1. There were, as it seems, among our ancestors those who allowed the people to act arbitrarily, carried out the works mentioned in Ezekiel, even did what is characteristic of false prophets – who "dishonor" God "before His people" "for handfuls of barley" (Ezekiel 13:19). I think some people are doing the same now. Thus, when we say that he who calls his brother a freak is subject to hell, some ask: Is he who calls his brother a freak subject to hell? No! –Meet. And when we say that the covetous is an idolater, they laugh at this again, saying that this expression is exaggerated; and all the commandments are humiliated in this way. It was with them in mind that Blessed Paul then wrote to the Ephesians, saying: "For know ye that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God." Then he adds: "Let no one deceive you with empty words." Vain words are those that have a temporary charm, but are never manifested in deeds, because their work is deception. "For because of this cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." For adultery, to speak, for covetousness, for uncleanness, or for both, and for deceit, because they are unscrupulous. Disobedient sons he calls those who are very stubborn, who do not listen (to God). "Therefore do not be their accomplices. You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (vv. 7, 8). See how wisely he made an admonition – first by Christ, that is, love one another, and do not offend anyone; then again – with punishment and hell. "You were once darkness," he says, "and now you are light in the Lord." This is also said in the Epistle to the Romans: "What fruit did you have then? Such deeds as you yourselves are now ashamed of" (6:21)? And He reminds them of their former vices, that is: Ponder, say what you once were, and what you are now; do not turn to the former wickedness, and do not despise the grace of God. "Ye were once darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord." Not because of your virtue, to speak, but by the grace of God, it happened to you, that is: you were once worthy of it, but no more. Therefore, "walk as children of light" (v. 8). And what is meant by "children of light," he explains, immediately after which he adds: "For the fruit of the Spirit consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Try what is pleasing to the Lord" (vv. 9, 10). "In all," he says, "goodness": this is against the wrathful and cruel. "And to the truth": this is against the covetous. "And the truth": this is against false pleasure. Not about what I have said, but about the opposite. "In every thing" – that is, the spiritual fruit must be revealed in everything. "Try ye that which is pleasing unto the Lord." Consequently, this is characteristic of childish and imperfect understanding. "And do not share," he says, "in the unfruitful works of darkness, but also rebuke. For what they do in secret is shameful even to speak. Yet all things that are revealed are made manifest by light, for everything that is made manifest is light" (v. 11, 12, 13). He said that you are the light; but the light reveals all that is in darkness; so that if you, I say, are virtuous and worthy of wonder, the wicked will not be able to hide. Just as at the time when the lamp is standing, all are illuminated, and the thief cannot come near, so when the light shines from you, the wicked who are rebuked will be smitten. Therefore, it must be exposed. But how can we say (Christ): "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Μth. 7:1)? To rebuke, said (the Apostle), i.e. to admonish, and not to condemn. And, in addition: "Judge not, that ye be not judged" – it is said about the most insignificant sins. In accordance with this, (Christ) added: "And why do you look at the mote in your brother's eye, and do not feel the beam in your own eye?" (v. 3). And the words (of the Apostle) mean the following: as a bodily wound as long as it is hidden, being covered from the outside, and as long as it goes deeper, does not use any healing, so sin, as long as it hides as it were in darkness, continues to act very boldly; but as soon as it is revealed, it becomes light; not sin itself – how is this possible? – but the one who made it. If he is brought out into the midst (of the assembly), if he is admonished, if he repents, if he receives absolution, have you not dispersed his darkness? Did He not heal his wounds then? Did the fetus cause infertility instead of infertility? Either he says this, or that your life, being open, is light, because no one hides an irreproachable life, yet what is hidden is hidden because it is darkened. "Therefore it is said, 'Arise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light' (v. 14). Of the sleeping and the dead he speaks, one who is in sins, because he, too, emits a foul smell, like a dead man, and he is motionless, like a sleeper, and he, like a sleeper, sees nothing, but raves and dreams. Others read: "And thou shalt touch" (έπιψαόσεις) "to Christ"; others: "Christ will enlighten thee" (έπιψαόσει σοι). But this is the latter, better. Arise from sin, and you will be able to see Christ. "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light" (John 3:20). Therefore, he who does not (evil) comes (to the light).

