Sin, then, did not dare to strike her any more, or rather, it had already struck her with the blow of death, but the most astonishing thing is that it was not the smitten flesh, but the sin that smote it, that was condemned and destroyed for it. If the victory had not been accomplished in the flesh, it would not have been so surprising, because the law also did it, but it is a wonder that (Christ), having flesh, raised up a trophy of victory, and the same flesh that had been conquered a thousand times by sin won a brilliant victory over it. Behold, then, how many extraordinary things have been done: first, sin has not conquered the flesh; Secondly, he himself was vanquished, and moreover conquered by the flesh, for it is not the same thing not to be vanquished and to conquer him who has always conquered; Thirdly, the flesh not only conquered, but also punished, for by not sinning He appeared unconquered, and by dying He conquered and condemned sin, making the very flesh which had been despised before terrible to it. In this way He destroyed the power of sin, and He also destroyed death, which was brought into the world by sin. As long as sin met sinners, it justly put them to death; And when he found a sinless body, and put it to death, he was condemned as having done injustice. You see how many victories have been accomplished: the flesh has not been conquered by sin, but has itself conquered and condemned it, and not only condemned it, but condemned it as one who has sinned. (Christ) first exposed him for unrighteousness, then condemned and condemned him, not only by force and authority, but also by the word of righteousness. This is what the Apostle expressed when he said of sin, "He condemned sin in the flesh," which also means that he first convicted a grievous sin, and then condemned it. Do you see that everywhere sin is condemned, and not the flesh, while the flesh is crowned and pronounces its judgment on sin? And if it is said that (God) sent the Son "in the likeness of flesh," do not think from this that the flesh of Christ was different: since (the apostle) said "sinful," he added the word "in likeness." Christ did not have sinful flesh, but like our sinful flesh, but sinless, and by nature the same as us. Thus it is evident from this that the nature of the flesh is not evil. Christ prepared the victory, not taking on another flesh in place of the former, and not changing this in essence, but, having consented to abide in the same nature, achieved that it obtained the crown for the victory over sin, and after this victory raised it up and made it immortal. But what, you may ask, has to do with me what has been done in that flesh? That is what matters most to you, and therefore you added, "That the justification of the law may be fulfilled in us who do not live according to the flesh" (v. 4). What does "justification" mean? The end, the goal, the success. What did the law want, and what did it once produce? That man may be sinless. This is what Christ has done for us now; His business was to confront and win, and ours was to take advantage of the victory. Therefore we shall not sin unless we become too weak and fall, wherefore he added, "In us who do not live according to the flesh." And lest you, having heard that Christ had delivered you from the strife of sin, and that, after the condemnation of sin in the flesh, the justification of the law was fulfilled in you, should not reject all preparation, the Apostle, as above, having said, "No condemnation," added, "Those who do not live according to the flesh," so here also he added the same thing to the words, "That the justification of the law may be fulfilled in us," or rather, Something much more has been added here. Having said, "That the justification of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh," he added, "but according to the Spirit," giving them to understand that we must not only abstain from evil, but also adorn ourselves with good. To give you a crown is the work of Christ, but to keep what is given is yours. Christ has done for you that which was the justification of the law, namely, that you should not be subject to an oath.

