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Lord." The legal, so that the spiritual of the New Testament may be brought in against it. But if it is understood of the captive soul, because it was shown to be unworthy of the worship of God. "He has shaken off." He cast off abruptly. "They gave a voice." The enemies rejoicing even more. "The wall of the daughter." He judged [or, destroyed] the wall, the law. "He did not turn back." He prolonged the judgment [or, the affliction]. "And he mourned." He did not spare from casting down to be trodden underfoot those who persistently sinned against him. "They were fixed." Those entrusted with the teaching were plunged into earthly matters. "He has destroyed." He made her commandments disappear, so that the one wishing to enter was at a loss, and searching. "They sat on the ground." They were brought to the ground, having minded earthly things. "They were silent." They lost their teaching authority, they were deafened. "They brought up." According to history, the form 93.740 is one of mourning, as in captivity. But according to contemplation, by choice, he says, they preferred earthly things to their own salvation. "They brought down to the ground." They brought the synagogues down to earthly matters, or also the souls that were able to be saved. "They failed in tears." Because piety was not troubled by the gentiles, but they were corrupted by bastard sons, "To their mothers." The sinful souls to the Churches. "Where is the grain." Where is the confidence of the mystery? They say these things, as not being deemed worthy of the mysteries on account of their sins. "In being faint." That is, by sin and [or, Unto] death. "In being poured out." And though they are in the bosoms of their mothers, they still fail from a famine of teaching. "What shall I testify to you?" What good thing shall I bear witness to for you? "Or what shall I liken to you?" What sin shall I compare to yours? For truly the slaughter against the Lord is excessive. "Because it was magnified." The vengeance for your sin. "Who will heal you?" Instead of, no one, except God alone. "Your prophets." The false prophets foretelling false things, and the teachers introducing false doctrines. "And they did not uncover." They did not reveal the truth to you, he says, so that knowing that you were doing unjust things, you might turn back, and not become a captive. "And they saw for you." False prophecies, and vain doctrines, pushing you away from God. "They clapped." According to history, those who see the fall of the people, being astonished, clap their hands, and hiss, shaking their head; but according to the spiritual meaning, godless men walking outside of piety, or also unclean demons do these things, gloating over the fall of those formerly in virtue. "Is this the city." Concerning the temple, because of its being conspicuous everywhere; but concerning the soul they will say, Is this the one called perfect, and glorious in virtue? "They have opened against you." They hissed, they attacked like wild beasts; for hissing belongs to wild beasts. "And they gnashed." To gnash is to grind the teeth. "Nevertheless, this is the day." The confusion from sins; but it was expected, because God foretold it, and threatened those who