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God did not spare the angels who sinned,” for he did not say it of him; but where it is said by the Apostle speaking in Christ: “we shall judge angels.” 1.43 We must consider what it means for the whole earth to be inhabited and at rest. Since the rational soul is self-moving and ever-moving, when it moves well and blessedly, it is still and at rest from disorderly agitation, and it bears this stability as its fruit from godly reverence. 1.44 For it is written: “The earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgment,” and: “He who encamps in hope is at rest from all evil,” according to the divinely-inspired scripture of the Proverbs. In this understanding, to the vengeful Cain, who was moved in an improper way, God says: “You have sinned, be still,” all but saying: By sinning you are agitated in a disorderly way, but put an end to the disorderly impulse; for then, in a praiseworthy manner, you will be at rest, “having turned away from evil and done good.” 1.45 For one who is thus at rest, it follows to be inhabited. That this is so, the prostitute woman introduced in Proverbs, whoever she may be, “does not have her feet at rest in her house,” having them wandering outside, being one of the crossroads and a gadabout, unlike the refined and well-born woman dwelling at home, keeping the nuptial rights toward her bridegroom, for whom childbearing immediately follows. For it is said in the Psalms concerning the bridegroom, the Word of God: “Who makes the one who was once barren to dwell in a house, that she might become a mother of legitimate children, rejoicing.” 1.46Zach. I, 12: And the angel of the Lord answered and said: O Lord Almighty, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, which you have overlooked this seventieth year? 1.47 The angel of the Lord Almighty, having seen with foreknowledge the whole earth inhabited and at rest, since all the nations believed in the Lord who had come, asks the King of all to provide knowledge of how long and until when Jerusalem and the cities of Judea under it will be shown mercy, since the seventieth year of the captivity, because of which they seemed to have been overlooked, was now at hand. 1.48 And since Jerusalem has often been interpreted in many ways, according to each interpretation the cities of Judea might also be understood. If, then, Jerusalem were taken to be the perfect and enlightened soul, viewing all things peacefully and with stability—for it is translated as “vision of peace”—the cities of Judea are the lesser souls that are still advancing. 1.49 But if the name of Jerusalem signifies the Church, “presented to Christ as holy,” the cities of Judea would be interpreted as the souls that do not become so great. The Apostle reveals such a difference when writing to the Corinthians, blessing “the Church with all those who call upon the name of the Lord,” as if the Church were Jerusalem allegorically, and the cities of Judea were those who call upon the name of the Lord. 1.50 According to both interpretations, Jerusalem is sometimes overlooked, and the cities subject to it suffer the same thing as the mother city, so that, gaining perception from being overlooked, they might rouse themselves, so as no longer to suffer the things of the captivity, “the seventieth year being at hand.” 1.51 For there will no longer be laborious work, the sabbatical year having been fulfilled; for the number seventy, being composed of seven decades, brings perfect rest, provided by him who came “to proclaim release to the captives,” who arose from Judah. For concerning the Savior it is proclaimed: “Judah is my king,” and to him in blessings it is said: “Judah, your brothers shall praise you, your hands shall be on the back of your enemies, and all the sons of your father shall bow down to you.” 1.52 As these divine words are proclaimed, whichever soul is discerning, called Jerusalem, but also those confessing, being the cities of Judea—for Judah is interpreted as “confessing”—let them learn from Jesus “that he is meek and