6. Therefore, do not destroy this gift, but keep this beautiful treasure at all times. Here (the Apostle) inspires you that baptism is not sufficient for our salvation, unless after it we show a life worthy of this gift. Thus, by saying this, he is again defending the law. And after we have believed in Christ, all things must be done and done, so that the justification of the law, which Christ has fulfilled, may remain in us, and not be destroyed. "For those who live according to the flesh," says the Apostle, "think of the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit think of the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, and the mind of the spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for they do not obey the law of God, neither can they" (vv. 5-7). But this is not an accusation of the flesh. As long as it retains its own significance, there is nothing incongruous; But when we allow it everything, and it oversteps its limits, it rises up against the soul, then it destroys and corrupts everything, not by its own nature, but by its intemperance and the disorder that arises from it. "But those who live according to the Spirit are about spiritual things. The mind of the flesh is death." He did not say the nature of the flesh or the essence of the body, but "carnal thoughts," which can be corrected and destroyed. And when he says this, he does not ascribe to the flesh his own thought, but points to the grosser tendency of the mind, to which he gives a name borrowed from the worst part of man, just as he is wont to call the whole man, together with the soul, flesh. "And the thoughts are spiritual." Again and again he speaks of spiritual thought, as he writes below, "But he that searcheth the heart knoweth what the thought of the Spirit is" (8:27), and shows the many blessings which flow from it for the present and future life. In comparison with the evil produced by carnal wisdom, spiritual wisdom is much more good, as the Apostle expressed when he said, "Life and peace." "Life" is contrary to what was said before, "The mind of the flesh is death," and "the world" is contrary to what was said later, because when he said "peace," he added, "For the mind of the flesh is enmity against God," which is worse than death. Then, showing why carnal wisdom is death and enmity, he says: "For they do not obey the law of God, neither can they." But do not be embarrassed when you hear, "And they cannot," for this difficulty is easily solved. By the name of carnal wisdom (the Apostle) here means an earthly thought, coarse, partial to worldly things and to evil deeds, of which he says that he cannot submit to God. What hope of salvation is there if, being evil, it is impossible to become good? But this is not what the Apostle says, otherwise how did Paul himself become so great? How's that for a robber? How is Manasseh? How about the Ninevites? How did David rebel after his fall? How did Peter come to his senses when he denied (Christ)? How was the prodigal son numbered among the flock of Christ? How did the Galatians, who had lost their grace, regain their former bliss? Therefore (the Apostle) does not say that it is impossible for a bad man to become good, but that it is impossible to submit to God while remaining wicked; but whoever changes, it is certainly easy for him to become good and submit to God. He did not say that a man cannot submit to God, but he says that a bad deed cannot be good; This is the same as saying that fornication cannot be chastity, and vice cannot be a virtue. So when (Christ) says in the Gospel, "He cannot... a bad tree bring forth good fruit" (Matt. 7:18), He does not thereby deny the possibility of passing from vice to virtue, but only says that abiding in vice cannot bear good fruit. He did not say that a bad tree cannot become good, but that if it remains bad, it cannot bear good fruit. And that evil can be changed, this (Christ) showed both here and in another parable, when He spoke of tares becoming wheat, wherefore He forbids them to be pulled out, "lest when you choose the tares," as He said, "you pluck out the wheat with them" (Matt. 13:29), that is, the one that will be of them. Thus (the Apostle) calls vice carnal wisdom, and spiritual wisdom the grace given and the activity approved by the good will, and here he does not speak at all about essence and nature, but about virtue and vice. What thou couldst not do under the law, saith the Apostle, thou canst do now, thou mayest walk upright and upright, if thou receivest help from the Spirit. It is not enough not yet to walk in the flesh, but we must walk in the Spirit, because for our salvation we must not only turn away from evil, but also do good. And this will happen if we surrender the soul to the Spirit, and persuade the flesh to know its position. In this way, we will make it spiritual, just as if we indulge in carelessness, we will make the soul carnal.

