4. Notice here also the condescension in the word. "God shut the ark behind him" – to show us that He has made the righteous man in perfect safety. "Shut it up," and moreover "from without," so that the righteous could not see how everything was perishing, and thereby feel the strongest sorrow. He was already grieving and indignant when he only imagined in his mind this terrible flood and imagined the destruction of the human race, the total extermination of all animals, and people, and cattle, and, so to speak, the destruction of the earth itself. Even though those who perished were evil people, the souls of the righteous usually feel great sorrow when they see people in misfortune. Therefore, you will find that all the righteous and prophets interceded for the guilty, for example, the patriarch (Abraham) for the Sodomites (Gen. 18:25). And of the prophets, for example, one said: "O Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the remnant of Israel" (Ezek. 9:8), and another: "Thou hast left men as fish in the sea, as creeping things, which have no ruler" (Habakhek 1:14)? If, therefore, the righteous man was already troubled in spirit and grieved in heart, then in order that the very sight (of universal destruction) should not plunge him into still greater contrition, God shut him up in the ark, as it were in prison, so that he could not see with his own eyes what was happening and thereby become timid. Naturally, seeing the extreme increase in the water, he would have become anxious not to drown himself. Thus, sparing him, God the lover of mankind does not allow him to see either the swiftness of the waters, or how the destruction (of people) and the desolation of the universe took place. When I think of the presence of this righteous man in the ark, I am amazed and amazed, and attribute everything to the same love of God.

Those who sail on the sea, even if the waves increase, can look up to the sky, see the tops of the mountains and a distant city, and receive at least a little relief from this. And even if the storm grows stronger and furious to the extreme, they nevertheless, after ten days or more, after many dangers and storms, being thrown to the ground and somewhat calmed, forget all these misfortunes. But this is not the case at all; on the contrary, Noah lived for a whole year in this unusual and strange prison, not being able even to breathe the air. How, indeed, could he do this, when the ark was firmly shut on all sides? How did he endure, tell me, how did he endure? Even if their bodies were of iron and adamant, how could they live without the use of air or wind, which usually refreshes our body no less than air, and without being able to nourish the eyes with the sight of the sky, or with the variety of flowers that adorn the earth? How could they, having lived like this for so long, not become completely blind? And if we wanted to judge this on human grounds, we would have to consider whence they obtained sufficient water to drink while they lived in the ark. But, leaving this, (I ask)

How could this righteous man, with all those who were in the ark, endure so long? Only with the help of a higher, omnipotent power. Was it not the work of a higher power that the ark rushed hither and thither, without a helmsman, and did not perish from such a pressure of the waves? Nor can it be said that the ark was (built) in the likeness of a ship, and from this it was possible, with the help of art, to direct its course. The ark was firmly guarded on all sides, and, by the command of the Lord, the swiftness of the water did not harm it; on the contrary, having risen above it, he kept his inhabitants in perfect safety.

Therefore, beloved, when God does something, do not dare to examine His works for human reasons: they exceed our understanding, and the human mind is never able to comprehend and comprehend what He has done.

5. Therefore, when we hear God's commands, we must believe and obey His words. As the Creator of nature, He transforms and changes everything by His will. "And the Lord God shut the ark after him." Great is the virtue, and the faith of this righteous man is also strong. After all, she helped him both to build an ark and to endure a cramped life in such a dwelling, together with animals and all other animals. For this reason the blessed Paul, remembering him, in praise of him, exclaimed thus: "By faith Noah, having received a revelation of things that were not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark for the salvation of his house; by it he condemned the world, and became heir of righteousness by faith" (Hebrews 11:7). Do you see how faith in God, like a strong anchor, sustained him in the fact that he built the ark and could live in it? It also served him as a means to salvation: "by it," it is said, "he condemned the whole world, and became heir of righteousness by faith." Not that Noah himself condemned (his contemporaries); no, the Lord condemned them by comparison (them with Noah), because they, having all the same things as the righteous man, did not follow the same path of virtue as him. So Noah, by the faith that he showed, condemned these people who showed complete unbelief: they did not believe the prediction (of the flood). And I, in spite of all this, am especially amazed at the virtue of the righteous man, and the ineffable goodness and love of mankind of the Lord, when I think how he could live among the beasts, that is, lions, lynxes, bears, and other wild and indomitable animals.

