But our exhortation was in no way successful. Therefore I speak again, and I will not cease to speak until I have produced a conviction. Listening will not do any good if it is not accompanied by activity. Even we will incur the most grievous punishment if, constantly listening to the same thing, we do not do any of what is said. And that the most grievous punishment awaits for this, listen to Christ, who says: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John 15:22); and the Apostle says: "Not the hearers of the law are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2:13). This he says to those who hear; and in order to teach the speaker that he will not benefit from the teaching if his teaching is not accompanied by activity and life corresponding to the word, listen to how both the Apostle and the Prophet address him. One says, "But God says to the sinner, 'Why do you preach my statutes, and take my covenant in your mouth, and yet you hate my instruction, and cast my words for yourself?' (Psalm 49:16,17). Likewise, the Apostle, addressing those who think too much of themselves for their teaching, says thus: "And I am sure of myself that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a guide to the ignorant, a teacher of babes; How is it that when you teach another, you do not teach yourself?" (Romans 2:19, 20, 21)? If, however, hearing cannot benefit me to the speaker of my speech, nor to you who listen to it, without doing what is said, but still serves to greater condemnation, then let us not limit our diligence only to listening, but let us begin to do what is said in practice. It is good to be constantly engaged in listening to divine utterances; but this good is useless when it is not combined with the benefit that comes from obedience. Therefore, so that you do not gather here in vain, with all earnestness, as I have often asked and will not cease to ask, bring brethren to us, convince those who are in error, advise not only in word, but also in deed. The best instruction is instruction in the way of life, instruction in activity. Though you say nothing, but when you leave the assembly, by your appearance, look, voice, gait, and every other posture of the body, you have shown to the absent people the benefit that you have received here, this is sufficient for instruction and exhortation.

Imagine what mysteries you are initiated into, initiated into them, with whom you lift up a mysterious song, with whom you invoke the Trisagion. Teach those outside that you have rejoiced with the seraphim, that you belong to the highest assembly, that you have been numbered among the angels, that you have conversed with the Lord, that you have treated Christ. If we so dispose ourselves, then when we leave here, we will have no need of words for those who are absent, but for our benefit they will feel their own loss, and will soon run to receive the same. Seeing the beauty of your soul, manifested in the very feelings, they, even if they are the most careless, will be imbued with love for your appearance. In fact, if bodily beauty touches those who look at it, then much more beauty of the soul can touch the spectator and arouse him to emulation. Let us adorn our inner man, and let us remember what is said here externally, because it is especially opportune there to remember it. Just as a warrior shows what he learns in the school of martial arts during his exploits, so we must also show what we learn here in external affairs.

5. Remember, then, what is said here, so that when the devil goes out and attacks you, either through anger, or through vanity, or through some other passion, you may easily escape from the snares of the evil one, remembering the teaching here. Do you not see in the fields of fighting how the teachers of young men, after innumerable feats, because of old age, who have finally received a release from fighting, sitting outside the fences near the dust, prompt those who are inside and enter into the struggle to seize their hand, to drag their legs, to take hold of their backs, and many other similar words, for example, if you do this and that, then you will easily defeat the enemy, and in this way they help the disciples very much? In the same way, look to your teacher, blessed Paul, who, after innumerable crowns, being now outside the field, i.e. the present life, prompts us who strive and cries out by means of epistles, when He sees those possessed by anger and rancor and tormented by some passion: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him" (Romans 12:20). And as the teacher of young men says, "If you do this and that, then you will overcome the enemy," so he adds, "By doing this, you will gather burning coals on his head." But as I read this commandment, there is a question which seems to arise from it, and which gives many occasion to speak against Paul, which I wish to propose to you today. What is it that troubles the thoughts of those who do not want to investigate everything thoroughly? Paul, they say, by turning away from anger and exhorting them to be meek and kind to their neighbors, irritates them even more and disposes them to anger. Indeed, in the words: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink," contains a beautiful commandment, full of wisdom and beneficial both for the one who does it and for the one who receives it; but the words that follow are very perplexing and apparently do not agree with the idea expressed in the former. What is it? In the fact that he says: "By doing this, you will gather burning coals on his head." With these words, they say, he harms both the one who does and the recipient of the beneficence, by burning the head of the latter and putting hot coals on it. Indeed, can there be as much good from nourishment and water as there is from the imposition of a heap of coals? In this way, it is said that he also does evil to him who receives a good deed, exposing him to a greater punishment, and on the other hand, he does harm to him who does a good deed, because what benefit can the latter derive from a good deed to his enemies, if he does it in the hope of bringing punishment upon them? Whoever feeds and drinks the enemy in order to gather hot coals on his head cannot be philanthropic and kind, but inhuman and cruel, causing unspeakable torment by means of a small beneficence. In fact, what can be harsher than the feeder in order to gather hot coals on the head of the nourished? Such is the objection. Now it is necessary to offer permission, so that from the very thing that seems to degrade the words of the commandment, you may clearly see all the wisdom of the lawgiver. What kind of permission is this?