7. Since the gift is not given out of natural necessity, but is given of free will, it is up to you to become one or the other. (Christ) has done all that depended on Him: sin does not oppose the law of our minds, nor captivate us as before, but all these things have passed away and vanished, the passions have been hidden, fearing and trembling at the grace of the Spirit. But if you extinguish the light, push the driver down, and drive out the helmsman, then ascribe to yourself the cause of the storming of the waves. And that virtue has now become more fulfillable, and therefore the desire for wisdom has increased, you can see from the state in which the human race was when the law reigned, and in which it is now, when grace has shone forth. What once seemed impossible to anyone, such as virginity, contempt for death and other very numerous sufferings, is now successfully fulfilled everywhere in the world. Not only among us, but also among the Scythians, Thracians, Indians, Persians, and other barbarous peoples, there are the faces of virgins, hosts of martyrs, communities of monks and nuns, and moreover, in greater numbers than those who live in marriage, everywhere there is a zealous observance of fasting, an abundance of poverty, and those who lived under the law, except one or two examples, could not even imagine them in their dreams. Therefore, when you see the truth of events sounding the trumpets, do not indulge in effeminacy and do not lose so great a grace. It is impossible for a careless person to be saved even after accepting the faith. Podvigs have become easy in order that you might be victorious in the struggle, and not so that you would slumber and use the greatness of grace as a pretext for negligence, once again plunging into the old mud of sins. That is why he adds, "Therefore they that live according to the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8). So, what is it? Will it be said that we will cut off the body and separate ourselves from the flesh in order to please God? Do you, in leading us to virtue, command us to be suicidal? Do you see how many inconsistencies are born if we take what (the apostle) says literally? By the name of the flesh Paul does not mean the body, nor the essence of the body, but the carnal and worldly life, full of luxury and debauchery, which makes the whole man flesh. As those who are winged by the Spirit make the body itself spiritual, so those who withdraw from the Spirit, who serve the belly and pleasures, make the soul itself flesh, not changing its essence, but destroying its nobility. This mode of expression is often found in the Old Testament, and signifies under the name of the flesh a coarse and unclean life full of vile pleasures. Thus it was said to Noah, "My Spirit shall not be despised by men for ever; for they are flesh" (Gen. 6:3). Though Noah himself was clothed with flesh, yet to be clothed with flesh was not guilty, for it was natural; It is a crime to love the life of the flesh. That is why Paul says, "Therefore those who live according to the flesh cannot please God," and continues, "But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:9). And here again he means not just flesh, but flesh that is carried away by passions and given over to torment. Why, you may ask, did he not say so, and make such a distinction? To encourage the listener and show that the one who truly lives will not live in the body. Since everyone knows that it is not proper for the spiritual to abide in sin, he points out something more, saying that the spiritual man not only does not abide in sin, but is not even in the flesh, but also here he becomes an angel, ascends to heaven, and simply wears only the body. But if you condemn the flesh because (the apostle) calls the life of the flesh by its name, then you will condemn the world also, because by its name the evil life is often called, just as Christ said to the disciples: "You are not of the world" (John 15:19); And again He said to His brethren: "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me" (John 7:7). And the soul in this case will have to be called alienated from God, because (the apostle) he called those who live in error soulful. But that's not the case, no. Everywhere it is necessary to pay attention not merely to the expressions, but to the thought of the speaker, and it is necessary to understand exactly the difference of what is said. The one is good, the other is evil, and the other is average; For example, the soul or the flesh is something in between, and can become both. And the spirit is always good and never becomes anything else. Again, carnal wisdom, that is, a vicious action, is always evil, because it does not obey the law of God. If, therefore, you give your soul and body to the better, you yourself will belong to the same side, and if you give to the worst, you will become a partaker of the destruction that proceeds from this, not by the nature of the soul or the flesh, but by the disposition, which has the power to choose one or the other. And that it really has such a significance, and that there is no condemnation of the flesh in what has been said, we shall examine it more precisely, by turning again to the same expression. "But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," he says.

8. How's that? Were they not in the flesh, but were incorporeal? What could make sense? Do you notice that he understood the life of the flesh? Wherefore did he not say, Ye are not in sin? That thou mayest know that Christ not only quenched the torment of sin, but also made the flesh lighter and more spiritual, not by changing its nature, but by giving it greater wings. Just as iron, from being in fire, becomes fire itself, preserving its own nature, so in believers who have the Spirit, the flesh itself is reborn in the same activity, becoming wholly spiritual, crucified and winged together with the soul. Such, for instance, was the body of the one who speaks of these things, wherefore it despised all luxuries and pleasures, but rejoiced in hunger, beatings, and bonds, and enduring these things without sorrow. Bearing witness to this, (Paul) said, "For ... our slight suffering" (2 Corinthians 4:17), so it was good for him, and so he taught the flesh to walk on a level with the spirit. "If only the Spirit of God dwells in you." The Apostle often uses the word "unless" (poneje) not to denote doubt, but with full certainty and instead of "because," as, for example, when he says: "For it is righteous in the sight of God, to repay those who offend you with tribulation" (2 Thess. 1:6); and in another place, "Have you suffered so much in vain" (Galatians 3:4). "But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ." The Apostle did not say, "If you do not have, but attribute the unpleasant to others, "he [and] not His" (Rom. 8:9), he says.

