There is nothing worse than vanity. It was it that destroyed the Jews most of all. That is why Christ also said to them: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that is from the one God" (John 5:44)? Vanity, together with destruction, excites great laughter, and before the punishment to come, it brings upon innumerable calamities. And if it pleases you to know this, without touching the heavens from whence vanity brings us down, and the hell into which it plunges, we will consider all that it produces here. And indeed, what can be more harmful, more shameful and heavier than vanity? That this disease causes losses is proved by the useless and vain expense of theatres, lists, and other equally unnecessary amusements, such as the building of magnificent and magnificent houses, and all other superfluous buildings, which cannot now be described. Everyone knows that a person who is prodigal, who loves pomp and suffers from the disease of vanity, necessarily becomes a thief and a covetous. To deliver food to this beast, he lays his hands on other people's property. And what can we say about property? This fire devours not only money, but also souls, prepares not only present, but also future death. Vanity is the mother of hell, it greatly inflames the fire of hell and the poisonous worm. Everyone knows that it extends its power even to the dead, and what can be worse than this? All other passions cease with death, but vanity continues its action even after death and tries to show its quality over the dead body. When the dying take care that splendid monuments be erected to them, on which all their possessions must be spent, and try to show extraordinary pomp even in the grave; When people during their lifetime insulted the beggars who came up for one ox or a piece of bread, and, dying, prepare abundant food for the worm, then what power will you find more painful than this disease? From the same evil is born an impure love, since many are involved in adultery, not by the beauty of the face, not by the lust of copulation, but by the desire to boast: I have seduced so-and-so and drawn her into fornication.

4. And is it necessary to speak of other vices that grow from this? I would rather be the slave of a multitude of barbarians than of vanity alone, for barbarians do not command that which vanity commands its subjects. Be the servant of all, it says, whether they be nobler than you or more insignificant. Do not care about your soul, do not care about virtue, laugh at freedom, sacrifice your salvation, and if you do any good, do not do it to please God, but to show off to people, so that you may receive a crown from them; if you give alms, or fast, endure the labor, and try to destroy the benefit. What could be more inhuman than such demands? Envy, arrogance, and love of money - the mother of all evil - originate from this. A crowd of slaves, barbarians dressed in gold, parasites, flatterers, silver-plated chariots, and many other things that are even more ridiculous, are used not for pleasure and benefit, but out of sheer vanity. Yes, you say, everyone knows that this passion is evil, but how we can avoid it is what should be said. The main thing is that if you fully convince yourself that this illness is serious, then you will make the best beginning to correction, because the sick immediately seeks a doctor as soon as he learns that he is sick. And if you seek another way to avoid (the evil arising from this), then look unceasingly to God and be content with the glory that proceeds from Him.

And after that, consider that the verdict and judgment of the people are erroneous, and also soon disappear. For an hour they are surprised, and as soon as the time passed, they forgot about everything; the crown given to you by God has been stolen, but they have not been able to keep their own for you. Even if you were to keep the crown of men, it would be a great pity to exchange it for the crown of God; and when it is gone, what excuse shall we have in the fact that for the transitory we give the imperishable, and for the praise of a few we lose such great blessings? And though many praise you, they are all deplorable, and so much the greater the greater the number of people who do so. If you are surprised at what has been said, listen to how Christ Himself confirms it: "Woe to you," he says, "when all men shall speak well of you" (Luke 6:26). And rightly so. If in all art artists should be chosen as judges, how then do you entrust the evaluation of virtue to the crowd, and not to him who is most versed in it, who can both approve and crown? And so, let us write the word of Christ on the walls, on the doors, and in our hearts, and let us constantly say to ourselves: "Woe" to us, "when all men speak well of you," because even those who speak well of you afterwards condemn you, calling you vain, ambitious, partial to people's praise. But that's not what God does. When He sees that you love His glory, then He will praise you especially, be amazed, and proclaim you. But man is not so, but considering you not free, but a slave, and often pleasing you with false praise consisting in empty words, he usually robs you of your true reward and subdues you more than a purchased slave. For masters have slaves so that they may obey them in what is commanded, but you serve without orders. You do not expect to hear anything from them, but as soon as you know how to please them, you do everything, even if they do not command. What kind of hell will we be worthy of, who delight bad people and serve them before they are commanded, and do not listen to God at all, despite what He commands and exhorts us daily? If you love glory and praise, then avoid the praise of men, and then you will gain glory; turn away from people's approvals, and then you will receive many praises both from God and from people. For we also usually glorify most of all the one who despises glory, we usually praise and marvel at him who values praise and wonder at nothing; but if we do so, how much more is the God of all things. And when God praises you and glorifies you, who can be happier than you? For what is the difference between glory and dishonor, so is the difference between heavenly and human glory, or rather, much greater, ad infinitum. But if human glory is incomparable, shameful, and ugly, then consider what its vileness will be when we compare it with the glory of heaven. As a prodigal woman, being on the rooftop, gives herself to everyone, so do the slaves of vanity, or rather, they are even more vile than harlots, because harlots often despise some of those who love them, and you offer yourself to everyone, fugitives, robbers, and swindlers. With the help of such and similar persons, you arrange spectacles that excite praise; and those of whom each of himself, in your own opinion, is worth nothing, you, when they are gathered together, prefer to your own salvation, thereby showing that you are more dishonorable than each of them.

