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made for him to be mocked by the angels, that is, by the just. For these, having ascended through virtue even to the rank of angels, mock the one who fell from that rank because of wickedness. And the Lord gave authority to his own disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the Enemy. And elsewhere he says: You crushed the heads of the dragons upon the water. And he fittingly mentioned this in the discourse about the sea, since indeed our whole life is something salty, and fanned from all sides and moved by wild waves. All things look to you to give them their food in due season. From you, he says, at the right time all things receive their need. For the irrational creatures seek their food, but are ignorant of the provider; yet they receive it from the Creator. When you give it, they will gather it. When you provide the abundance, each of these enjoys what is suitable. And when you open your hand, all things will be filled with goodness. Through these words he showed the ease of the provision of good things. For just as it is easy to extend fingers that are bent inward, so it is easy for God to grant the contribution of all good things. And the opening of his hands, one must also consider the extension on the cross, from which all things were filled with goodness, that is, with love for mankind; since every sin has been forgiven through the cross. But when you turn away your face, they will be troubled. And just as you fill with all delight those who enjoy your good things, bestowing these in kindness; so when you turn away, all things are filled with trouble and fear. You will take away their spirit, and they will fail, and they will return to their dust. For when you will it, the separation of the soul and the body also occurs, after which the body is given over to corruption, and is resolved into the dust of its origin. And here he called the soul, spirit. You will send forth your spirit, and they will be created; and you will renew the face of the earth. Here he clearly proclaimed to us the resurrection, and the revival through the all-holy Spirit. So also the great Elias raised the widow's son, breathing three times on the child, bringing him back to life through the indwelling spiritual grace. So also Elisha brought to life the Shunammite's child, using the spiritual inbreathing, and accomplishing the life through the life-giving Spirit. Thus having shown this energy of the divine power also, he turns his tongue to hymnody. Let the glory of the Lord be for ever. It is always just, he says, for him to be hymned by all. The Lord will rejoice in his works. Through these words he prophesied the future knowledge of God among men. For when men have been freed from their former deceit, and have received the knowledge of God, God rejoices, not in being worshipped, but in seeing them saved. He who looks upon the earth, and makes it tremble; he who touches the mountains, and they smoke. He fittingly added these things, teaching the self-sufficiency of the divine nature. For he is not delighted in being worshipped as one in need, but as one who wishes to save, he shows the truth, and being able to punish, he does not inflict punishment, although by his appearance alone he shakes the earth, and fills the mountains with fire and smoke. This he also did on Mount Sinai; 55.653 for having made his own appearance, he showed the whole mountain smoking. I will sing to the Lord in my life, I will chant to my God, as long as I exist. And he fittingly added these things. For there is no one in death who remembers him; and in Hades who will confess him? Thus the door of the bridal chamber was shut to the foolish virgins, who spent the time for carrying lamps on buying oil. May my meditation be sweet to him. He calls praise, meditation; for he who chants, converses with God. And he

