De oratione

 Therefore, the one of these, I mean the 'what we should pray for,' is the words of the prayer, but the 'as we ought' is the state of the one praying

 we are more than conquerors.” It is likely that “intercedes” only concerns those who are not so great as to be more than conquerors, nor again such as

 God be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and give me bread to eat and a garment to put on, and bring me back with safety to my father's hous

 of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying: This is the word, which the Lord commanded: A man, who shall vow a vow to the Lord or swear an oath with

 of those who say there is providence for it is not our present purpose to examine the sayings of those who entirely deny God or providence) God kn

 since God exists and has comprehended the whole universe and abides in His pre-arranged decrees, to pray, supposing that by his prayer he will alter G

 and from what is in our power, which will be enacted according to our impulse. For even if, hypothetically, God did not know the future, we would not

 “let him not boast” “before” me but let him say: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” and perceiving my

 of prayer benefits those who have persuaded themselves that they have stood before and are speaking to a present and hearing God? 9.1 What has been sa

 to God, who ordains what he wills for our training, but not even murmuring in the secret of our thoughts without a voice audible to men which murmuri

 his preeminence, and stretching forth the right hand and giving to Judas a golden sword, to whom another saint who had fallen asleep testified, sa

 an angel, «of the» in the church «little ones,» «always» seeing «the face of the Father» «who is in heaven» and beholding the divinity of the one who

 the prayer of Holofernes with God prevails and one woman of the Hebrews brought shame to the house of Nebuchadnezzar But 'Ananias' 'and Azarias and M

 suffering from a basilisk, because through Christ he has stepped upon them and has trampled “lion and dragon,” having used the good authority given by

 doxology for greater things, offered up more magnificently by someone, and intercession, a request to God concerning certain things by one having a ce

 And an example of thanksgiving is the voice of our Lord, saying: “I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these thing

 kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nurses they shall bow down to <you> with their face to the ground, and shall lick the

 with him the intelligible blessing reaching all the saints, spoken by Isaac to Jacob, namely: «May God give you of the dew of heaven,» to have come to

 of things truly and genuinely great and heavenly, and matters concerning the shadows that follow the preceding things must be entrusted to God, who kn

 For it is the work of hypocrites to want to put on airs before men for the sake of piety or for social reasons. But it is necessary, remembering the s

 20.2 And we must listen carefully to that they may be seen, since nothing that is merely apparent is good, as if existing in appearance and not in t

 It is not that God has not been called 20father20, or that those who are considered to have believed in God have not been named sons of God but rathe

 he has imitated the image «of the invisible God» and has become «according to the image of the one who created him,» who makes «his sun» rise «on the

 20Father20» let him go. And let us seek to understand more mystically the saying at the end of the Gospel according to John: «Do not touch me, for I h

 in order to persuade the reader from every side, according to the power given to us, to hear the divine scripture in a higher and more spiritual way,

 to exalt «0the name20» of God «at the same time,» is <when> someone, having partaken of an emanation of divinity by being taken up by God and having p

 We are commanded by Paul no longer to be subject to sin which wants to rule over us, and indeed we are ordered through these words: Let not sin there

 for us «0on earth20» likewise to them in all things “the 20will20” of God should be done which will happen, when we do nothing contrary to His «0will

 to divinity and being united with it. 26.5 But since the second point does not yet solve the difficulties about how «0the will20» of God is «0in heave

 we will set these things forth from more numerous sources. He says in the Gospel according to John to those who had come to Capernaum to seek him: “Tr

 nor are you able even now for you are still of the flesh” and in the one to the Hebrews: “and you have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyon

 being set apart, but is subject to every quality just like a prepared place. And by qualities they mean dispositively the activities and productions i

 by a demonstration of the angels and their becoming more ready to cooperate in every way and henceforth to concur in the apprehension of more and grea

 in the psalms thus: a thousand years in your eyes are as yesterday, which has passed (which is the famous millennium, which is likened to the yeste

 «0today20» but also in a way of the «0daily20» he who prays for «0today20», from the one who is able to grant «exceedingly abundantly above all that w

 and we are in a theater of the world and of angels and of men, it must be known that, just as the one in the theater is a 20debtor20 to say or do cert

 heavenly Father will do, unless you 20forgive20 each his brother from your hearts.” They say, however, that we 20must forgive20 those who have sinned

 they conceived a thought against God” for he offers the sacrifice concerning things of which it is doubted whether a sin has been committed, and this

 which our Lord taught concerning prayer. But when has anyone considered men to be outside of 20temptations20, whose word he knew he had fulfilled? And

 every time is one of 20temptation20 for men, even these things not even he who meditates on the law of God «day and night» and practices to fulfill w

 Finding such things in the law and the prophets, they stumbled as at one who was not good, who uttered such words but for us, on account of the diffi

 having desired generation, pray again to obtain twice what you desire, having come to hate the thing desired, and then thus to return to the good thin

 of our own evils and let us give thanks for the good things revealed to us through 20temptations20. But that the 20temptations20 which happen are for

 to put on (for he has received), but by in all that befell him not to have sinned at all before the Lord but to be shown to be righteous of the o

 to pray, stretching out the soul, as it were, before the hands, and stretching the mind toward God before the eyes, and before standing, arousing the

 which is possible, unless one gives himself to this by agreement for a time, that perhaps also concerning the place, if it is permissible, it must b

