Collectio dictorum veteris testamenti

 is forced to descend into a foreign state and if the demons should see any good understanding accompanying him, they hasten to subject it to the sowi

 escaping. The heifer, taken first, signified the first generation. For just as the heifer struggles against the yoke, so also the first generation of

 the river, but to keep alive every female. For the devil, the spiritual Pharaoh, also conceived a threefold manner of plotting against the spiritual I

 He interprets what that one speaks spiritually and obscurely, and transforms his weak voice to be more melodious. For I have not come, he says, to abo

 the Gospel according to Christ, had as a son the multitude of those being reborn to it through the Holy Spirit whom she also circumcised with a stone

 and easy to comprehend is the mystery concerning Christ. But God did not lead the Jews to this immediately, but through the long law and the many ridd

 Moses commanded Joshua son of Nun to choose mighty men and go out and fight 77.1196 Amalek, signified that Jesus Christ would be subject to the comman

 of the people of the Jews, and servant of God, he ascends to the highest knowledge of God but the people are prevented from approaching, lest they di

 coming after it, demands this final penalty, as one who, after being freed from the burden of sin, is again voluntarily subjected to it. And He comman

 But the eighth ineffably suggests the mystery of the eternal well-being of the 77.1204 beings. The sixth day is called Preparation, because on it the

 and poverty of intellect, they make their neighbors, that is, those of the same faith, partners, so that through one another they may be raised to hig

 unmixed with wickedness, those partaking of the true Lamb nourish their own soul, throughout the whole weekly age, which is measured by the week. And

 the body bears uncircumcision. Circumcision is mystical, a voluntary removal of the passions. The circumcision of circumcision is the putting away of

 of rational discernment, as Israel did in the time of Moses, commits idolatry. For having cast into the fire of the passions the words concerning theo

 to do good things, and to walk toward good things. Humpbacked is the one bent downwards, and not able to look up from earthly things. Sun-spotted is o

 God, ostracizing stupidity, and wishing his subjects to belong to necessity alone, through the not weaving together of linen and wool, banished variet

 but in heaven God Himself whom alone they both worship and attend. And on the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, an

 they were catechized by the evangelists. Or otherwise, the four types of meanings were a symbol of the four types of moral discourse. Of which the one

 Aaron's rod, as a symbol of watchfulness. For to Jeremiah, seeing a staff of a nut tree, God says: Behold, I am watchful over my words. And it budded

 bracelets, and rings, and armlets, and braided chains. For the leaders of the people in Christ and the eminent often surpass the evangelical commands

 with bodily ways of the ministry of the virtues, they return to the contemplation of kindred intelligible things. A foreign boy and a servant-girl are

 undertaking. For she will pay the penalty for the offense to God, the Father of spirits, and she will be his wife, as having already been joined to hi

 of the other man wherefore he is required to pay the penalty for the murder, but he alone suffers loss in his soul. For this, I think, is what this m

 war for one year he shall cheer his wife, whom he has taken. For it is not right that one who has just taken a spouse for himself should be led out t

 Virtue is the mother of the good deeds from it. And its nest is the soul in which it dwells. It is necessary for those who encounter them to be benefi

 its fruit for three years will be unpurified for you. It shall not be eaten, and in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy to the Lord. But in th

 dragging down to earth, those things that draw up to heaven. Saul, is the natural 77.1249 law, which from the beginning received from the Lord the lot

 David is the law according to the spirit, who reigns over the Christians who worship God spiritually. But Saul is the law according to the letter, who

 the face of the Lord, according to David, and learns the cause of such a famine, that this injustice was against Saul, and against his house, with whi

 taking from the spiritual David, that is, the law according to the spirit, may kill the aforementioned sons and grandsons of 77.1257 Saul then in eve

 of knowledge, if it should receive the divine and discerning word, which brings to memory former sins, and will prefer even to nature itself the heali