"But if Christ be in you" (v. 10). Again he says that Christ is in them. He mentions the unpleasant briefly and in the middle, and speaks of the pleasant both before and after, and in many words, so that he softens the former. And when he says this, he does not call the Spirit Christ, but shows that he who has the Spirit not only receives the name of Christ, but also has Christ Himself in him. It is impossible that Christ is not where the Spirit is present. Where one of the persons of the Trinity is, the whole Trinity is present, it is inseparable in Itself and is intimately united. What will happen, you ask, if Christ is in you? "That body is dead to sin, but the spirit is alive to righteousness" (v. 10). You see how many calamities arise from not having the Holy Spirit in us: death, enmity against God, the inability to please His laws, the inability to belong to Christ as we should, to have Him dwelling in us. See also how many good things are when we have the Spirit in us: to belong to Christ, to have Christ Himself in us, to compete with the angels. This is what it means to mortify the flesh, i.e. to live eternal life, to have the pledge of resurrection while still here on earth, and to walk the path of virtue with ease. (The Apostle) did not say that the body is no longer active in relation to sin, but is dead to sin, which elevates the ease of asceticism. He (who has Christ) is crowned even without works and labors. Wherefore he added "for sin," that thou mayest understand that He hath once and for all destroyed the vice, and not the nature of the body. Otherwise, much that could be useful to the soul would be destroyed. Therefore this is not what the Apostle is talking about, but he desires that the body, while living and abiding, should be dead. When our bodies do not differ in the least from those who lie in the grave in regard to bodily activity, this is a sign that we have the Son in us, that the Spirit dwells in us. But when you hear of death, do not be afraid, for you have real life in you, which will not be followed by any death. Such is the life of the Spirit, it no longer submits to death, but destroys and destroys death, and preserves immortal what it has received. Wherefore (the Apostle), when he called the body dead, he did not say, "The Spirit lives," but called it life, giving them to understand that it can give life to others also. Then, again, drawing the listener, he speaks of the cause and testimony of life: this is righteousness. When there is no sin, there is no death, and when there is no death, there is eternal life. "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwells in you" (v. 11). Again (the Apostle) begins to speak of the resurrection, because the hope of the resurrection especially encourages the hearer and strengthens him by the example of Christ. Do not be afraid, he says, that you are clothed with a mortal body; have the Spirit in you, and the body will surely be resurrected. So, what is it? Will not bodies that do not have the Spirit be resurrected? And how should all stand before the judgment seat of Christ? How, then, will the doctrine of hell be reliable? For if those who do not have the Spirit are not resurrected, there is no hell. So, what is the meaning of what (the apostle) said? All will be resurrected, but not all for life, but some for punishment, and others for life. Wherefore he did not say, He shall raise up, but, He shall give life, which signifies more than resurrection, and is given only to the righteous. And pointing out the reason for this honor, he added, saying, "By his Spirit which dwelleth in you." Therefore, if you lose the grace of the Spirit while living here, and die without keeping it intact, you will surely perish, though you will be resurrected. Just as when He sees that His Spirit shines in you, He will not be willing to punish you, so when He sees that He is extinguished in you, He will not consent to bring you into the wedding chamber, as well as the foolish virgins. Therefore do not let the body live now, that it may live then; Make it die so that it doesn't die afterwards. If it stays alive, it won't live, and if it dies, it will live. It will be the same in the general resurrection: the body must first die and be buried, and then become immortal. The same thing happened in baptism: first the man was crucified and buried, and then he was resurrected. It was the same with the Lord's body: it was crucified and buried, and then it was resurrected.