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αὐτῷ πεποιημένον ἐγκα ταπαίζεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων, δηλαδὴ τῶν δικαίων. Οὗτοι γὰρ διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ εἰς ἀγγέλων τάξιν ἀνελ θόντες παίζουσι τὸν διὰ κακίαν ἐξ ἐκείνης ἐκπεσόντα τῆς τάξεως. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκε τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Ἐχθροῦ. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησι· Σὺ συνέτριψας τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν δρακόντων ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδα τος. Καὶ εἰκότως ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς θαλάσσης λόγῳ τούτου ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἅτε δὴ καὶ τοῦ βίου παντὸς τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἁλμυροῦ τινος ὄντος, καὶ πανταχόθεν περιῤῥιπιζομένου καὶ κύμασιν ἀγρίοις συγκινουμένου. Πάντα πρὸς σὲ προσδοκῶσι δοῦναι τὴν τροφὴν αὐτῶν εἰς εὔκαιρον. Παρὰ σοῦ, φησὶν, εἰς καιρὸν ἅπαντα τὴν χρείαν κομί ζεται. Τὰ γὰρ ἄλογα ζητεῖ μὲν τὴν τροφὴν, ἀγνοεῖ δὲ τὸν χορηγόν· δέχεται δὲ ὅμως ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ Ποιητοῦ. ∆όντος σοῦ, αὐτοὶ συλλέξουσι. Σοῦ παρέχοντος τὴν ἀφθονίαν, τούτων ἕκαστον καρποῦται τὰ πρόσφορα. Ἀνοίξαντος δὲ σοῦ τὴν χεῖρα, τὰ σύμπαντα πλησθή σεται χρηστότητος. Τὴν εὐκολίαν τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν χο ρηγίας διὰ τούτων ἐδήλωσεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εὐπετὲς εἴσω νενευκότας ἐκτεῖναι δακτύλους, οὕτω ῥᾴδιον τῷ Θεῷ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων δωρήσασθαι τὴν εἰσφοράν. Ἀνοιγὴν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἔκτασιν χρὴ λογίζεσθαι, ἀφ' ἧς πάντα ἐπλήσθη χρηστότητος, τουτέστι φιλανθρωπίας· ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα ἁμαρτία διὰ σταυροῦ συγ κεχώρηται. Ἀποστρέψαντος δὲ σοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον, ταραχθήσονται. Καθάπερ δὲ πάσης ἐμφορεῖς θυμηδίας τοὺς τῶν σῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύοντας, ἐν εὐμενείᾳ ταῦτα δωρούμενος· οὕτως ἀποστρεφομένου σοῦ, ταραχῆς ἅπαντα καὶ δέους ἐμπίμπλαται. Ἀντανελεῖς τὸ πνεῦμα αὐ τῶν, καὶ ἐκλείψουσι, καὶ εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτὸν ἐπι στρέψουσι. Σοῦ γὰρ βουλομένου, καὶ ὁ τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τοῦ σώματος γίνεται χωρισμὸς, μεθ' οὗ τὸ σῶμα φθορᾷ παραδίδοται, καὶ εἰς τὸν πρόγονον ἀναλύεται χοῦν. Πνεῦμα δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὴν ψυχὴν προσηγόρευσεν. Ἐξαποστελεῖς τὸ πνεῦμά σου, καὶ κτισθήσονται· καὶ ἀνακαινιεῖς τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς. Ἐνταῦθα σα φῶς ἡμῖν τὴν ἀνάστασιν προεκήρυξε, καὶ τὴν διὰ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἀναβίωσιν. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ Ἠλίας ὁ πάνυ τῆς χήρας ἀνέστησε τὸν υἱὸν, τρὶς ἐμφυσήσας τῷ παιδαρίῳ, διὰ τῆς ἐνοικούσης πνευματικῆς χάριτος ἐπαναγαγὼν εἰς ζωήν. Οὕτω καὶ Ἐλισσαῖος τὸν τῆς Σωναμίτιδος ἐζωοποίησε παῖδα, τῷ πνευματικῷ χρησά μενος ἐμφυσήματι, καὶ τῷ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι πραγμα τευσάμενος τὴν ζωήν. Οὕτω τῆς θείας δυνάμεως καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐνέργειαν δείξας, εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν μεταφέρει τὴν γλῶτταν. Ἥτω ἡ δόξα Κυρίου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀεὶ, φησὶ, παρὰ πάντων αὐτὸν ὑμνεῖσθαι δίκαιον. Εὐ φρανθήσεται Κύριος ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ. Τὴν ἐσο μένην τῶν ἀνθρώπων θεογνωσίαν διὰ τούτων ἐθέσπισε. Τῆς γὰρ προτέρας ἀπάτης τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπαλλαγέν των, καὶ δεξαμένων τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν, εὐφραίνε ται Θεὸς, οὐ προσκυνούμενος, ἀλλὰ σωζομένους ὁρῶν. Ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὴν τρέμειν· ὁ ἁπτόμενος τῶν ὀρέων, καὶ καπνίζονται. Εἰκότως ταῦτα προστέθεικε, τὸ ἀνενδεὲς διδάσκων τῆς θείας φύ σεως Οὐ γὰρ ὡς δεόμενος τέρπεται προσκυνούμενος, ἀλλ' ὡς σώζειν βουλόμενος, τὴν ἀλήθειαν δείκνυσι, καὶ κολάζειν δυνάμενος, οὐκ ἐπιφέρει τὴν κόλασιν, καίτοι μόνῃ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ σείων τὴν γῆν, καὶ πυρὸς καὶ καπνοῦ τὰ ὄρη πληρῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει πεποίηκε· 55.653 τὴν οἰκείαν γὰρ ποιησάμενος ἐπιφάνειαν, τὸ ὄρος ἅπαν ἔδειξε καπνιζόμενον. Ἄσω τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ μου, ψαλῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου, ἕως ὑπάρχω. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰκότως προσέθηκεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὁ μνημονεύων αὐτοῦ· ἐν δὲ τῷ ᾅδῃ τίς ἐξομολογήσεται αὐτῷ; Οὕτως ἀπεκλείσθη ταῖς μωραῖς παρθένοις τοῦ νυμφῶνος ἡ θύρα, τὸν τῆς λαμπαδηφορίας καιρὸν εἰς ἀγορασίαν ἐλαίου δα πανησάσαις. Ἡδυνθείη αὐτῷ ἡ διαλογή μου. ∆ιαλογήν φησι τὴν αἴνεσιν· ὁ γὰρ ψάλλων, Θεῷ διαλέγεται. Ὁ δὲ