 It seems to me that these things have necessarily been said, while examining the place of prayer and representing what is exceptional as in a place at

 for the sake of magnifying you, my Lord, Lord.” 33.4 An example of confessions: “Deliver me from all my iniquities,” and in other places: “My wounds h

20Father20» let him go. And let us seek to understand more mystically the saying at the end of the Gospel according to John: «Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my 20Father20»; understanding the Son's ascension «to the 20Father20» in a manner more befitting of God, with holy clarity, an ascension which the mind ascends more than the body. 23.3 I think I have examined these things in connection with the phrase «0Our Father who art in heaven20» in order to remove the base conception of God held by those who think he is locally «in the 20heavens20», and not to allow anyone to say that God is in a corporeal place (since it follows from this that he is also a body), a view from which most impious doctrines follow, namely, to suppose that he is divisible and material and perishable; for every body is divisible and material and perishable; or let those who claim to understand clearly, and not to be babbling nonsense, tell us how it is possible for a nature <to be> other than material. And since, even before the bodily advent of Christ, many passages of scripture seem to say that God is in a bodily place, it does not seem out of place for me to quote a few of them, in order to remove all distraction from those who, through their ignorance, confine the God over all within a small and narrow space, so far as in them lies. And first, in Genesis, it says, «Adam» and Eve «heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.» We shall say to those who do not wish to come to the treasures of the text, but do not even at first knock at its «door», whether they can represent the Lord God, who fills «heaven and earth,» who, as they suppose, more corporeally uses «heaven» as his throne and «the earth» as the footstool «of his feet,» as being contained in a place so small, in comparison with the whole of heaven and earth, that the corporeal paradise which they imagine is not filled by God, but is so much greater in size than he, that it can even contain him as he walks about, a «voice» being heard from the tread of his feet. And further, according to them, it is even more absurd that Adam and Eve, being ashamed of God because of their transgression, should hide «from the face of God among the trees of the garden.» For it is not said that they wished to hide in this way, but that they actually «hid themselves.» And how, according to them, does God ask Adam, saying, «Where are you?» 23.4 But we have dealt with these things at greater length, when examining the passages in Genesis; yet now, that we may not pass over so great a problem in complete silence, we will remind ourselves sufficiently of the phrase, «I will dwell in them and walk among them,» spoken by God in Deuteronomy. For such as is his walk among the saints, such was also his walk in paradise, with every sinner hiding from God and fleeing his oversight and departing from confidence; for so also «Cain went out from the presence of God and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.» As, therefore, he dwells in the saints, so also he dwells in heaven, that is, in every saint who bears «the image of the heavenly», or in Christ, in whom are all the saved, the «lights» and stars of heaven, or also he dwells <there because of> the saints in heaven according to what is said: «To you I lift up my eyes, to you who dwell in heaven.» And also the passage in Ecclesiastes: «Be not rash to utter a word before the face of God; for God is in heaven above, and you are on earth below» wishes to show the distance from those who are in the body «of our humiliation» to the angels and holy powers, or to Christ himself, who are among those exalted by benefit and by the Word. For it is not absurd that he himself should be properly the throne of the Father, being called heaven more allegorically, and that his church, being named earth, should be the «footstool» «of his feet.» 23.5 We have added, then, a few sayings also from the Old Testament, which are thought to represent God as in a place,