This great and valiant man knew well that it is a difficult and difficult task to quickly reconcile with the enemy, difficult and difficult not because of its nature, but because of our negligence. Moreover, he commanded not only to be reconciled, but also to nourish, which is much more difficult than the first: if some, only seeing their offenders, become hardened, then how would they dare to feed their hungering ones? But what do I say, seeing? If someone reminds us of them and pronounces their name alone, he inflames the wound in our soul and increases irritation. Wherefore Paul, knowing all this, and desiring to make the inconvenient and difficult convenient and easy, and to dispose him who does not even want to see his enemy to become his benefactor, added "burning coals," so that he, impelled by the hope of punishment, would resolve to do good to him who had offended him.

He knows that if he undertakes such a beneficence, the path to reconciliation will be started and continued. No one, for no one can have as an enemy the one whom he nourishes and waters, even if at first he did it in the hope of punishment. Time in its course weakens the power of anger as well. And just as a fisherman, if he had thrown down an empty fishing rod, would not have caught a fish, but, having closed it, imperceptibly implants the fishing rod into the mouth of an approaching animal, so Paul, if he had not offered the hope of punishment, would not have persuaded the offended to proceed to do good to those who had offended them. Therefore, wishing to persuade those who deviate, are indignant, and irritated at the mere sight of their enemies, to the greatest benefactions for them, he proposed "burning coals" – not in order to subject them to inevitable punishment, but in order to persuade those offended by the hope of punishment to do good to their enemies, in the course of time to persuade them to abandon all their wrath.

6. Thus he calmed the offended; See how he reconciles even the offender with the offended. And in the first place, by the very method of beneficence, because no one can be so low and insensible that, when he receives food and drink, he does not want to be the slave and friend of him who does it for him; and secondly, the fear of punishment. Apparently, he addresses the feeder with the words: "By doing this, you will gather burning coals on his head"; but they are chiefly directed against the offender, so that he may not remain an enemy forever for fear of punishment, but, knowing that food and drink can do him a great deal of harm if he persists in his enmity, he would cease his anger. In this way, it will be able to extinguish hot coals. Thus the punishment and the impending torment dispose the offended to do good to the offender, and the offender is frightened, corrected, and forced to be reconciled with him who nourishes and waters him. Consequently, by a double bond he unites both of them with each other, the bonds of beneficence and punishment. It is difficult to begin and make an attempt at reconciliation; and when it is made in any way, then everything that follows will be easy and convenient. Though the offended man at first nourishes his enemy in the hope of punishing him, yet by the very nourishment he has become his friend, he may reject the desire for punishment, because having become a friend, he will no longer nourish him who has been reconciled to him in such expectation. Likewise, the offender, seeing that the offended one intends to nourish and drink him, will therefore forsake all enmity himself, even though he be a thousand times cruel as iron and adamant, being ashamed of the benevolence of the feeder and fearing the punishment that awaits him, if even after eating he remains an enemy.