sin. "The Lord has done." He judged righteously. "He has fulfilled his word." He brought to completion the eternal judgments, not to be silent in sins. 93.741 Nevertheless, also through Moses he testified to the Israelites. "Arise." Be aroused, he says, and understanding by examining yourself, and anticipate the beginnings of the watch, that is, the ordinances. Instead of, Do the ordinances, and propitiate God. But he says "in the night" on account of the attack of the enemies. "Pour out as water." Extend your zeal more greatly toward God. "Lift up to him." Of those who become faint at the beginning of every virtue, for example, someone perhaps began almsgiving, he did not have one who exhorts and teaches, he remained there becoming faint. Another of self-control, and so on. For being cut off from progress, in which they are and remain, or even backsliding, growing faint in the famine. "See, Lord." For the Lord had said, that such an affliction has not been, nor will be. "Shall they eat." After the events according to history, he speaks of the revolts of the Churches against their children. "Tender plant." They were roasted, he says, or also boiled, the children, whom they ate in the siege. But according to the spiritual meaning, the one from the beginning the

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Κύριος." Τὸ νομικὸν, ἵνα ἀντεισενεχθῇ τὸ τῆς Καινῆς ∆ιαθήκης πνευματικόν. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς αἰχμαλώτου ψυχῆς ἐκλαμβάνηται, διὰ τὸ ἀναξίαν αὐτὴν φανῆναι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ λατρείας. "Ἀπετίναξεν." Ἀποτόμως ἀπεβάλετο. "Φωνὴν ἔδωκαν." Ἐπὶ πλέον χαίροντες οἱ ἐχθροί. "Τεῖχος θυγατρός." Ἔκρινε [ἴσ. ἔφθειρε] τεῖχος, τὸν νόμον. "Οὐκ ἀπέστρεψε." Τὸ σύγκριμα [ἴσ. τὸ σύντριμμα] παρέτεινεν. "Καὶ ἐπένθησε." Οὐκ ἐφείσατο τοῦ παραῤῥίψαι εἰς καταπάτημα, τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμμόνως ἁμαρτάνοντας. "Ἐνεπάγησαν." Οἱ τὴν διδασκαλίαν πεπιστευμένοι κατεβυθήσθησαν εἰς τὰ γήϊνα πράγματα. "Ἀπώλεσε." Ἠφάνισεν αὐτῆς τὰ παραγγέλματα, ὥστε τὸν βουλόμενον εἰσέρχεσθαι ἀπορεῖν, καὶ ζητεῖν. "Ἐκάθισαν εἰς τὴν γῆν." Ἠδαφίσθησαν τὰ γήϊνα φρονήσαντες. "Ἐσιώπησαν." Ἀπώλεσαν τὸ διδασκαλικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἀποκωφώθησαν. "Ἀνεβίβασαν." Κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἱστορίαν τὸ σχῆ 93.740 μα πενθικὸν, ὡς ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ. Κατὰ δὲ θεωρίαν, ἐκ προαιρέσεως, φησὶν, τὰ γήϊνα πράγματα τῆς ἐαυτῶν σωτηρίας προέκριναν. "Κατήγαγον εἰς γῆν." Κατήνεγκαν εἰς τὰ γήϊνα πράγματα τὰς συναγωγὰς, ἢ καὶ τὰς δυναμένας σώζεσθαι ψυχάς. "Ἐξέλιπον ἐν δάκρυσιν." Ὅτι οὐχ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν ὠχλήθη ἡ εὐσέβεια, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῶν νόθων υἱῶν παρεφθάρησαν, "Ταῖς μητράσιν." Αἱ ἁμαρτωλαὶ ψυχαὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις. "Ποῦ σῖτος." Ποῦ τοῦ μυστηρίου ἡ παῤῥησία; Ταῦτά φασιν, ὡς μὴ ἀξιούμεναι τῶν μυστηρίων διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας. "Ἐν τῷ ἐκλύεσθαι." Τουτέστιν ὑφ' ἁμαρτίας καὶ [ἴσ. Εἰς] θάνατον. "Ἐν τῷ ἐκχεῖσθαι." Καίτοι ἐν κόλποις μητέρων ὑπάρχοντες, λιμῷ διδασκαλίας ἔτι ἐκλείπουσιν. "Τί μαρτυρήσω σοι;" Τί χρηστόν σοι προσμαρτυρήσω; "Ἢ τί ὁμοιώσω σοι;" Ποίαν ἁμαρτίαν συγκρίνω πρὸς