9. So let us do this too, and let us continually mortify the body in its works. I do not say this of the essence of the body, let it not be, but of the inclinations to evil deeds. Not to tolerate anything human and not to serve pleasure is also life, or rather, it is the only life. And he who has surrendered to pleasure can no longer live, because of the anxieties, fears, dangers, and innumerable swarms of passions that arise from it. If the thought of death occurred to him, he had already died of fear before death; Whether sickness, resentment, poverty, or anything else unexpected presents itself to him, he is already lost and destroyed. What could be more miserable than such a life? But he who lives by the Spirit is not like that: he stands above fears, sorrows, dangers, and all change, because he endures nothing, but, what is more important, despises everything that happens. How does this happen? If the Spirit dwells in us continually, as the Apostle did not merely say that the Spirit should dwell in us only for a short time, but always live, wherefore he did not say, "The Spirit lived, but he who lives," meaning that he dwells continually. Therefore he who dies to life is predominantly such (he who lives by the Spirit). For this reason he said, "The Spirit lives unto righteousness." And to make this clearer, let us imagine two men, one devoted to luxury, pleasure, and the pleasures of life, and the other dead to all these things, and see which of them lives longer. Let one of these two be very rich and noble, feed the idlers and flatterers, feast and drink, and spend whole days in it; And the other, living in poverty, fasting, and other austere life and love of wisdom, only in the evening takes the necessary food, or, if you wish, does not eat for two or three days. Which of these two lives in our country for the most part? I know well that many will point to him who rejoices and squanders his possessions, but we call him who is satisfied with moderation. And if there is any further dispute or controversy, let us enter into the dwelling of each one, and it is during the time of the merriment itself, when the rich man, in your opinion, lives in the full sense, and when we have entered, let us see in what condition each of them is: from their deeds it will be seen who is alive and who is dead. And so we shall find one at books, in prayer and fasting, or awake at some other necessary work, sober and conversing with God, and the other we shall find immersed in drunkenness, and in a condition no better than a dead man; But if we wait until evening, we shall see that he is still more seized with death, and in this state he sleeps, while the former spends the night without sleep and is awake.

Do you see that the one lives above all the living, and the other lies in a condition worse than the dead? The latter, if he undertakes any task, sees one thing instead of the other, and is like madmen, or rather more miserable than these. If someone offends a madman in our minds, we all feel compassion for the offended person and blame the offender, and if we see someone mocking such a person, we not only do not feel pity for him, but we condemn the person who is lying. And tell me, is this life? Isn't it worse than countless deaths? Do you see that he who indulges in pleasure is not only dead, but even worse than a dead man and more miserable than a madman? The one arouses pity for himself, and the other hatred, the one is forgiven, and the other is punished for the very thing by which he suffers. If, however, a man who has rotten saliva flowing and a foul smell of wine is so ridiculous in appearance, then imagine what is the condition of the unfortunate soul buried in such a body as in a coffin. To see this is the same as if one were to give full power to a servant of barbarian birth, ugly and shameless, to mock and insult a maiden who is modest, sensible, free, of noble birth, and beautiful. Such is drunkenness.

10. Who who has a mind would not rather die a thousand times than live one day in this way? On the day after this ridiculous pastime, the man seems to get up and sober, but even then he does not have perfect chastity, for his eyes are still clouded with fog after the storm of drunkenness. Let us even suppose that he is perfectly sober: what is the use of that? His sobriety is fit for nothing else, as soon as it notices those who reproach him. As long as he was in an ugly condition, he had the advantage of not feeling ridicule, and when the day came, he lost even this consolation, because he himself saw the servants whispering to each other, the wife blushing with shame, his friends condemning him, and his enemies sneering. What could be more deplorable than such a life, to be a laughingstock to everyone during the day, and to put oneself in the same ugly position again in the evening? But what? Do you want me to give you an example of a covetous? And covetousness is a kind of drunkenness, even more disagreeable, and if it is drunkenness, it is undoubtedly death, and much worse than that death, since the intoxication itself is stronger. It is not so disastrous to get drunk with wine as with the passion for money; There the harm is limited to illness and ends in insensibility and death of the drunk himself, but here it extends to thousands of souls, everywhere arousing various attacks. Let us, therefore, contrast one with the other, see what they have in common, and in what way one is superior to the other, and now let us make a comparison of the two drunkards. For they cannot be compared with the blessed one, who live according to the Spirit, but can only be considered in relation to each other. So, let's imagine once again a meal at which there are thousands of murders. What do they have in common and in what ways do they resemble each other? In the very nature of the disease: although the kind of drunkenness is different, since the one is produced by wine, and the other by money, yet the passion is the same, because they are both equally possessed by insane lust. As he who is drunk with wine, the more cups he drinks, the more he desires, so he who loves money, the more he acquires, the more he kindles the flame of passion and the more he is thirsty. In this they have a resemblance to each other, and in another the lover of money, in his turn, has the advantage. What is it exactly? In the fact that one endures something in accordance with nature, because wine has a strong quality, and by increasing the innate dryness, it thus produces thirst in drunkards. And why does the covetous man constantly desire more? Why is it that when he is more enriched, he lives in greater poverty? This passion is incomprehensible and looks more like a mystery. But let us look at them, if you will, when their intoxication has passed; However, the lover of money can never be seen at the end of drunkenness, he is always in a state of intoxication. So, let's look at both of them in a state of intoxication, analyze which of them is funnier, and depict them with the most accurate features. Let us imagine a man who has lost his senses from wine, how he looks with all his eyes at the coming of evening and sees no one, how aimlessly and for no reason he wanders around, bumps into those he meets, spews out, how disheveled and naked he is to shamelessness, how his wife, daughter, maidservant, and everyone laughs at him a lot. Let us also bring the lover of money to the middle. Here, actions are worthy not only of laughter, but also of damnation, great anger, and countless thunders. However, let's consider one funny thing for now. And the lover of money, like a drunken man, does not recognize anyone, neither friends nor foes, and is also blind, although he looks with all his eyes, and as he sees wine everywhere, so this one sees money everywhere. That which he spews out is much more vile, because he does not spew out food, but words of blasphemy, insults, enmity, and death, thus attracting upon his head a thousand lightnings of heaven. As the body of a drunken man is blue and relaxed, so is the soul of a lover of money, or rather, his body itself is not free from this disease, but is subject to it to a greater degree, because cares, anger, and insomnia are eaten up worse than wine, and gradually exhausted him. A man who is obsessed with drunkenness can sober up at night, but a lover of money is drunk constantly, day and night, both awake and asleep, being punished more than any prisoner and those who work in the mines, or even some other more severe torment.