 The Lord in the desert I mean in the world, and in the nature of men, digging out and cleansing the hearts of the worthy from material weight and min

 of the city. Since Hezekiah is interpreted as 'strength of God,' every mind 77.1265 that through practical philosophy has acquired divine strength, wh

 through themselves they again turn him away, as he flees into his land which is the fixed habit of evil, whom his sons kill as he is fleeing, and the

 the king of the Assyrians, flees to God, and silently cries out to Him, through progress in virtue and knowledge, and receives an angel as an ally th

 at once a philosopher and a lover of God has both Judah and Jerusalem the one taken as the habit of confession and repentance for Judah is interpret

 becomes a lofty and exalted mind, and in the good things given to it by God, boasts as if in its own accomplishments. There comes by providence upon t

 the spear and the flask of water that is, the power of practical virtue, and the grace of gnostic contemplation, even if he again gives these things

 of king Darius, I mean of the natural law, having conquered by him, lifts up his face to heaven, that is, the disposition of the soul, in which are th

 not being guarded. For lead is a symbol of punishment, but silver of brightness. And the seven eyes of this practical faith are the seven gifts of the

 constituted. For since matter is indeed a tetrad, because of the tetraktys of its elements, and form is a pentad, because of the fivefold nature of se

 they rise up for mischief. And approaching Zerubbabel, and Joshua and the leaders of the families, they say to them: We will build with you for like

of the city. Since Hezekiah is interpreted as 'strength of God,' every mind 77.1265 that through practical philosophy has acquired divine strength, when it perceives the spiritual Sennacherib moving against it, who is interpreted as 'a withering temptation,' or 'sharpened teeth,' such as the devil is, takes counsel with the elders and mighty men who are with it. And these are the rational power, and the spirited, and the desiderative; which it has been allotted, as elders, on the one hand, because these are the primary powers of the soul, and constitutive of its essence, and as mighty men, on the other hand, because they are also called Powers in their own right; and because they are co-workers with the mind for the destruction of vice and the establishment of virtue, and because they rule, the rational power, over the thoughts of knowledge; the spirited, over impulses; and the desiderative over appetitive desires; and furthermore each, over its own results. The mind, therefore, having these elders sound and undeceived, takes counsel with them, as with co-workers, to stop up the waters of the springs that are outside the city. And these are the images arising from the contemplation of nature, and the concepts of sensible things. The springs of these images and concepts are the sensible things themselves, lying outside the city; I mean, of the soul; and from without sending into it the images that flow from them. Rightly, therefore, does it stop up such waters, so that the enemy may not, by abiding by them, make war on the soul. And it also stops up the river that runs through the soul; and this is the scientific account of the contemplation of nature; so that he may not enter secretly through it. For one who has not been completely freed from the passions must, in the time of the war of the passions, close his senses, and bring to an end both the images and the concepts of sensible things, and the philosophy of nature, through affliction of the body. Of which prayer, the type is the king's ascent to the divine temple; and of the bodily affliction, the putting on of sackcloth. And they also assist and cooperate with it in the stopping up, both the aforementioned elders and the assembled people, which is the pious thoughts of each of the three aforementioned powers. And one must also guard the lips of the soul, that is, its guardian virtues, or the methods that guard the virtues: self-control and patience, and humility; and thus an angel is sent from God, the logos of gnostic wisdom which destroys the passions, and it slays the 185 thousand of them. For six times ten is sixty, and three times sixty is one hundred and eighty, to which, five having been added, the number of slain thousands is composed. For since that which concerns the nature of the three aforementioned powers produces all vice; we take the number six because of the productive aspect of vice; for in six days God made the world. And ten times, for the perfect motion of each power in vice. For ten is perfect, completing and defining all the principal numbers; we triple the results on account of the threefold nature of the aforementioned powers. And we add the five 77.1268 on account of sensation, through which vice is actualized; for sensation is fivefold. And the results of vice are thousands, because they are poured out excessively against us. And that the spiritual Sennacherib makes use of the images and concepts of sensible things against us, insulting and withering the souls of those who are captured, by separating them from the fount of good things, is surely clear to everyone. For through images, the shapes and forms of sensible things, being impressed, often remain in the soul, and bind and drag it down into the confusion of the passions, over which this Sennacherib reigns. For Babylon is interpreted as confusion. But he returns with shame by the way that he came, as it is written; how the way is the natural passions themselves: eating, drinking, sleeping, and all things for the sustenance of the body; which, by the manner of use that is beyond need, lead the devil to us; but by the manner of use that is according to need,