20πατέρα20» πορευέσθω. καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τέλει δὲ τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίου· «μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέ βηκα πρὸς τὸν 20πατέρα20 μου» μυστικώτερον νοῆσαι ζητήσωμεν· τῆς ἀναβάσεως «πρὸς τὸν 20πατέρα20» τοῦ υἱοῦ θεοπρεπέστερον μετὰ ἁγίας τρανότητος ἡμῖν νοουμένης, ἥντινα ἀνάβασιν νοῦς μᾶλλον ἀναβαίνει σώματος. 23.3 ταῦτα ἡγοῦμαι συνεξητακέναι τῷ «0πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς20» ὑπὲρ τοῦ ταπεινὴν περὶ θεοῦ ὑπόληψιν τῶν νομιζόν των αὐτὸν εἶναι τοπικῶς «ἐν 20οὐρανοῖς20» περιελεῖν καὶ μὴ ἐᾶν τινα ἐν σωματικῷ τόπῳ εἶναι τὸν θεὸν (ἐπεὶ τούτῳ ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι καὶ σῶμα αὐτὸν εἶναι) λέγειν, ᾧ ἕπεται δόγματα ἀσεβέστατα, τὸ διαιρετὸν καὶ ὑλικὸν καὶ φθαρτὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι ὑπολαμβάνειν· πᾶν γὰρ σῶμα διαιρετόν ἐστι καὶ ὑλικὸν καὶ φθαρτόν· ἢ λεγέτω σαν ἡμῖν μὴ κενοπαθοῦντες ἀλλὰ τρανῶς καταλαμβάνειν φάσκοντες, πῶς οἷόν τε ἐστὶν ἑτέρας <εἶναι> φύσεως παρὰ τὴν ὑλικήν. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῆς σωματικῆς Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίας γραμμάτων πολλὰ τὸ ἐν σωματικῷ τόπῳ εἶναι τὸν θεὸν λέγειν δοκεῖ, οὐκ ἄτοπόν μοι φαίνε ται ὀλίγα κἀκείνων παραθέσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ πάντα περισπασμὸν ἀφε λεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν διὰ τὸν ἰδιωτισμὸν τὸ ὅσον ἐπ' αὐτοῖς μικρῷ καὶ βραχεῖ τόπῳ ἐμπεριλαμβανόντων τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων θεόν. καὶ πρῶ τόν γε ἐν τῇ Γενέσει «Ἀδὰμ» καὶ Εὔα, φησὶν, «ἤκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ περιπατοῦντος τὸ δειλινὸν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ· καὶ ἐκρύβησαν ὅ τε Ἀδὰμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου.» ἐροῦμεν πρὸς τοὺς εἰς τοὺς θησαυροὺς τῆς λέξεως ἐλθεῖν μὴ βουλομένους ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν κρούοντας «τὴν θύραν» αὐτῆς, εἰ δύνανται παραστῆσαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν, τὸν πληροῦντα «τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν,» τὸν, ὡς αὐτοὶ ὑπολαμβάνουσι, σωματικώτερον «οὐρανῷ» θρόνῳ χρώμενον καὶ «τῇ γῇ» ὑποποδίῳ «τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ,» ὑπὸ οὕτω βραχέος συγκρίσει τοῦ παντὸς οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς περιέχεσθαι τόπου, ὥστε ὃν ὑπολαμ βάνουσι σωματικὸν παράδεισον μὴ ἐκπληροῦσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τοσούτῳ αὐτοῦ εἶναι τῷ μεγέθει μείζονα, ὡς καὶ περιπατοῦντα χω ρεῖν αὐτὸν, ἀκουομένης «φωνῆς» ἀπὸ τῆς βάσεως τῶν ποδῶν αὐ τοῦ. ἔτι δὲ κατ' ἐκείνους ἀτοπώτερον τὸ αἰδουμένους τὸν θεὸν διὰ τὴν παράβασιν τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ τὴν Εὔαν κρύπτεσθαι «ἀπὸ προσώ που τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου.» οὐδὲ γὰρ λέγεται ὅτι οὕτως ἠθέλησαν κρύπτεσθαι, ἀλλ' ὄντως «ἐκρύβη σαν.» πῶς δὲ κατ' αὐτοὺς πυνθάνεται τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὁ θεὸς λέγων· «ποῦ εἶ;» 23.4 περὶ τούτων δὲ ἐπὶ πλεῖον διειλήφαμεν, ἐξετάζοντες τὰ εἰς τὴν Γένεσιν· πλὴν καὶ νῦν ἵνα μὴ τέλεον παρασιωπήσωμεν τὸ τηλι κοῦτον πρόβλημα, αὐτάρκως ἀναμνησθησόμεθα τοῦ «ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς,» λεγομένου ἐν ∆ευτερονομίῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. ὁποῖος γὰρ αὐτοῦ ὁ περίπατος ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις, τοιοῦτός τις καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ, κρυπτομένου θεὸν καὶ φεύγοντος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀφισταμένου τῆς παῤῥησίας παντὸς τοῦ ἁμαρ τάνοντος· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ «Κάϊν ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Ναῒδ κατέναντι Ἐδέμ.» ὡς οὖν ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐνοικεῖ, οὕτως καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ, ἤτοι παντὶ ἁγίῳ καὶ φοροῦντι «τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου» ἢ τῷ Χριστῷ, ἐν ᾧ εἰσι πάντες οἱ σῳζόμενοι «φωστῆρες» καὶ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἢ καὶ διὰ τοὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ ἁγίους κατοικεῖ <ἐκεῖ κατὰ> τὸ εἰρημένον· «πρὸς σὲ ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.» καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ δέ· «μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐξενεγκεῖν λόγον πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ· ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ σὺ ἐπὶ γῆς κάτω» διάστημα βούλεται δηλῶσαι ἀπὸ τῶν ὄντων ἐν τῷ σώματι «τῆς ταπεινώσεως» ἕως τοῦ παρὰ τοῖς ὑψουμένοις ὑπὸ τῆς ὠφελείας καὶ τοῦ λόγου ἀγγέλοις καὶ δυνάμεσιν ἁγίαις ἢ αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ. οὐ γὰρ ἄτοπον αὐτὸν μὲν εἶναι κυρίως θρόνον τοῦ πατρὸς, ἀλληγορικώτερον οὐρανὸν καλούμενον, τὴν δὲ ἐκκλησίαν αὐτοῦ γῆν ὀνομαζομένην «ὑποπόδιον» τυγχάνειν «τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ.» 23.5 προστεθείκαμεν δὴ ὀλίγα καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης ῥητὰ, νομιζόμενα ἐν τόπῳ παριστάνειν τὸν θεὸν,