11. Tell me now, is this life and not death, or is it not worse than any death? Death gives peace to the body, frees from ridicule, shame, and sins, and these two kinds of drunkenness plunge into all these things, obstruct the hearing, blind the eyes, and keep the mind in great darkness. The lover of money does not want to hear or talk about anything but profit and profit growth, shameless profits, hateful commercial establishments, and affairs befitting slaves, and not free man; Like a dog, he barks at everyone, hates everyone, abhors everyone, fights against everyone for no reason, rebels against the poor, envies the rich, and makes friends with no one. If he has a wife, children, and friends, and if he cannot profit from all these things, they are his enemies more evil than his real enemies.

Потому-то и мы в каждое ваше собрание беседуем об этом и постоянно оглашаем ваш слух, чтобы хотя вследствие повторения мог получиться какой-нибудь успех. Но не возражайте: эта разновидная страсть готовит вам многие мучения не только в будущий день, но и прежде его. Стану ли говорить о тех, кто постоянно находится в узах, или кто одержим долговременною болезнью, или борется с голодом, или о ком-либо другом, - ни о ком не смогу сказать, что он терпит столько же, сколько сребролюбцы.

Какое слово может изобразить это зло? А если такова здешняя участь сребролюбца, то помысли, что ожидает его по смерти: лишение Царства, геенские муки, вечные узы, внешний мрак, ядовитый червь, скрежет зубов, скорбь, теснота, огненные реки, никогда неугасающая пещь. Собразив все это, и сравнив с удовольствием от денег, исторгни с корнем эту болезнь, чтобы, получивши истинное богатство и освободившись от ужасной этой нищеты, достигнуть тебе и настоящих и будущих благ благодатью и человеколюбием Господа нашего Иисуса Христа, с Которым Отцу и Святому Духу слава, ныне и присно, и во веки веков. Аминь.

БЕСЕДА 14

“Итак, братия, мы не должники плоти, чтобы жить по плоти; ибо если живете по плоти, то умрете, а если духом умерщвляете дела плотские, то живы будете” (8:12,13).