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Θεὸς ἀγγέλων ἁμαρτησάντων οὐκ ἐφείσατο», οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν αὐτοῦ· ὅπου δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦντος Ἀποστόλου εἴρηται· «Ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν.» 1.43 Τί βούλεται τὸ κατοικεῖσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἡσυχάζειν θεωρητέον. Τῆς λογικῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοκινήτου καὶ ἀεικινήτου ὑπαρχούσης, ὅταν εὖ καὶ μακαρίως κίνηται, ἠρεμεῖ καὶ ἡσυχάζει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀτάκτου κλονήσεως, ταύτην δὲ τὴν εὐστάθειαν καρποῦται ἀπὸ θείας εὐλαβείας. 1.44 Γέγραπται γάρ· «Γῆ ἐφοβήθη καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι εἰς κρίσιν τὸν Θεόν», καί· «Ἡσυχάζει ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ ὁ κατασκηνῶν ἐπ' ἐλπίδι», κατὰ τὴν θεόπνευστον τῶν Παροιμιῶν γραφήν. Ταύτῃ τῇ νοήσει, πρὸς τὸν ἀλάστορα Κάϊν κινηθέντα ὡς οὐ δεῖ ὁ Θεός φησιν· «Ἥμαρτες, ἡσύχασον», μόνον οὐχὶ λέγων· Ἁμαρτάνων ἀτάκτως κλόνῃ, ἀλλὰ τέλος ἐπίθες τῇ ἀτάκτῳ ὁρμῇ· τότε γὰρ ἐπαινετῶς, ἡσυχάσεις «ἐκκλίνας ἀπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποιήσας». 1.45 Τῷ οὕτως ἡσυχάζοντι ἕπεται τὸ κατοικεῖν. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἡ εἰσαγομένη ἐν Παροιμίαις πόρνη γυνή, ἥτις ποτέ ἐστιν αὕτη, «ἐν οἴκῳ οὐκ ἔχει ἡσυχάζοντας τοὺς πόδας», ἔξω αὐτοὺς ῥεμβομένους ἔχουσα, τριοδῖτις καὶ σοβὰς οὖσα, τῆς ἀστῆς καὶ εὐγενίδος ἐν οἴκῳ κατοικούσης, φυλαττούσης τὰ πρὸς τὸν νυμφίον γαμικὰ δίκαια, ᾗ εὐθὺς ἕπεται τὸ τεκνογονεῖν. Εἴρηται γὰρ ἐν Ψαλμοῖς περὶ τοῦ νυμφίου τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου· «Ὃς κατοικίζει ἐν οἴκῳ στεῖράν ποτε οὖσαν, ἵνα γένηται μήτηρ γνησίων τέκνων εὐφραινομένη.» 1.46Zach. I, 12: Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν· Κύριε παντοκράτωρ, ἕως τίνος οὐ μὴ ἐλεήσῃς τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὰς πόλεις Ἰούδα, ἃς ὑπερεῖδες τοῦτο ἑβδομηκοστὸν ἔτος; 1.47 Θεασάμενος προγνωστικῶς ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου παντοκράτορος πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν κατοικοῦσαν καὶ ἡσυχάζουσαν, πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν πιστευσάντων τῷ ἐπιδημήσαντι Κυρίῳ, ἀξιοῖ τὸν παμβασιλέα γνῶσιν παρασχεῖν ἕως τίνος καὶ πότε ἡ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ αἱ ὑπὸ ταύτην πόλεις τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐλεηθήσονται, ἑβδομηκοστοῦ ἔτους ἤδη ἐνεστῶτος τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας δι' ἣν παρεωρᾶσθαι ἐδόκουν. 1.48 Καὶ ἐπεὶ πολλάκις ἡ Ἰερουσαλὴμ πολυτρόπως ἡρμήνευται, καθ' ἑκάστην ἑρμηνείαν λημφθεῖεν ἂν καὶ αἱ τῆς Ἰουδαίας πόλεις. Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἡ τελεία καὶ πεφωτισμένη ψυχὴ λαμβάνοιτο εἰρηνικῶς καὶ εὐσταθῶς πάντα θεωροῦσα-μεταλαμβάνεται γὰρ εἰς τὸ «ὅρασις εἰρήνης» -πόλεις τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰσὶν αἱ ὑποδεέστεραι ψυχαὶ τῷ ἔτι προκόπτειν. 1.49 Ἐὰν δὲ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν σημαίνῃ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ, τὴν «παρισταμένην τῷ Χριστῷ ἁγίαν οὖσαν», πόλεις τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἑρμηνευθεῖεν αἱ μὴ τηλικαῦται γινόμεναι ψυχαί. Τὴν τοιαύτην διαφορὰν φανεροῖ ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐπιστέλλων Κορινθίοις, εὐλογῶν «τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν σὺν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου», ὡς τὴν μὲν Ἐκκλησίαν εἶναι Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἀλληγορικῶς, πόλεις δὲ τῆς Ἰουδαίας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου. 1.50 Κατ' ἀμφοτέρας τὰς ἑρμηνείας παρορᾶταί ποτε ἡ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ αἱ ὑποτελεῖς αὐτῇ πόλεις τὸ αὐτὸ τῇ μητροπόλει πάσχουσιν, ἵνα ἐκ τῆς ὑπεροράσεως αἴσθησιν λαβοῦσαι, διαναστήσωσιν ἑαυτάς, ὡς μηκέτι πάσχειν τὰ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, «ἑβδομηκοστοῦ ἔτους ἐνεστηκότος». 1.51 Οὐ γὰρ ἔτι ἐπίπονος ἐργασία ἔσται, σα̣ββ̣ατικοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ πληρωθέντος· ὁ γὰρ ἑβδομήκοντα ἀριθμός, ἐκ δεκάδων ἑπτὰ συνεστηκώς, τελείαν ἀνάπαυσιν ἐπιφέρει, παρέχοντος αὐτὴν τοῦ ἐληλυθότος «κηρῦξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν», ἀνατείλαντος ἐκ τοῦ Ἰούδα. Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀπαγγέλλεται τό· «Βασιλεύς μου Ἰούδα», καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπ' εὐλογίαις λέγεται· «Ἰούδα, σὲ αἰνέσαισαν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ προσκυνήσουσίν σοι πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρός σου.» 1.52 Τούτων τῶν θείων λόγων ἀπαγγελλομένων ἥτις ἐστὶν διορατικὴ ψυχή, Ἰερουσαλὴμ προσαγορευομένη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξομολογούμεναι, πόλεις τῆς Ἰουδαίας οὖσαι-Ἰούδας γὰρ «ἐξομολογούμενος» ἡρμήνευται-μαθέτωσαν ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ «ὅτι πραΰς ἐστιν καὶ