2. But he is not the only one who says this about the unbelievers, because many of the faithful are no less attached to wickedness than the unbelievers; There are even tats who are much more so. That is why it is necessary to say to them: "Arise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." It is fitting to say this to them: "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22:32). So, if not the dead, then we will live. Some say that the expression "covetous is an idolater" is exaggerated. But it is not exaggerated, on the contrary, it is absolutely true. How and how? In such a way that the covetous person distances himself from God, like an idolater. And lest you think that this is said unfoundedly, here is Christ's saying, which says: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (Μt. 6:24). Those who work for mammon have removed themselves from the service of God; but those who have renounced His dominion and serve soulless gold are clearly idolaters. But I have not made an idol, says the covetous, nor have I set up an altar, nor have I sacrificed sheep, nor have I poured out wine, but I have gone to church, and lifted up my hands to the Only-begotten Son of God, and I have participated in the sacraments, and have fellowship in prayer and in all other things that befit a Christian. How, then, do I worship idols, he says? This is the most surprising thing that you, having experienced and tasted God's love for mankind, and seeing that the Lord is good, left the Good One and took upon yourself (the dominion of) a cruel tyrant; you say that you do not work for him, but in fact you have subjected yourself to the cruel and unbearable yoke of love of money. You did not tell me about any of your good deeds, but only about the gifts of the Lord. Tell me, I ask, on what basis do we judge a warrior? Is it because he serves as the king's bodyguard that he receives his allowance from him and adorns himself with his name, or because he does not think about his affairs, but only shows the appearance of taking his side and taking care of his affairs, while himself contributing to the success of his enemies? Obviously, that he is the king's bodyguard. Therefore he deserves a more severe punishment than if he had openly refused to serve the king and surrendered himself to his enemies. Wherefore thou also boldly rebel against God, as an idolater, not with thy lips alone, but with the injury of an innumerable multitude of people. But (covetous) is not, they say, an idolater. And when the Greeks say: "A Christian is covetous," then he is no longer the only one who shames himself with deeds, but he often forces the offended to say so. If they do not speak, it must be considered a consequence of their caution. Do we not see that things happen in this way? What is an idolater? Is it not the one who worships the passions instead of owning the passion? For example: when we say that so-and-so worships idols, he says: no, not to them, but to Aphrodite and Ares. And if we say: who is Aphrodite herself? – the more knowledgeable of them say: pleasure. And who is Ares? Anger. So do you (answer) about mammon. If we say: what is mammon? Covetousness, and you worship it. I don't worship, you say. Why? Because you don't bend yourself? But you give worship much more by Deeds and deeds, because such worship is more important. And in order that you may be convinced of this, look, in relation to God, who worships Him more worthily – those who simply stand in prayer, or those who do His will? Obviously, the latter. So it is with mammon, those who do his will worship him more. At the same time, those who worship the passions (personified) are often free from (their own) passions. So, look at the worshipper of Ares – he often possesses anger. It is not so in you – you make yourself a slave of passion. But you don't slaughter sheep? For this reason – men and souls of understanding, some – by hunger, others – by slander. There is nothing more violent than such a sacrifice! How many has ever seen souls stabbed? Cursed is the altar of covetousness! If you come to the altar of idols, you will smell the blood of goats and the blood of bulls; but if you approach the altar of covetousness, you will smell the heavy smell of human blood. And if you stop here, you will not notice the burning wings of birds, nor the smell of that smoke rising, but mortified human bodies. Some threw themselves off the steep slope, others threw a noose over themselves, others cut their throats with a knife. Have you seen the rude and inhuman victims? Do you want to look at even more cruel ones, in comparison with these? I will show you not only human bodies, but also human souls that are slaughtered there. For the soul can also be slain by slaughter, corresponding to the soul, because as for the body there is death, so for the soul. "The soul that sinneth," says (Scripture), "shall die" (Ezek. 18:4). The death of the soul is not the same as the death of the body, but much more difficult. That death is bodily, separating soul and body from each other, the one relieves from many cares and labors, and the other leads to a certain place; and then (the body), separated for a time and removed, is again united with incorruption, and again receives its soul.