Remember here, beloved, the high power that the first man enjoyed before the crime, and meditate on the goodness of God. Since the disobedience of the first man diminished the authority granted to him, and then God found another man who tried to restore in himself the ancient image, preserved the purity of virtue and showed deep obedience to the commandments, He also raises him to his former dignity, as if by experience showing us the greatness of the power that Adam had before the disobedience. In this way, the virtue of the righteous man, supported by the grace of God, restored its former power, and the beasts again recognized their submission. In fact, the beasts, as soon as they see the righteous, immediately forget their nature, or rather, not nature, but their cruelty, and, remaining the same in nature, they turn from fierce into meek. And so, this very thing happened to Daniel. Being surrounded by lions, he remained fearless, as if he were among sheep: the boldness of the righteous man restrained the nature of the beasts and did not allow them to show their brutality. In the same way, the wondrous Noah easily lived together with the beasts, and neither the narrowness of the place, nor the length of time, nor such confinement, nor the deprivation of air, could bring him into a daze, but everything was relieved to him by faith in God, and he lived in this terrible prison as we do among meadows and groves. The Lord's command made it easy for him to do what was difficult. Such is the property of the righteous: when they endure for God, they do not look at what is being done, but reflect on the cause, and easily endure everything. In the same way, Paul, the teacher of tongues, called prisons, attacks, daily dangers, manifold and intolerable sorrows easy, not because they were such in themselves, but because the reason for which they were allowed placed him in such a disposition that he did not pay attention to the calamities that befell him. Listen to what he says: "For our slight affliction for a short time produces eternal glory beyond measure" (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hope, he says, of future glory and eternal bliss helps us to endure these continuous sorrows with good humor and to consider them light. Do you see how love for God takes away the strength of misfortunes and does not even allow (believers) to feel their weight? That is why Blessed Noah endured everything complacently: he was nourished by faith and hope in God. "And he shut," it is said, "and the Lord shut after him. And the flood continued on the earth forty days, and the waters abounded, and lifted up the ark" (Gen. 7:17-18). See again how (the Scriptures) increase the fear and increase the event by their story. "There was a flood," it says, "on the earth forty days, and the waters multiplied, and lifted up the ark, and it rose above the earth; and the waters increased and multiplied greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters. And the waters of the earth increased exceedingly" (Gen. 7:17-19).

6. See how (the Scriptures) tell us in detail about the strong pressure of the waters, how they rose more and more every day. "The waters of the earth were exceedingly increased," it is said, so that all the high mountains that are under the whole sky were covered; the waters rose up over them fifteen cubits, and the mountains were covered" (Gen. 7:19-20). The Lord, the lover of mankind, wisely arranged the ark, so that the righteous would not see what was being done.

What would the righteous man have suffered if he had seen the water rise to such a height? Higher than the mountains, it is said, "the waters rose fifteen cubits above them." Remember here, beloved, the words spoken by the Lord: "My Spirit shall not be despised by men forever; for they are flesh" (Gen. 6:3), also: "the earth was corrupted, and the earth was filled with wickedness" (Gen. 6:11), further: "And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupted: for all flesh had perverted its way on the earth" (Gen. 6:12).

In the same way, our Lord, having cleansed the whole world by this flood, and, so to speak, freed it from human impiety, the filth of extreme corruption, made it more beautiful and again revealed to us its bright face, not allowing even a trace of its former ugliness to remain. The water "rose" above the mountains "fifteen cubits". It is not without reason that the Scriptures tell us about this, but so that we may know that not only people, and cattle, and quadrupeds, and creeping things, but also the birds of the air, and all the beasts and other dumb animals that dwelt on the mountains, were drowned. For this reason it says: "I have risen" above the mountains "fifteen cubits," so that you may be convinced that the Lord's decree has been fully fulfilled. He said: "In seven days I will bring a flood upon the earth, and I will destroy all that exists that I have created from off the face of the earth," from man to cattle, and from creeping things to the birds of the air (Gen. 7:4). Consequently, the Divine Scripture tells us about this, not only in order to show us to what height the waters have risen, but so that we may at the same time know that there is not a single one left at all, neither beast, nor cattle, nor any other animal, but that they are all destroyed together with the human race. Since they were all created for man, when the latter was to perish, they naturally share the death with him. Further, after telling us to what height the waters rose, namely, that they rose fifteen cubits higher than the mountain peaks, the Scriptures, observing their usual accuracy, also say: "And all flesh that moves upon the earth, and birds, and cattle, and beasts, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and all men, were deprived of life; everything that had the breath of the spirit of life, and "everyone who was on dry land died" (Gen. 7:21-22). It is not without reason that the Scriptures remarked that everyone who was on dry land died, but – to let you know that all perished, only one righteous man was saved, with all those who were in the ark – since they had left the dry land beforehand, and entered into the ark, according to God's commandment. "Every creature that was on the surface of the earth was destroyed; from man to cattle, and creeping things, and birds of the air, all were cut off from the earth" (Gen. 7:23). See how the Scriptures, once and twice, and many times, report that there was universal destruction, and that not a single creature was saved, but all were drowned in the water, both men and animals. "Only Noah remained, and what was with him in the ark. And the waters increased upon the earth a hundred and fifty days" (Gen. 7:23-24). For so many days the water kept rising. Here again think of the extraordinary generosity and courage of the righteous man.