For this reason the Apostle did not stop here in his exhortation, but when he had destroyed the wrath of both, then he corrected their disposition and said: "Do not be overcome by evil" (Romans 12:21). If, he says, you remain vindictive and vindictive, then it seems that you conquer him, and yet you yourself are overcome by evil, i.e. by anger, so that if you want to conquer, then be reconciled and do not take revenge. A brilliant victory is that when you overcome evil with good, i.e. with forgiveness, leaving anger and rancor. But these words would not have been accepted at first by the offended and burning with anger. Wherefore the Apostle, when he had satiated his wrath, then presented him with a better inducement to reconciliation, and did not allow him to remain in the evil hope of punishment. Do you see the wisdom of the lawgiver? And in order that you may be convinced that because of the weakness of those who otherwise would not be reconciled to one another, he proposed this commandment, – listen to how Christ, when proposing the same commandment, did not assign the same reward, but when He said, "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you," which is what it means to feed and drink, He did not add: "In doing this, you heap hot coals on their heads, But what? "that ye may be like your Father, who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:44). And rightly so. He conversed with Peter, James, and John, and with the other apostles; That is why he appointed such a reward. But if you say that this commandment is heavy, then again you will give us even more the opportunity to justify Paul, and you will deprive yourself of all justification. Why? Because, I will show you, this work, which seems difficult, was done even in the Old Testament, when such wisdom was not yet manifested. For this reason Paul did not express the commandment in his own words, but used the same words with which he first proposed this commandment was expressed, so that there would be no excuse for those who do not fulfill it. The words: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him with bread; and if he thirsts, give him water to drink" was not used by Paul, but by Solomon (Proverbs 25:21,22). That is why he used these words to convince his listener that it is very shameful that the ancient law, which was often fulfilled by the Old Testament, is now, with such lofty wisdom, considered difficult and difficult. And who, it will be said, of the Old Testament fulfilled it? Many, especially David with greater fullness. He not only fed and watered the enemy, but also repeatedly delivered those who were in danger from death, and, having the opportunity to kill him, spared him once, twice, and many times. Saul so hated and hated him after his innumerable blessings, after his brilliant victories and salvation from Goliath, that he could not even hear his name and called him by his father's name. Thus, once, at the onset of the feast, when he had formed a certain plot against David and prepared evil plots, but did not see him coming, he asked: "Where is the "son of Jesse" (1 Samuel 20:27); he called him by his father's name, both not wishing to remember his name out of enmity, and thinking that his father's ignorance would overshadow the fame of the righteous man, thinking pitifully and miserably, because, even though he could blame his father for something, it did not harm David in the least. Everyone is responsible for his own deeds, and for them he can only be approved or blamed. And here, not being able to say anything bad about David, he made a show of his ignorance of birth, hoping thus to darken his fame; It was extremely crazy. What, in fact, is the guilt of descending from ignoble and degraded parents? But he did not know how to be so inquisitive. So Saul called David the son of Jesse; and David, finding him sleeping inside the cave, called him not the son of Kish, but by an honorable name: "Let not the Lord suffer me," he said, "to lift up my hand against the anointed of the Lord" (1 Samuel 26:11). So he was pure from anger and all rancor! He calls the Lord's anointed the one who, having so wronged him, thirsted for his blood, after countless blessings, often tried to kill him. He did not look at what Saul was worthy to endure, but he looked at what he had to do or say; this is the highest limit of wisdom. How? Having captured the enemy, as it were in prison, bound by double, or, better, triple bonds, and the narrowness of the place, and the lack of helpers, and the need of sleep, do you not demand an account from him and do not subject him to punishment? No, he says; I now look not at what he is worthy to endure, but at what I should do. He did not look at the ease of killing, but looked at the fulfillment of his inherent wisdom. Meanwhile, what of the circumstances of that time was not enough to induce him to murder? Is it that the enemy was betrayed to him bound? You know, of course, that as soon as we begin to do easy things, the hope of fulfillment awakens in us a greater desire to act, as it was then with him.

Was it the military commander who then advised and urged him? Is it a memory of the past? But nothing induced him to kill; on the contrary, the very ease of the murder deflected him from it. He thought that God had betrayed his enemy for this purpose, in order to provide him with a pretext and an opportunity for greater wisdom. And so, you may be surprised that he did not remember any of his past disasters; I am much more surprised at him for another reason. Which one? Because even the fear of the future did not impel him to kill the enemy. He well knew that Saul, having escaped his hands, would again rise up against him; but he resolved to expose himself to danger by sparing the enemy, than to kill the enemy for his own safety. What can be compared with this great and noble soul, who, while the law commanded to pluck out an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and to repay equals (Deuteronomy 19:21), not only did not do so, but showed even greater wisdom? And yet, even if he had killed Saul then, he would not have lost the praise of his wisdom, not only because he had avenged himself by not being the first to commence violence, but also because he would have fulfilled the law, an eye for an eye, with great meekness. Not for one murder he would have repaid with one murder, but for the many deaths with which he threatened him, not once or twice, but repeatedly trying to kill him, he would have repaid with one death; or, better yet, not only this, but also that the danger in the future had disposed him to revenge, and this, together with the above, would have given him a whole crown of patience. For whoever is angry and seeks punishment for what has been done to him before, cannot receive praise for his patience; but he who, having forsaken all that had passed, many and difficult things, feared for the future and was anxious for his own safety, and was therefore compelled to turn to vengeance, no one would deprive him of the crowns of meekness.

7. But David did not do this, but showed extraordinary and wondrous wisdom. Neither the remembrance of the past, nor the fear of the future, nor the advice of the commander, nor the desolation of the place, nor the convenience of murder, nor anything else impelled him to kill, but as if he were a benefactor who had done him much good, so he spared the enemy and the offender. What excuse shall we have, who remember past transgressions, and avenge those who have offended us, while this innocent man, who had suffered so many evils, and expected greater and more grievous ones after the deliverance of the enemy, spared him in such a way that he resolved rather to expose himself to danger, and to live in fear and trembling, than to justly kill him who intended to do him so much evil?