3. Such is this death; but the death of the soul is terrible and terrible. It does not transfer the soul (to a certain place), as it happens with the body, after it is separated from it, but when it is bound again by the incorruptible body, it throws it into the inextinguishable fire. Such is the death of the soul! Thus, just as there is the death of the soul, there is also the slaughter of the soul. What is the slaughter of the body? In the mortified and in the deprivation of spiritual strength. What is the slaughter of the soul? And this is also mortification. In what is the mortification of the soul? Just as the body dies when the soul leaves it deprived of its power, so the soul is mortified when the Holy Spirit leaves it without His power. These slaughters are especially performed on the altar of covetousness. They are not satisfied, they do not stop at the blood of men, but if you do not offer the soul itself, the altar of covetousness is not satisfied, unless you have both souls, the soul of the sacrificer and the one who is offered. For it is necessary first to be sacrificed to him who offers it, and thus he makes a sacrifice and, being dead, sacrifices the living. If you slander, revile, and resent, are these not wounds of the soul incurable? Do you see that the expression is not exaggerated?

Do you want to hear more and learn how covetousness is idolatry, and is heavier than idolatry? Idolaters bow down to God's creation. "And they worshipped," says (the Apostle), "and served the creature instead of the Creator" (Romans 1:25); but you worship your own creation. God did not create covetousness, but your immeasurable insatiability invented it. And look how crazy and ridiculous it is. Those who worship idols honor those whom they worship, and if anyone speaks ill of these idols, if he laughs at them, they defend them. You, as if in some kind of drunkenness, worship an object that is not only not free from blame, but is also full of impiety. So you're much worse than they are, because you can't say in your defense that it's not evil. If they are also very inexcusable, then you are even more so than you who condemn covetousness and ridicule those who serve it, fawn before it, give themselves over to it. But would you like us to investigate whence came the idolatry? A wise man once said (Wis. 14:15) that a certain rich man, devoured by the premature loss of his son, and having no consolation in sorrow, wanted to assuage his suffering by making a soulless image of the dead, and then looking at it, thinking that the image was for the deceased himself. Certain flattering people, to whom the god is belly, serving in his honor before the image, introduced the custom of idolatry. Thus, it is introduced by the weakness of the soul, by unreasonable custom, by intemperance. Covetousness is not like that. And it comes from a weak soul, but only from the worst. No one has lost a son, does not seek consolation in sorrow, is not compelled by flatterers. But how? I'll tell you. Cain deceived God, because he kept what should have been given to him, and what should have been kept for himself, he brought to him, and began evil with God. If we ourselves are God's, then how much more are the first fruits of our acquisitions. From covetousness, in turn, was born the desire for women. They saw the daughters of men, and gave themselves over to lust (Gb. 6:3). From them again to money, since the desire to have more means of living than that of one's neighbor comes from nothing else than from the fact that love has grown cold. The desire to have more comes from nothing else, but only from madness, misanthropy and arrogance. Do you not see how great the earth is? How incomparably more than necessary, air, sky? God arranged creation in such a volume in order to extinguish your covetousness. But even with all this you rob, and when you hear that covetousness is idolatry, are you not even terrified at this? Do you want to own the land? But is there not an inheritance in heaven, which you thereby deprive yourself of?