πόλεως. Ἐπεὶ Ἐζεχίας κράτος Θεοῦ ἑρμηνεύεται, πᾶς νοῦς 77.1265 διὰ πρακτικῆς φιλοσοφίας κτησάμενος κράτος θεῖον, ἐπειδὰν γνῷ κινούμενον κατ' αὐτοῦ τὸν νοητὸν Σεναχηρεὶμ, ὃς ἑρμηνεύεται πειρασμὸς ξηραίνων, ἢ ὀδόντες ἠκονημένοι, ὁποῖός ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος, βουλεύεται μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ δυνατῶν τῶν ἀμφ' αὐτόν. Οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν ἥ τε λογιστικὴ δύναμις, καὶ ἡ θυμικὴ, καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμητική· ἃς εἴληχεν, ὡς πρεσβυτέρους μὲν, ὅτι πρῶται δυνάμεις αὗται τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ συμπληρωτικαὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῆς, ὡς δυνατοὺς δὲ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ∆υνάμεις ὀνομάζονται· καὶ ὅτι συνεργοί εἰσι τοῦ νοὸς πρὸς καθαίρεσιν κακίας, καὶ σύστασιν ἀρετῆς, καὶ ὅτι ἄρχουσιν, ἡ μὲν λογικὴ δύναμις, τῶν γνωστικῶν λογισμῶν· ἡ δὲ θυμικὴ, ὁρμῶν· καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμητικὴ τῶν ἐπιθυμητικῶν ὀρέξεων· ἔτι δὲ ἑκάστη, τῶν κατ' αὐτὴν ἀποτελεσμάτων. Τούτους οὖν τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἔχων ὁ νοῦς ὑγιεῖς τε καὶ ἀνεξαπατήτους, βουλεύεται μετ' αὐτῶν, ὡς συνεργῶν, ἐμφράξαι τὰ ὕδατα τῶν πηγῶν τὰ ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. Ταῦτα δέ εἰσιν αἱ κατὰ τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν γινόμεναι φαντασίαι, καὶ τὰ νοήματα τῶν αἰσθητῶν. Ὧν φαντασιῶν καὶ νοημάτων πηγαὶ, αὐτὰ τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἔξω τῆς πόλεως κείμενα· λέγω δὴ τῆς ψυχῆς· καὶ ἔξωθεν τὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥεούσας φαντασίας εἰς αὐτὴν πέμποντα. Καλῶς οὖν ἐμφράττει τὰ τοιαῦτα ὕδατα, ἵνα μὴ δι' αὐτὰ παραμένων ὁ ἐχθρὸς πολεμῇ τῇ ψυχῇ. Ἐμφράττει δὲ καὶ τὸν ποταμὸν τὸν διερχόμενον διὰ τῆς ψυχῆς· οὖτος δέ ἐστιν ὁ τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας ἐπιστημονικὸς λόγος· ἵνα μὴ λάθῃ δι' αὐτοῦ εἰσελθών. Χρὴ γὰρ τὸν μὴ τελέως ἀπαλλαγέντα παθῶν, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ πολέμου τῶν παθῶν, μύειν τὰς αἰσθήσεις, καὶ παύειν μὲν καὶ τὰς φαντασίας, καὶ τὰ νοήματα τῶν αἰσθητῶν, καὶ τὴν φυσικὴν φιλοσοφίαν, κακοπαθείᾳ τοῦ σώματος. Ὧν μὲν τῆς προσευχῆς τύπος, ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὸν θεῖον ναὸν ἄνοδος· τῆς δὲ σωματικῆς κακοπαθείας, ἡ τοῦ σάκκου παραβολή. Συνεπισχύουσι δὲ καὶ συνεργοῦσιν αὐτῷ πρὸς ἔμφραξιν, οἵ τε δηλωθέντες πρεσβύτεροι καὶ ὁ συναχθεὶς λαὸς, ὅστις ἐστὶν οἱ εὐσεβεῖς λογισμοὶ ἑκάστης τῶν εἰρημένων τριῶν δυνάμεων. Χρὴ δὲ φυλάττειν καὶ τὰ χείλη τῆς ψυχῆς, ἤτοι τὰς φρουρητικὰς αὐτῆς ἀρετὰς, ἢ τὰς τῶν ἀρετῶν φυλακτικὰς μεθόδους, ἐγκράτειαν καὶ ὑπομονὴν, καὶ ταπείνωσιν· καὶ οὕτως ἀποστέλλεται θεόθεν ἄγγελος, ὁ διαφθείρων τὰ πάθη λόγος τῆς γνωστικῆς σοφίας, καὶ ἀναιρεῖ τὰς ρπεʹ χιλιάδας αὐτῶν. Ἓξ γὰρ δεκάκις ξʹ, καὶ τρὶς ξʹ καὶ ρπʹ, οἷς προστεθέντων καὶ εʹ συναπαρτίζεται ὁ τῶν ἀναιρεθεισῶν χιλιάδων ἀριθμός. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἡ περὶ φύσιν τῶν προειρημένων τριῶν δυνάμεων, πᾶσαν κακίαν ποιεῖ· τὸν ἓξ μὲν ἀριθμὸν λαμβάνομεν διὰ τὸ ποιητικὸν τῆς κακίας· ἐν ἓξ γὰρ ἡμέραις ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον. ∆εκάκις δὲ διὰ τὴν ἐν κακίᾳ τελείαν κίνησιν ἑκάστης δυνάμεως. Τέλειος γὰρ ὁ δέκα, τελειῶν καὶ περιορίζων πάντας τοὺς κυρίως ἀριθμούς· τρισσοῦμεν τὰ ἀποτελεσθέντα διὰ τὸ τρισσὸν τῶν δηλωθεισῶν δυνάμεων. Καὶ προστιθέαμεν τὰ πέντε 77.1268 διὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν, περὶ ἣν ἡ κακία ἐνεργεῖται· πενταδικὴ γὰρ ἡ αἴσθησις. Χιλιάδες δὲ τὰ τῆς κακίας ἀποτελέσματα, διὰ τὸ χεῖσθαι λίαν καθ' ἡμῶν. Ὅτι δὲ ταῖς φαντασίαις καὶ τοῖς νοήμασι τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἀποκέχρηται καθ' ἡμῶν ὁ νοητὸς Σεναχηρεὶμ, ἐπηρεάζων καὶ ξηραίνων τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἁλισκομένων, τῷ χωρίζειν αὐτὰς τῆς πηγῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν, παντί που δῆλον. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τῶν φαντασιῶν τυπούμενα τὰ σχήματα καὶ τὰ εἴδη τῶν αἰσθητῶν, πολλάκις ἐναπομένουσι τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ δεσμοῦσι καὶ κατασύρουσιν εἰς τὴν σύγχυσιν τῶν παθῶν, ἧς ὁ Σεναχηρεὶμ οὗτος βασιλεύει. Ἡ Βαβυλὼν γὰρ σύγχυσις ἑρμηνεύεται. Ὑποστρέφει δὲ μετ' αἰσχύνης τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἦλθεν ὡς γέγραπται· πῶς ὁδός ἐστιν αὐτὰ τὰ φυσικὰ πάθη, τὸ ἐσθίειν, τὸ πίνειν, τὸ ὑπνοῦν, καὶ ὅσα πρὸς σύστασιν τοῦ σώματος· ἃ τῷ μὲν ὑπὲρ τὴν χρείαν τρόπῳ τῆς χρήσεως ἄγουσιν εἰς ἡμᾶς τὸν διάβολον· τῷ δὲ κατὰ τὴν χρείαν τρόπῳ τῆς χρήσεως,