Так любомудрие Давида можно видеть из того, что он не только не убил врага, при такой нужде, но даже не произнес против него и хульного слова, которого притом оскорбляемый не мог бы и услышать. Мы часто и о друзьях отсутствующих говорим худое, а он не поступил так и с врагом, сделавшим ему столько зла. Итак, из этого можно видеть его любомудрие; человеколюбие же его и попечительность видны из того, что сделал он после. Отрезав край одежды и взяв сосуд для воды (1Цар.24:5; 26:13), отошедши далеко и ставши, он воззвал и показал это пощаженному, поступив так не из тщеславия и честолюбия, но, желая делами убедить его, что напрасно и тщетно тот считал его врагом, и, надеясь чрез это расположить его к дружелюбию. Впрочем, и таким образом не убедив его и имея возможность убить его, он опять решился лучше удалиться из отечества и жить в чужой стране и бедствовать каждый день, добывая себе необходимое пропитание, нежели, оставаясь дома, оскорблять обидчика. Что может быть кротче его души? Поистине справедливо говорил он: "вспомни, Господи, Давида и все сокрушение его" (Пс.131:1). Будем же подражать ему и мы; не будем ни говорить, ни делать худого врагам, но будем даже благодетельствовать им по силам; чрез это мы сделаем больше добра самим себе, нежели им. "Если вы будете прощать людям согрешения их", сказал Господь, "то простит и вам Отец ваш Небесный" (Мф.6:14).

Прости грехи раба, чтобы тебе получить прощение грехов от Господа; если он сильно оскорбил тебя, то, чем больше ты простишь, тем большее и сам получишь прощение. Потому мы и научены говорить: "прости нам, как и мы прощаем", (Мф.6:12), чтобы мы знали, что мера прощения первоначально зависит от нас. Таким образом, чем больше зла сделает нам враг, тем больше окажет благодеяний. Поспешим же и постараемся примириться с обидевшими нас, справедливо ли или несправедливо они гневаются. Если ты примиришься здесь, то избавишься от суда там; если же вражда останется, между тем наступившая смерть прекратит ненависть, то там необходимо постигнет тебя суд. Как многие из людей, ссорящихся друг с другом, если решают ссору между собою дружелюбно вне судилища, то избавляются от убытка, страха и многих опасностей, полагая конец ссоре по желанию обеих сторон, если же обращаются к судье, то бывает часто и трата денег, и наказание, и нескончаемая остается вражда, так точно и здесь, если мы прекратим вражду в настоящей жизни, то избавимся от всякого наказания, если же, оставшись врагами, придем на то страшное судилище, то непременно подвергнемся крайнему осуждению по определению Судии, и получим неизбежное наказание оба: и несправедливо гневающийся – за то, что несправедливо гневается, и справедливо гневающийся – за то, что злопамятствовал, хотя и по справедливости, потому что, хотя бы мы и несправедливо терпели зло, нужно давать прощение обидевшим. Посмотри, как Господь располагает и побуждает несправедливо обидевших мириться с обиженными. "Если", говорит Он, "ты принесешь дар твой к жертвеннику и там вспомнишь, что брат твой имеет что-нибудь против тебя, пойди прежде примирись с братом твоим" (Мф.5:23,24). Не сказал: приготовь, принеси жертву, но: "примирись", и тогда принеси. Оставь ее, говорит, пусть она лежит, чтобы необходимость ее принесения заставила тебя невольно идти для примирения с гневающимся справедливо. Посмотри еще, как Он побуждает идти к оскорбившему нас, когда говорит: "прощайте" должникам вашим, "дабы и Отец ваш Небесный простил вам согрешения ваши" (Мк.11:25). Не малую назначил он награду, но весьма много превышающую важность самого дела. Итак, помня все это и представляя воздаяние, назначенное за это, и то, сколь небольшого труда и старания нужно для заглаждения грехов, будем прощать оскорбившим нас. Чего другие едва достигают посредством поста, воздыханий, молитв, вретища, пепла и многократного раскаяния, т.е. заглаждения грехов своих, того нам можно легко достигнуть без вретища, пепла и поста, если только мы истребим из души гнев, и будем искренно прощать обидевшим нас. Бог же мира и любви, исторгнув всякое раздражение, озлобление и гнев из души нашей, да даст нам, как сочленам, тесно соединиться друг с другом, и согласно, одними устами и одною душою, постоянно воссылать Ему подобающие благодарственные песнопения Ему слава и держава во веки веков. Аминь.

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на слова: "Приветствуйте Прискиллу и Акилу" и проч. (Римл.16:3)

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