4. Tell me, if someone gave you the right to take everything, wouldn't you want to? Or you can, if you want. Some say that they grieve if an inheritance is transferred to others, that they would rather destroy it than see others possess it. I do not excuse you for this weakness either, because this is also characteristic of a weak soul. But let it be so. Make him the heir of Christ in your will. For (the heir) must be alive; This will also testify to a well-directed will, and besides, you will become more generous, although if necessary. Christ commanded us to give to the poor in order to make us wise alive, to persuade us to despise money, to teach us not to respect earthly things. This is not the contempt for money, that, dying and not being a master, you give it to one or the other. You do not voluntarily give the remainder, but in extreme necessity. Gratitude to death, not to you! This is not a matter of tender love, but of need. However, let it be so, but at least then free yourself from passion. Think how much you have stolen, how much you have acquired by deceit? Return all things by the quaternary, and thus you will justify yourself before God. But some have come to such madness and depravity that even then (before death) they do not understand what is due, but act as if they were trying to make God's judgment more difficult for themselves. For this reason the blessed one (Paul) said in the epistle: "Walk as children of light." But the covetous preferentially lives in darkness, and spreads great darkness over all. "Do not share," he says, "in the fruitless works of darkness, but also rebuke. For what they do in secret is shameful even to speak. Yet everything that is revealed is made manifest by light, for everything that is made manifest is light."

Listen, I exhort all who do not want to be indignant in vain. He kidnaps, and you do not rebuke? Are you afraid of anger? Though your indignation is not in vain, though you rebuke justly, yet you fear wrath? Rebuke your brother, show enmity, out of love for Christ, out of love for himself; Stop him if he goes into the abyss. Communication in meals, in kind speeches, friendliness and tenderness are a small matter of love. We give our friends such gifts as will deliver their souls from the wrath of God. Let us raise them up, seeing them cast into the furnace of wickedness. But, you say, he does not improve? And thou shalt do thy own, and thou shalt rule before God. Do not hide your talent. For this reason you have understanding, for this you have a tongue and a mouth, to correct your neighbor. Some dumb ones do not care about their neighbor and have no idea about others. But you, calling God Father, and your neighbor brother, seeing him committing many evils, prefer disposition towards him to his benefit? Let it not be, I beseech you. There is no more proof of love than to despise misguided brethren. Did you see the warring parties? Reconcile. Did you see by deception those who acquire property? Stir it. Did you see the offended? Protect. By doing so, you will be the first to show love to yourself, and not to them. We are friends so that we benefit each other. A friend listens differently to a friend, differently to someone else. Perhaps he will not trust a stranger, just as he will not trust a teacher, but not a friend. "For what they do in secret is shameful even to speak. Everything that is revealed is made manifest by light." What does he mean by this? He says this because some of the sins are committed here secretly, and others openly. It will not be so there, because there is no one who is not aware of his sin. Therefore he says: "Everything that is revealed is made manifest by light." Is it not about idolatry, you will say, that it is also spoken of here? No; We are talking here about life and sins. Everything that appears, he says, is light. Therefore, I beseech you, do not refuse to rebuke others, nor be vexed yourselves when you are rebuked. As long as what is done in darkness is done with greater boldness; As soon as he has many witnesses of what is happening, then he is illuminated. Therefore, let us do everything possible to remove deadness from our brethren, to dispel darkness, to bring nearer the Sun of righteousness. If there are many lights, then the path of virtue will be convenient for us, and even those who are in darkness will be better exposed, since the light, spreading, drives away the darkness. And if we do not act in this way, then we can fear that they will be extinguished by the predominance over the light of the gloomy and sinful darkness, which drives away the brilliance of the light. Therefore, let us strive also for others, as for ourselves, so that with all (our deeds) we send glory to the loving God, by grace and love for mankind (our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

CONVERSATION 19

"Take heed, therefore, that ye walk carefully, not as foolish, but as wise, valuing the time, for the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unreasonable, but know what is the will of God (Ephesians 5:15-17).

