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it disturbs; and in short, all the passions are confusing and disturbing to the soul's insight. And as it is not possible for a clouded eye to grasp accurately the things that are seen, so too is it not possible for a clouded heart to attain the comprehension of the truth. Therefore, one must withdraw from the affairs of the world, and introduce no alien thoughts to the soul, neither through the eyes, nor through the ears, nor through any other sense. For the wars that rise up from the mind of the flesh fill the inner self with unceasing tumults and irreconcilable conflicts. I sought the Lord, and he heard me. Let the meek hear these things, he says, that in that difficult time, when all the anger of those bearing grudges was stirred up against me, and every hand was armed against me, and I, naked and unarmed, lay exposed to my enemies, ready for any torment, then my thoughts were not confused by fear, I was not driven from the thought of God, I did not despair of my own salvation, but I sought out the Lord. I did not only seek some simple and temporary hope in the Lord, but I sought out. For the emphasis of 'to seek out' indicates something more than 'to seek,' just as 'a thorough search' does compared to 'a search.' For *they failed by searching out searches.* Therefore, the word presents a great leisure and tranquility through the 'seeking out'. 29.360 *And from all my tribulations he delivered me.* The whole life of the righteous is afflicted, and *Narrow and afflicted is the way*; and, *Many are the tribulations of the righteous.* For this reason the Apostle also says, *In everything afflicted*; and, *That through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.* But God delivers His saints from tribulation, not leaving them untested, but graciously giving them patience. For if *tribulation brings about patience, and patience, proven character*; he who removes tribulation has deprived himself of proven character. As therefore no one is crowned without an adversary, so neither can one be shown to be proven except through tribulations. *From all my tribulations He delivered me*, then, not by not allowing me to be afflicted, but by graciously providing, with the temptation, also the way of escape, so as to be able to endure it. *Come to him, and be enlightened; and your faces will not be ashamed.* To those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to these he exhorts to come to the Lord, and to draw near to the rays of His divinity, so that, by approaching, being illumined by the truth, they may by grace receive His illumination into themselves. For just as this perceptible light does not rise for all in the same way, but for those who have eyes, and are awake, and are able to enjoy the sun's presence without any hindrance; so also the sun of righteousness, *The true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world*, does not grant His brightness to all, but to those who conduct their lives worthily of Him. For light, he says, has sprung up, not for the sinner, but for the righteous. For as the sun has risen, but not for bats, nor for the other nocturnal animals; so also the light is by its own nature bright and illuminating; but not all partake of its radiance. So also, *Everyone who does evil things hates the light, and does not come to the light, that his works may not be exposed.* *Come therefore to him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed.* Blessed is he who on the day of the righteous judgment of God, when the Lord comes to bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and to reveal the counsels of the hearts, dares to come under that light of reproofs, and returns unashamed because he has a conscience unstained by evil works. For those who have done evil deeds will rise to reproach and shame, seeing in themselves the disgrace and the impressions of their sins. And perhaps more terrible 29.361 than the darkness and the eternal fire is the shame, with which sinners are to live for eternity, always in