В самом деле, чего приятного мог ожидать он, когда видел, что вода в течение ста пятидесяти дней оставалась в одинаковом положении, поднявшись высоко и ни мало не спадая? Однако же, он благодушно переносил свое положение, зная, что Господь всемогущ, и, как Творец природы, все творит и преобразует по Своему изволению. Не тяготился пребыванием в ковчеге, потому что благодатная помощь Божья укрепляла силы его, и подавала ему достаточное утешение, не попуская ему пасть духом и предаться чувствам неблагородным и низким. Так как он наперед со своей стороны явил неослабную добродетель, высокую праведность и сильную веру, то и от Господа уже было даровано ему в изобилии терпение, мужество, благодушие во всем, способность прожить в ковчеге, не потерпев от того никакого вреда и расстройства, и не тяготясь сообществом животных.

7. Этому-то праведнику будем и мы подражать, и постараемся делать все, что требуется с нашей стороны, чтобы явиться нам достойными даров Божьих. Он ожидает от нас повода, чтобы показать великую Свою щедродательность. Не лишим же сами себя, по лености, даров Его, но поспешим и поревнуем сделать начало и вступить на путь добродетели, чтобы, получив высшую помощь, могли мы достигнуть и конца. Без помощи высшей силы мы не можем сделать ничего доброго. Итак, взявшись за надежду на Него, как бы за якорь верный и твердый (Евр.6:19), будем держаться за него, и не станем смотреть на труд добродетели, но – размышлять о награде за труд, и, таким образом, все переносить благодушно. И купец, когда оставит пристань и выйдет в открытое море, не думает только о морских разбойниках и кораблекрушениях, морских чудовищах и напоре ветров, о непрерывных бурях и несчастных случаях, но и о выгодах, предстоящих после этих опасностей, и, питаясь надеждой, благодушно переносит все встречающиеся неприятности, только чтобы получить больше денег, и с ними возвратиться домой.

Если же, возлюбленные, и купец, и земледелец, и воин, не смотря ни на неверность успеха, ни на большую вероятность неудачи, ни на множество различных, как вы слышали, препятствий, не отчаиваются и не оставляют трудов, утешаясь надеждой, то мы как оправдаемся в том, что небрежем о добродетели и не подъемлем с охотой всякий труд ради ее, тогда как у нас надежда несомненна, обещано нам столько благ, и награда бесконечно превышает все труды наши? Послушай блаженного Павла, что он говорит после столь многих и тяжких скорбей, нападений, уз и ежедневных смертей: "нынешние временные страдания ничего не стоят в сравнении с той славой, которая откроется в нас" (Рим.8:18). Хотя бы мы, говорит, каждый день предавали себя на смерть, – чего, впрочем, природа не приемлет, хотя воля, побеждающая природу, по благости Господа, чтится, – все же и тогда наши страдания не равнялись бы тем благам, которые нас ожидают, и той славе, которая в нас откроется. Смотри, как велика слава, которую получают творящие добродетель: она превыше всех подвигов, какие бы кто ни совершал; пусть он достигнет самой высоты, но и тогда будет еще ниже ее. В самом деле, что может человек совершить такое, чем бы он вполне заслуживал щедродательность Господа? И если Павел, столь великий и высокий муж, говорил: "нынешние временные страдания ничего не стоят в сравнении с той славой, которая откроется в нас", если так говорил тот, который сказывает о себе: "каждый день умираю" (1Кор.15:31), и: "более всех потрудился" (1Кор.15:10), то, что скажем мы, которые не хотим подъять и малого труда ради добродетели, но всегда ищем покоя, только и смотрим, как бы избегнуть всякой неприятности, а между тем знаем, что невозможно достигнуть тамошнего (вечного) покоя, если здесь не возлюбим жизнь подвижническую? В самом деле, здешние скорби располагают нас благоугождать Богу, и малые подвиги, здесь совершаемые, даруют нам великое дерзновение там, лишь бы только мы решились поступать по совету этого учителя вселенной (апостола Павла). Подумай, возлюбленный: то, что случается с нами здесь, хотя прискорбно, однако же, кратковременно; а блага, ожидающие нас там, бесконечны и вечны. "Ибо видимое", говорит (апостол), "временно, а невидимое вечно" (2Кор.4:18). Перенесем же благодушно временное и не уклонимся от подвигов добродетели, чтобы насладиться вечными и неизменяемыми благами, которых да сподобимся все мы, благодатью и человеколюбием Господа нашего Иисуса Христа, с Которым Отцу и Святому Духу слава, держава, честь, ныне и присно, и во веки веков. Аминь.

БЕСЕДА 26

"И вспомнил Бог о Ное, и обо всех зверях, и обо всех скотах, и обо всех птицах, и обо всех гадах пресмыкающихся, бывших с ним в ковчеге; и навел Бог ветер на землю, и воды остановились" (Быт. 8:1)