1. Again (the apostle) eradicates bitterness, again cuts off the cause of anger. What does he really say? "See that you tread carefully." He knew his Teacher, that He, sending His disciples as sheep among wolves, commanded them to be like doves. "Be simple," he says, "like doves" (Μt. 10:16). Since on the one hand (the Christians) were among wolves, and on the other hand they were instructed not to avenge themselves, but to endure offenses, therefore they needed such instruction. And the former was enough to make them more courageous; and when an addition is made to two, then understand that (instruction is given) is already excessive. See with what care he warns them, saying: "Take heed, walk carefully." Whole cities waged war against them (the apostles); This war has spread to homes. The father armed himself against the son, the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, the daughter against the mother. What then? Where do these divisions come from? They heard that Christ said: "Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Μth. 10:37). Therefore, lest they think that He is introducing wars and strife in vain, since great enmity could have occurred if they themselves had decided to arm themselves, for this reason (the Apostle) says: "Take heed, tread carefully," i.e., except for preaching, do not give yourselves any other reason for enmity against you, let it alone be the basis of enmity. Let no one accuse you of anything else, show reverence and all obedience, if nothing harms the preaching, if nothing hinders godliness, because "Give therefore," it is said, "to everyone what is due: to whom to give, to give; to whom a tribute, a tribute; to whom is fear, fear; to whom honor is honor" (Romans 13:7). And when they see you submissive to others, they themselves will be ashamed. "Not as foolish, but as wise, valuing time." He exhorts us thus, not wishing that we should be cunning and cunning, but his words mean the following: the time is not yours; now you are strangers and strangers, strangers and strangers; do not seek honor, do not seek glory, do not seek power, do not be vengeful; endure everything, and thus redeem time; pay a lot, whatever they want from you. This is said obscurely: I will try to make it clear by an example. Let us suppose that someone has a splendid house, and then that some come to destroy it, and he gives much to them, and thus saves himself: then we say that he has redeemed himself. In like manner thou hast a great house and true faith; they come to take everything; Give everything, no matter what anyone demands of you, only save the main thing, that is, faith. "Because," he says, "the days are evil."

What is the deceit of the day? The viciousness of the day should be characteristic of the day. If you learn what the wickedness of the world around us is, you will also know what the wickedness of the day is. What is bodily depravity? Illness. And what about the depravity of the soul? Malice. What is the depravity of water? Bitterness. And every kind of depravity is a disorder in the nature of the object to which depravity is ascribed. Thus, if the day can have depravity, it is in the day itself, in the hours, in the light. So Christ also says: "For each day his care is sufficient" (Μth. 6:34). Through this, we can understand that. In what sense, then, does he call the days evil? At what time is the time for the evil one? Not the essence, not the creation (so he calls it), but that which is done in their continuation. In the same way, we have a custom that says: "I have spent a hard day, a bad one." Wherefore, how could it be heavy, if not according to what happened during it? And what happens during it is good from God, and evil from vicious people. Consequently, people are the creators of that which is evil in time, and therefore they say: "evil times." This is how we call times vicious. "Therefore," he says, "do not be unreasonable, but know what is the will" of the Lord. "And do not be drunk with wine, whereby there is debauchery" (vv. 17, 18), for intemperance in this also makes us hot-tempered and insolent, and impetuous, irritable and intolerable. Wine is given for merriment, not for drunkenness. And now not to get drunk is considered an effeminate and ridiculous thing. What hope is there for salvation? "It is ridiculous, you say, not to get drunk," while drunkenness should be ridiculed most of all. It is also very good for a private person to be a stranger to drunkenness; and much more to a warrior who deals with weapons, with blood, with murder; much more to a military commander, when, as it is, his anger is inflamed by power, by administration, by the fact that he constantly lives in the midst of ambushes and battles. Do you want to know where the wine is good? Listen to the words of the Scriptures: "Give an axe to him that is perishing, and wine to him that is bitter in soul" (Prov. 31:6). And rightly so: for it has the power to alleviate grief and anguish, and to remove sorrow. "Wine rejoices the heart of man" (Psalm 103:15). How does drunkenness come from wine? Nothing can produce the opposite effects. To mean drunkenness not from wine, but from immoderation. Wine is given to us for nothing else but for the health of the body; but even this is hindered by intemperance. Listen also to the blessed one who writes and says to Timothy: "Drink a little wine, for the sake of your stomach and your frequent infirmities" (1 Tim. 5:23).