5.

But it is also unfortunate that the disease of vanity harms you not only when you sin, but also when you show merit, and in one case it subjects you to innumerable reproaches, and in the other it deprives you of all reward.

The wrestler, where he struggles, there awaits his approval, and you, striving for the things above, take care to receive the reward of the valley. What could be worse than such madness? Let us look, if you will, at the crowns themselves: one consists of arrogance, another of envy of another, one of mockery and flattery, another of money, another of servitude. As children in play lay wreaths of grass on each other, and often, having crowned someone so that he himself does not notice, laugh at him from behind, so now those who praise you often laugh among themselves, laying grass on you. And even if only grass, but their crown causes us great harm and destroys all our merits. Therefore, considering his insignificance, avoid harm.

Listen to how Paul, who knows the glory of men exactly, not only does not seek it, but also turns away from it, saying: "I will not boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14). Therefore, be zealous for this praise, so that you do not anger the Lord. And by seeking the praise of men, you dishonor not only yourself, but also God. Being a painter and having a student, you yourself would not be indifferent if he did not show you the works of his art, but exposed the picture to ordinary viewers. If this is offensive to his brethren, then much more so to Vladyka. And if you want to know what other motives there are to despise human glory, then be filled with lofty thoughts, laugh at what you see, grow in love for true glory, be filled with spiritual thoughts, say to your soul, as Paul said: "Do you not know that we will judge angels" (1 Cor. 6:3)? And having aroused her by this, enlighten her and say: Do you, who judge the angels, desire to be judged by the unclean and praised, as dancers, actors, trappers and horsemen are praised, who strive for such praise? And you try to be above these cries, imitate the hermit-dweller John, learn how he despised the crowd of people and, seeing flatterers, paid no attention to them. When all the inhabitants of Palestine gathered around him, marveled at him and were amazed, he did not boast of such an honor, but rebelled against them and, addressing the multitude of the people as to a child, struck them with such reproaches: serpents, "the offspring of vipers" (Matthew 3:7). Though they met and left the cities for him to see this sacred chapter, yet nothing softened John, so far was he from glory and free from all pride. And Stephen, seeing that again the same people did not honor him, but raged and gnashed their teeth, placing himself above their wrath, said: "Stiff-necked! people with uncircumcised hearts" (Acts 7:51). And Elijah, in the presence of the army, the king, and all the people, said, "How long shall ye be lame on both tribes" (1 Kings 18:21)? But we flatter and please everyone, buying for ourselves their reverence by this servile service. In consequence of this, everything has changed, we have been deprived of the grace of the first centuries, the works of Christianity have fallen into decay, and everything has been neglected for human glory. And so, let us eradicate passion, and then we will fully know freedom, find a haven and silence. For the vain one is like one who is tossed about by the waves, always trembling, fearing, and serving very many masters. And whoever is outside this painful power is like one who has reached the harbor and enjoys complete freedom. But not such is the vain one, who, no matter how much he is known, has as many masters and is forced to serve everyone. How can we free ourselves from this heavy slavery? If we love another glory, the true glory. Just as those who are in love with a beautiful face are usually distracted from this love by another face, which is more beautiful than the former, so those who are partial to human glory can be distracted from it by the glory that shines from heaven. Therefore, let us turn our eyes to the latter, let us recognize it exactly, so that, marveling at its beauty, we may escape the shame of worldly glory and enjoy much pleasure, constantly comforting ourselves with the glory of heaven, which may we all be vouchsafed to attain through the grace and love of humanity 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 18