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ἐκταράσσει· καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς πάντα τὰ πάθη συγχυτικὰ καὶ ἐκταρακτικὰ τοῦ διορατικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστι. Καὶ ὡς οὐ δυνατὸν τεθολωμένῳ ὀφθαλμῷ ἀκριβῆ λαβεῖν τῶν ὁρατῶν τὴν κατάληψιν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τεθολωμένῃ καρδίᾳ τῇ κατανοήσει τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιβαλεῖν. Ἀναχωρῆσαι οὖν δεῖ τῶν τοῦ κόσμου πραγμάτων, καὶ μήτε δι' ὀφθαλμῶν, μήτε δι' ὤτων, μήτε δι' ἄλλης τινὸς αἰσθήσεως ἐπεισάγειν ἀλλοτρίους λογισμοὺς τῇ ψυχῇ. Θορύβων γὰρ ἀσιγή των καὶ στάσεων ἀδιαλλάκτων ἀναπιμπλῶσι τὰ ἔν δον οἱ τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπανιστάμενοι πό λεμοι. Ἐξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου. Ταῦτα, φησὶν, ἀκουσάτωσαν οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ τῷ χαλεπῷ, ὅτε πᾶς μὲν θυμὸς τῶν μνησικακούντων ἐκινεῖτο κατ' ἐμοῦ, πᾶσα δὲ χεὶρ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ὡπλίζετο, γυμνὸς δὲ ἐγὼ καὶ ἄοπλος ἕτοιμος εἰς πᾶσαν αἰκίαν ἐξεκείμην τοῖς πολεμίοις, τότε οὐ συνεχύθην τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῷ φόβῳ, οὐκ ἐξεκρούσθην ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐννοίας, οὐκ ἀπέγνων τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, ἀλλ' ἐξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον Οὐχὶ ἐζήτησα μόνον ἁπλῆν τινα καὶ χρονικὴν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἐλπίδα, ἀλλ' ἐξεζήτησα. Πλεῖον γάρ τι δηλοῖ παρὰ τὸ ζητῆσαι ἡ ἔμφασις τοῦ ἐκζητῆσαι, ὡς καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἔρευναν ἡ ἐξερεύνησις. Ἐξέλιπον γὰρ ἐξερευνῶντες ἐξερευνήσεις. Πολλὴν οὖν τινα σχολὴν καὶ ἀταραξίαν ὁ λόγος παρίστησι διὰ τῆς ἐκζητήσεως. 29.360 Καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεών μου ἐῤῥύσατό με. Πᾶσα ἡ τοῦ δικαίου ζωὴ τεθλιμμένη ἐστὶ, καὶ Στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδός· καὶ, Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστο λός φησιν, Ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι· καὶ, Ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. Ῥύεται δὲ ἐκ θλίψεως τοὺς ἁγίους αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς, οὐκ ἀδοκιμάστους αὐτοὺς καταλιμπά νων, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑπομονὴν αὐτοῖς χαριζόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ Ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν· ὁ τὴν θλίψιν ἀφαιρούμενος τῆς δοκιμῆς ἑαυτὸν ἀπεστέρησεν. Ὡς οὖν οὐδεὶς στεφανοῦται ἄνευ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ, οὕτως οὐδὲ δόκιμος ἀποφανθῆναι δύ ναται εἰ μὴ διὰ θλίψεων. Ἐκ πασῶν οὖν τῶν θλίψεων ἐῤῥύσατό με, οὐχὶ μὴ ἐῶν με θλίβεσθαι, ἀλλὰ σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν, τοῦ δύνα σθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν, χαριζόμενος. Προσέλθετε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ φωτίσθητε· καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, τούτοις παρακελεύεται προσ ελθεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐγγίσαι αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀκτῖσι τῆς θεότητος, ἵν', ἐκ τοῦ προσεγγισμοῦ ἐλλαμφθέντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, χάριτι τὸν φωτισμὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἑαυτοὺς χωρήσωσιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ αἰσθητὸν τοῦτο φῶς οὐ πᾶσιν ὁμοίως ἀνατέλλει, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔχουσιν ὀφθαλ μοὺς, καὶ ἐγρηγορόσι, καὶ ὑπ' οὐδενὸς κωλύματος ἀπολαύειν δυναμένοις τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου ἐπιδημίας· οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος, Τὸ ἀληθινὸν φῶς, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κό σμον, οὐ πᾶσι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φαιδρότητα χαρίζεται, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀξίως αὐτοῦ πολιτευομένοις. Φῶς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀνέτειλεν, οὐχὶ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ, ἀλλὰ τῷ δικαίῳ. Ὡς γὰρ ἀνέτειλε μὲν ὁ ἥλιος, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ ταῖς νυκτε ρίσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ζώοις τοῖς νυκτινόμοις· οὕτω καὶ τὸ φῶς τῇ μὲν ἑαυτοῦ φύσει λαμπρόν ἐστι καὶ φαιδρυντικόν· οὐ πάντες δὲ αὐτοῦ τῆς λαμπηδόνος μεταλαμβάνουσιν. Οὕτω καὶ Πᾶς ὁ τὰ φαῦλα πράσ σων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα μὴ φανερωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα. Προσέλθετε οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φωτίσθητε, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Μακάριος ὁ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος φωτίσαι τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερῶσαι τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν, τολμήσας ὑπὸ τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο τῶν ἐλέγχων γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐπανελθὼν ἀνεπαίσχυντος τῷ ἀμόλυντον ἔχειν τὸ συνειδὸς ἀπὸ πονηρῶν ἔργων. Οἱ γὰρ τὰ φαῦλα πράξαντες εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ αἰσχύνην ἀναστήσονται, ἐνορῶντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ αἶσχος καὶ τοὺς τύπους τῶν ἡμαρτημένων. Καὶ τάχα φοβερω 29.361 τέρα τοῦ σκότους καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ αἰωνίου ἡ αἰσχύνη ἐστὶν, ᾗ μέλλουσι συνδιαιωνίζειν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, ἀεὶ ἐν