2. For this reason God created our bodies to be well-proportioned, requiring little for their nourishment, in order to teach us that we were created for another life. This is the kind of life He wanted to give us at first; but since we ourselves have become unworthy of it, He has postponed it, and during the delay He does not allow us to enjoy it without measure. A small glass of wine and one loaf of bread is enough to fill a human stomach. The Lord of all the dumb (God) was created to be much less needy than them, and gave a small body, indicating nothing else than that we should strive for another life. "Do not get drunk," he says, "with wine, from which there is debauchery." It does not save, but destroys not only the body, but also the soul. "But be filled with the Spirit, edifying yourselves with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and singing in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, obeying one another in the fear of Christ" (vv. 18-21). Do you want to have fun, he says? Do you want to spend the day? I give you a spiritual drink. Drunkenness destroys the euphony of speech, causing our tongue to stutter; in the same way it perverts the eyes, and everything. Learn to sing psalms, and you will see the sweetness of this work, because those who sing psalms are filled with the Holy Spirit, and those who sing satanic songs are filled with an unclean spirit. What does it mean, "In your hearts to the Lord"? This means – approach this matter with attention, because the inattentive sing in vain, pronouncing only words, while their heart wanders elsewhere. "Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, obeying one another in the fear" of Christ. That is: let your petitions ascend to God with thanksgiving; nothing pleases God so much as when someone gives thanks to Him. Above all, we can express our gratitude by removing our soul from what has been said, by cleansing it of what (the Apostle) has said. "But be filled," he says, "by the Spirit." Is it in our power? Yes, in ours. When we cleanse our souls from lies, cruelty, fornication, impurity and covetousness, when we become good-natured, compassionate, caring for ourselves, when there is no blasphemy in us, when we make ourselves worthy – then what will the Holy Spirit forbid? The spirit to draw near and fly to us? And He will not only draw near, but fill our hearts. When there is such a light within us, then after that virtue will no longer be difficult for us, but easy and pleasant. "Thanks," he says, "always for everything." How so? Should I be grateful for everything that happens? Truly so, even if it be a disease, even if it be poverty. If in the Old Testament a certain wise man advised, saying: "Whatever befalls you, receive" joyfully, "and in the vicissitudes of your humiliation be long-suffering" (Sir. 2:4), then how much more should this be in the new. Even if you do not understand the reason for something, give thanks: that is what gratitude consists in. There is nothing important or surprising in the fact that you give thanks when you are beneficial, healthy, you succeed in everything and you are happy. It is necessary that you give thanks in misfortunes and sorrows. Say nothing but the words: I thank Thee, O Lord! But what do I say about the calamities that happen here (on earth)? For Gehenna itself, for the punishments, for the torments that will be there (beyond the grave), we must thank God. If we are attentive, this work will bring us great benefit, when it is the fear of hell that will put a bridle on our hearts. And not only for obvious blessings, but also for secret ones, sent against one's will, we must give thanks. (God) does us much good when we do not want or do not see it. If you are not lying, I will explain this matter to you. Think, do not all the lawless and godless Greeks ascribe to their sun and idols? Well? Does He not send blessings to them also? Do they not owe their lives, health, children, and the like to His providence? And what about the so-called Marcionites? And what about the Manichaeans? Do they not blaspheme Him? What then? Does He not do good to them every day? And if he does good to them without their knowledge, how much more so to us. And what else is proper to God but to do good to the human race both in punishment and in good deeds?

Thus, it is not only in happiness that we should give thanks, because there is nothing important here. The devil also knew this; wherefore he said: "Is it for nothing that Job fears God? Have you not surrounded him, and his house, and all that he has? but stretch forth thy hand, and touch all that he has, and shall he bless thee?" (Job 1:9-11). But this evildoer (the devil) did not benefit in any way, and let it not happen that there should be anything more concerning us for him. When poverty, sickness, and misfortune befall us, it is then that we should be more grateful. I mean gratitude not in words, but in language, but in deeds, thoughts, and heart. Let us thank Him with all our hearts. For He loves us more than our parents, and the love of God is as different from parental love as goodness is from wickedness.