"But how shall they call upon [him] in whom they have not believed? how can we believe [in] [Him] of Whom we have not heard? How can you hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? as it is written..." (Romans 10:14,15).

1. The Apostle again withdraws the Jews from apologizing. Having said, "For I testify unto them, that they have zeal for God, but not according to reasoning," and again, "Not understanding the righteousness of God, they did not submit," he goes on to show that even for their very ignorance they must be punished by God. However, he does not say this directly, but reveals it by expounding his speech in questions, and, for the greater clarity of proofs, he composes the whole passage from objections and answers. See, then, he said above in the words of the prophet that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." But perhaps someone will say: how could they call on Him in Whom they did not believe? Then the objection is followed by the question: why did they not believe? And again an objection, for surely someone might ask: How could they believe without hearing? They have heard, (the apostle) answers. Then again another objection: how could they hear without a preacher? And again the answer: many preached, and many were sent for this very purpose. From what is it evident that they were sent to preach? Here, finally, (the Apostle) quotes the words of the prophet: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach peace, who preach good tidings" (Romans 10:15), "How beautiful are the feet of the evangelizer on the mountains, who proclaims peace, who preaches joy" (Isaiah 52:7). You see, how by the very way of preaching he proves that they were preachers. The Apostles, going around the world, proclaimed nothing else but the unspeakable blessings and the accomplished peace of God with people. Wherefore ye unbelievers do not believe us, says Paul, but Isaiah, who foretold many years in advance that we would be sent, preach, and speak the same things that we had said.

"But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord! Who believed what we heard? Faith therefore comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:16,17). But now the Jews again made a new objection, saying: "If these (the apostles) were sent and sent from God, then it was necessary that all should obey them." And note Paul's prudence, as he proves that the very thing that caused confusion should destroy agitation and anxiety. Why, he says, after so many and important testimonies, and after confirming it by works, are you, Jew, offended by the fact that not all have listened to the gospel? But this very fact that not everyone obeys, with other proofs, is enough to convince you of the truth of what is being preached. And the prophet predicted this from ancient times. Notice, then, the ineffable wisdom (of the Apostle), how he proves moreover, how much the Jews expected and hoped to contradict him. What do you say, he asks? Is it that "not all obeyed the gospel"? But Isaiah predicted this long ago, or rather, he predicted not only this, but much more. You blame the fact that not everyone listened, and Isaiah says more than that. What exactly? "Lord! who believed what we heard"? Then, having destroyed this confusion with the words of the prophet, (the apostle) again maintains the former connection.

After quoting the words of the prophet: "Lord! who believed what we heard"? he, taking another testimony in due time, says: "Faith therefore comes by hearing." And this he said not without purpose, since the Jews were constantly seeking miracles and desiring to see the resurrection; And since there were many who sought this, (the Apostle) also says that the prophet also proclaimed that our faith must come from hearing. Wherefore he proves this beforehand, saying, "Faith therefore comes by hearing." And since this was apparently insignificant, see how he strengthens his speech. I did not speak of mere hearing, he continues, not of what human speech should hear and believe, but I speak of lofty hearing: "And hearing of the word of God." The preachers did not speak of their own things, but proclaimed what they had learned from God; This is much higher than miracles. God, when He speaks and performs miracles, must be believed and obeyed alike, because works and miracles are produced by His word; Thus the heavens and all the rest appeared.