1. Показав, какова награда духовной жизни, которая вселяет в нас Христа, оживотворяет мертвенные тела, окрыляет к небу, делает стезю добродетели более удобной, (апостол) необходимо потом представляет увещание, говоря: итак, мы не должны жить по плоти. Впрочем, он не так сказал, а гораздо выразительнее и сильнее, говоря, что мы должники Духу, - словами: “мы не должники плоти” он именно на это указал. И всюду он это раскрывает, доказывая, что все, совершенное для нас Богом, было не по долгу, а по одной только благодати, все же происходящее после этого от нас, есть не дар, а долг. На это он намекает, когда говорит: “Вы куплены [дорогою] ценою; не делайтесь рабами человеков” (1 Кор. 7:23), и то же самое показывает, когда пишет: “Вы не свои” (1 Кор. 6:19). И о том же самом упоминает еще в другом месте, говоря: “Если один умер за всех, то все умерли”, и: “За всех умер, чтобы живущие уже не для себя жили” (2 Кор. 5:14,15). То же подтверждает и здесь словами: “мы …должники”. Потом, так как сказал, “мы не должники плоти”, то, чтобы ты опять не отнес этого к существу плоти, он не остановился на этом, но присовокупил: “чтобы жить по плоти”. Многое обязаны мы делать и для плоти: питать ее, греть, покоить, лечить в болезни, одевать и оказывать ей множество других услуг. Итак, чтобы ты не подумал, что (апостол) запрещает такое служение плоти, он, сказав: “мы не должники плоти”, поясняет это, говоря: “чтобы жить по плоти”. Запрещаю, говорит он, иметь такое попечение о плоти, которое доводит до греха, а с другой стороны, желаю, чтобы были заботы и о ней, что он и разъяснил впоследствии. А именно, сказав: “и попечения о плоти не превращайте”, не остановился на этом, но присовокупил: “в похоти” (Рим. 13:14). Тому же и здесь учит, говоря: пусть и плоть будет предметом попечения, потому что мы должники ее в этом, но, конечно, не станем жить по плоти, то есть не станем делать ее госпожою нашей жизни. Необходимо, чтобы она шла позади, а не впереди, чтобы она не управляла нашей жизнью, а принимала законы Духа. Итак, определив это и подтвердив, что мы должники Духа, потом показывая, должниками каких благодеяний мы состоим, (апостол) говорит не о прошедшем, но о будущем, в чем и должно особенно дивиться его благоразумию. Хотя и прежних благодеяний было достаточно, но, однако же, он не представляет их теперь и не говорит о неизреченных тех милостях, а указывает на будущие. Многих обыкновенно трогает не столько оказанное уже прежде благодеяние, сколько ожидаемое и будущее. Намереваясь же (говорить о будущих благодеяниях, апостол) сперва устрашает скорбными и худыми последствиями плотской жизни и говорит так: “Ибо если живете по плоти, то умрете”, разумея здесь смерть бессмертную, то есть наказание и мучение в геенне. Лучше же сказать, - если тщательно рассмотреть это, - живущий по плоти мертв даже и в здешней жизни, как было уже вам объяснено нами в предыдущей беседе. “А если духом умерщвляете дела плотские, то живы будете”. Замечаешь ли ты, что он говорит не о природе тела, но о плотских делах? Он не сказал: "если Духом умерщвляете телесное естество, будете живы", но – “дела” и притом не все, а порочные, это ясно и из последующего, где он говорит: если сделаете это, будете живы. Да и как это было бы возможно, если бы он говорил о всех делах вообще? Ведь и видеть, и слышать, и говорить, и ходить - есть плотское дело; и если станем умерщвлять такие дела, то настолько отрешимся от жизни, что подвергнемся обвинению и в самоубийстве. Итак, какие же дела (апостол) повелевает умерщвлять? Те, которые приводят к пороку, клонятся ко злу, которых невозможно умертвить иначе, как Духом. Убивши же другие дела, можно убить и себя самого, что не позволительно, а эти дела умерщвляются только Духом. Если Дух является, все волнения утихают, все страсти усмиряются и ничто не восстает против нас. Заметил ли ты, как (апостол) увещевает нас будущими благами (о чем я сказал выше) и доказывает, что мы должники не в силу только сделанного уже для нас? Благодеяние Духа, говорит он, состоит не только в том, что Он отпустил нам прежние грехи, но и в том, что соделывает нас и в будущем непобедимыми для греха и удостаивает бессмертной жизни. После того, указывая на новую награду, присовокупил: “Ибо все, водимые Духом Божиим, суть сыны Божии” (Рим.8:14).