3. These are not my words, but those of Christ who loves us. Listen to what He says: "Is there any man among you who, when his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? and when he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If, therefore, you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him" (Μt. 7:9-11)? And again listen to what He says in another place: "Shall a woman forget her suckling child, that she may not have pity on the son of her womb? but if she also forget, I will not forget you, says the Lord" (Isaiah 49:15). If He does not love us, then why did He create us? Was it necessary for Him? Do we do anything useful and necessary for Him? Does He need any of us? Listen to the words of the prophet: "Thou art my Lord; my goods are not necessary for Thee" (Psalm 15:2). But those who do not understand and do not feel this say: with the goodness of God there must be equality for all. But tell me, ungrateful man, in what do you see the lack of God's goodness, and what do you call equality? One, they say, has been crippled since childhood, another is mad and possessed by a demon, another has spent his whole life to a ripe old age in poverty, another in severe illnesses. Are these the works of Providence? One is deaf, another is dumb, a third is poor, another is evil and lawless, full of innumerable vices, but has money, supports harlots and freeloaders, has acquired a magnificent house, and leads a carefree life. And they say many similar things, weaving a long word of condemnation against Divine Providence. What then? there is, then, no Providence? What shall we say against them? If it were the Greeks and told us: By whom is the world governed? – we would ask them in turn: what then? No Providence? Why do you worship gods, worship demons and heroes? After all, if there is Providence, then it watches over all. If there are despairing and doubting people among Christians and Greeks, what can we say to them? Tell me, have so many good things happened by chance: daily light, improvement in the existing, the chorus of stars, the steady flow of days and nights, the succession of nature in plants, animals, and people? Who, tell me, controls this? If there is no one to care, and everything is maintained by chance, then who has overturned and spread out such a beautiful, such a majestic tent over the earth and waters, I mean heaven? Who gave fruitful times? Who put such power into seeds and plants? Everything that is accidental is completely disorderly, while everything that is well-arranged is artistic. Tell me, what is accidental among us that is free from great disorder, great confusion, disorder? I'm not even talking about what happens without a cause, but even about the one who does, but takes up the matter without skill. For example, let there be wood, stones and lime; let a man who does not know how to do the housework take them, and begin to build and work. Will he not destroy and spoil everything? Again, let there be a ship without a helmsman, with everything that a ship needs to have, except for a helmsman, I do not say not equipped, but even equipped: it will not be able to sail. Could this land standing on the water, tell me, stand for so long without a sustaining force? And does it make sense? And an opinion of this kind should not be ridiculed a thousand times? If at the same time (water) we carry the sky – this is another weight. But whether the sky rests on the waters is another question. All this is the work of Providence. Everything that is worn on the water should not be concave, but convex. Why? For a convex body, as in a ship, remains outward and tends upward, while a concave body sinks into the water. Thus, it (the sky) requires a body that is elastic, firm, capable of withstanding pressure and bearing the imposed weight. Does not the air support the sky? But it is much thinner, looser than water, and cannot oppose even the lightest things with sufficient resistance, and even more so to such a giant. A whole century would not be enough for us if we began to consider all the works of Providence, both in general and in particular. I will ask this questioner: did all this happen from Providence, or did it happen by chance? – and if he had said: there is no Providence, – I will ask again: how did this happen? And he will not be able to point out a single reason. "From here, all the more so, you should not inquire and try to unravel questions concerning human life. Why? Because man is more excellent than all this, and all this happened for man, and not man for this.