2. And so, having proved that the prophets must be believed, who always speak not their own, but God's, and that there is no need to seek anything more than hearing, (the apostle) sets forth the objection to which I have referred, and says: "But I ask, have they not heard" (v. 18)? (The Apostle) asks: What does it matter if the preachers were sent and preached what they were commanded, since the Jews did not hear? Then the solution of the objection is proposed in all its fullness. "On the contrary, their voice went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." What sayest thou, asks (Paul), have they not heard? But the universe has heard, all the boundaries of the earth have heard, and you, with whom the preachers have spent so much time and from whom they have come, have you not heard? Is this possible? If you have heard the limits of the universe, even more so you. Then again a new objection. "Again I ask, Did not Israel know" (v. 19)? And if the Jews, although they heard, did not understand what was said, did not know that the preachers who were sent were the same preachers, then do they not deserve an excuse for such ignorance? Not at all. After all, Isaiah pointed out the signs of preachers when he said: "How beautiful ... the feet of the evangelist who proclaims peace" (Isaiah 52:7). And before Isaiah they were depicted by the Lawgiver Himself, which is why (the Apostle) added: "But the first Moses says, I will stir up jealousy in you not by a people, I will provoke you to anger with a foolish people." Thus it was necessary to recognize the preachers, not only because the Jews did not believe that the preachers preached the gospel of peace and proclaimed good things, and that the word was sown throughout the world, but also because those who were inferior to the Jews, that is, the Gentiles, were given greater honor. The pagans suddenly began to inquire about what neither they nor their ancestors had ever heard. This was a sign of high honor, which should wound the Jews, encourage them to emulate and bring to mind the prophecy of Moses: "I will stir up jealousy in you not by the people." Not only was the greatness of the honor sufficient to move the Jews to emulation, but also that the people who were honored with it were so lowly that they were not worthy even of the name of a people. "I will not arouse your jealousy by the people," it is said, "I will provoke you to anger by a foolish people." What was more foolish and inferior than the Gentiles? See how God gave the Jews beforehand the signs and clear signs of all these times, to open their blindness. And this did not take place in a narrow corner, but on land and sea, and everywhere in the world; those whom the Jews had formerly despised, they saw as possessors of innumerable blessings. It should have been understood, then, that this was the same people of whom Moses said, "I will stir up in you jealousy not by a people, but by a people who are foolish." But was Moses the only one who said this? In no way, but Isaiah confirmed the same thing after him. Wherefore Paul said, "The first Moses," showing that there is a second who speaks of the same thing more clearly and distinctly. And as he said above, Isaiah cries, so here, Isaiah speaks boldly, v. 20.

What is it about - about everything? And of your fall, and of the introduction of the Gentiles, saying, "They that have not sought me have found me; I have revealed myself to those who have not inquired about Me." Who are these who have not sought and inquired? Obviously, not Jews, but Gentiles who never knew God. As Moses expressed their distinguishing feature with the words: "not a people," and "a people without understanding," so Isaiah here depicts the same property of theirs - ignorance in the extreme degree. This was the most important accusation for the Jews, that those who sought did not find, and those who sought lost. "And of Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people" (v. 21). Do you notice that that which perplexed and perplexed many, was known before and was clearly resolved in the prophetic writings? What is it? Thou hast heard Paul say above, What shall we say? The Gentiles who did not seek righteousness received righteousness..... But Israel, which sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness" (Romans 9:30,31). Isaiah says the same here, saying, "They that have not sought me have found me; I have made myself known to them that have not inquired about me" - mean the same as what the apostle said: "The Gentiles, who did not seek righteousness, received righteousness." Then, having shown that what was done was not the work of God's grace alone, but also of the own goodwill of those who came, just as the fall of the Jews was the result of the obstinacy of the disobedient, listen to what (the apostle) added: "And of Israel he says, All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people." By the word "day" he means here all the past tense, and "to stretch out one's hands" means to call, to attract and to summon. Then, showing that the Jews themselves were guilty of all this, he says: "To a disobedient and stubborn people."