τὴν σήν; Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ὑπερβάλλουσα ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου σφαγή. "Ὅτι ἐμεγαλύνθη." Ἡ ἐκδίκησις τῆς ἁμαρτίας σου. "Τίς ἰάσεταί σε;" Ἀντὶ τοῦ, οὐδεὶς, εἰ μὴ μόνος Θεός. "Προφῆταί σου." Οἱ μὲν ψευδοπροφῆται ψευδῆ προλέγοντες, οἱ δὲ διδάσκαλοι ψευδεῖς δόξας εἰσηγούμενοι. "Καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψαν." Οὐκ ἐφανέρωσάν σοι, φησὶ, τὸ ἀληθὲς, ἵνα γνοῦσα ὡς ἄδικα πράττεις, ἐπιστρέψῃς, καὶ μὴ γένῃ αἰχμάλωτος. "Καὶ εἴδοσάν σοι." Προφητείας ψευδεῖς, καὶ δόξας ματαίας, ἐξωθούσας σε ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. "Ἐκρότησαν." Καθ' ἱστορίαν μὲν, οἱ θεωροῦντες τὴν πτῶσιν τοῦ λαοῦ, ἐκπληττόμενοι κροτοῦσι χεῖρας, καὶ συρίζουσιν κινοῦντες κεφαλήν· πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν, οἱ ἔξω τῆς θεοσεβείας βαδίζοντες ἄνδρες ἄθεοι, ἢ καὶ ἀκάθαρτοι δαίμονες ταῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ἐπιχαίροντες τῇ πτώσει τῶν πρώην ἐν ἀρετῇ. "Εἰ αὕτη ἡ πόλις." Ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ναοῦ, διὰ τὸ πανταχοῦ αὐτοῦ περιφανές· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐροῦσιν, Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ λεγομένη τελεία, καὶ ἔνδοξος ἐν ἀρετῇ; "∆ιήνοιξαν ἐπὶ σέ." Ἐσύρισαν, θηριωδῶς ἐπέθεντο· θηρίων γὰρ ὁ συριγμός. "Καὶ ἔβρυξαν." Βρύξαι ἐστὶν τὸ τρίζειν τοὺς ὁδόντας. "Πλὴν αὔτη ἡ ἡμέρα." Ἡ ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν σύγχυσις· προσεδοκᾶτο δὲ, διὰ τὸ προλέγειν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἀπειλεῖν τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. "Ἐποίησε Κύριος." ∆ικαίως ἔκρινεν. "Συνετέλεσε ῥῆμα." Εἰς πέρας ἤνεγκεν τὰ αἰώνια κρίματα, τὸ μὴ παρασιωπᾶν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις. 93.741 Πλὴν καὶ διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐμαρτύρατο τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις. "Ἀνάστηθι." ∆ιεγέρθητι, φησὶν, καὶ κατὰ σαυτὴν ἐξετάζουσα σύνες, καὶ προκατάλαβε τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς φυλακῆς, τουτέστιν τὰ δικαιώματα. Ἀντὶ τοῦ, Πρᾶξον τὰ δικαιώματα, καὶ ἐξιλέωσαι τὸν Θεόν. Τὸ δὲ ἐν νυκτὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἔφοδόν φησιν. "Ἔκχεον ὡς ὕδωρ." Ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἔκτεινον τὴν προθυμίαν σου πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. "Ἇρον πρὸς αὐτόν." Τῶν ἐκλυομένων ἐπὶ ἀρχῆς πάσης ἀρετῆς οἷον, ἤρξατό τις τυχὸν ἐλεημοσύνης, οὐκ ἔσχε τὸν προτρέποντα, καὶ διδάσκοντα, ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ ἐκλυόμενος. Ἄλλος ἐγκρατείας, καὶ καθεξῆς. Ἐκκοπέντες γὰρ τῆς προκοπῆς, ἐν ᾧ εἰσιν καὶ μένουσιν, ἢ καὶ ἀναποδίζον ἐν τῷ λιμῷ ἐκλυόμενοι. "Ἴδον, Κύριος." Εἰρήκει γὰρ ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι οὐ γέγονε τοιαύτη θλίψις, οὐ δὲ ἕσται. "Εἰ φάγονται." Μετὰ τὰ συμβάντα κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν, τὰς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν φησιν ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ἐπαναστάσεις. "Ἐπιφυλλίδα." Ὠπτήθησαν, φησὶν, ἢ καὶ ἑψήθησαν τὰ τέκνα, ἃ ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ πολιορκίᾳ. Πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν, ὁ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τὸ