4. If, then, thou dost not understand the wisdom and order which lie in the providence of him (man), how can thou comprehend the causes which lie (in God)? Yes, tell me, why is (man) created so small, so far removed from the heights of heaven, that he doubts what appears from above? Why are the northern and southern countries uninhabited? Why, tell me, is the night longer in winter and less in summer? Why the cold, the heat, why is the body mortal? I will offer you an abyss of other questions, even, if you wish, I will not cease to ask, and in everything you will be unanswerable before me. The main thing of Providence is that the causes are incomprehensible to us. If this were not beyond our comprehension, then perhaps someone would really consider man to be the cause of everything. So-and-so, he says, is poor, and poverty is evil. What is also disease, or blindness? All this is nothing, man! There is only one misfortune – to sin, and this is the only thing we must discuss. Having abandoned research on the causes of real disasters, we are too much concerned about extraneous things. Why does none of us ever try to find out why he sinned? Is it in my power to sin, or is it not mine? There is no need to say much here, I will look for the answer in myself. Have I not ever conquered passionate inclinations, have I triumphed over anger out of shame, or out of fear of men? When I find such cases, I will conclude from this that it is in my power to sin. No one is curious about it, no one takes the trouble to find out; but without reflection, according to Job, a mortal "is vain in reasoning" (Job 11:12). What kind of need do you have to do with the fact that one is blind and the other poor? This is not what God commands you to discuss, but what you yourself do. If you doubt whether any power works for the world, you are the most reckless person; but if you are convinced of this, then why do you doubt that you should please God? "Giving thanks always," he says, "for all things to God" (v. 20). Enter the asylum, and when there is a wounded man there, see how the doctor cuts and burns him. However, I am not saying this to you, but to enter the carpenter's workshop. And you will not achieve meaning, you will understand almost nothing of what is being done there; A lot of things will seem senseless to you when, for example, he is drilling, or planing wood. If I lead you to another, simpler art, for example, to painting, then you will be confused here too. Tell me, will it not seem to you in vain to do what (the painter) does? What are the outlines and interweaving of lines for him? When he puts the paints, then the beauty of art will catch your eye, and yet, even after that, you will not be able to understand anything exactly. But why do I speak of carpenters, painters, slaves like us? Tell me how a bee makes a honeycomb, and then talk about God. Learn the art of ants, spiders, swallows, and then talk about God. Explain this to me, if you are clever; but you can't. And so, O man, will you not cease to seek the superfluous, and this is truly superfluous, and will you not cease to be foolishly curious? there is nothing wiser than such ignorance, and those who confess complete ignorance in this case turn out to be the wisest of all, and those who are superstitious are the most foolish. Thus, claiming to know oneself does not always show wisdom, and sometimes foolishness. Tell me, if one of two men declared that he would measure with stretched ropes the air that stretches from earth to heaven, and the other, mocking the first, confessed that he did not know it, whom, tell me, would we ridicule, who calls himself knowledgeable, or who does not know? Obviously, the so-called connoisseur. Therefore he who does not know is wiser than he who pretends to be knowledgeable. Again, if one were to declare that he knew how many glasses (of water) a fruit drink contained, and another that he did not know, would not ignorance be wiser than knowledge? Of course. And why? Because this ignorance is broader (than knowledge). He who confesses ignorance knows something. Exactly what? That something is hidden from man; And this is important. But he who says that he knows, especially does not understand what he says he knows; that is why he deserves ridicule. Alas, how many impulses do we have to curb misplaced inquisitiveness and curiosity, and yet we do not restrain ourselves, but interfere in the lives of others (and ask): why is this one poor, why is this one blind? With such questions we will fall into other nonsense – why, for example, is it a woman, why are not all men, why is it a donkey, why is it a bull, why is it a dog, why is it a wolf, why is there a stone, why is it a tree – and the questions will last forever. That is why God has set a measure for our knowledge and (laid the foundation for it) in our nature. Look with me at a very curious phenomenon. When we look from the ground at the sky, at such a height, we do not feel anything heavy, but when we climb some high tower and want to bend down a little, we suddenly feel a whirling and darkening of the head. Tell me the reason for this; but you will not find why the eye has more power (than the other senses), and ceases to act at the greatest distances