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we beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain. And this happens, if we are persuaded by the Lord who says: If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

QUESTION 237. What sort of soul is directed toward the will of God? ANSWER. The one that has accepted the proposition of the Lord who said: If anyone comes to me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For if one does not first succeed in denying himself, and in taking up the cross, as he proceeds he finds many impediments from himself to following.

QUESTION 238. Is it possible to sing psalms without ceasing, or to read, or to discourse earnestly on the words of God, and for there to be no interval at all because of the necessity that befalls some of the less seemly needs of the body? ANSWER. The Apostle regulates this for us, saying: Let all things be done decently and in order. Therefore one must rather take care for decency and good order according to both time and place.

QUESTION 239. What is the good treasure, and what is the evil? ANSWER. The understanding of every virtue in Christ for the glory of God is a good treasure; but the understanding of the wickedness of those things forbidden by the Lord is an evil treasure; from which are brought forth, according to the Lord's voice, in the respective works and words of each, either evil things, or good things. 31.1244

QUESTION 240. In what way is the gate said to be wide, and the road spacious, that leads to destruction? ANSWER. The Lord, through much love for mankind, has used the names and words of known things for the presentation of the dogmas of truth. Just as, therefore, the deviation from a straight road on earth has great width, so, he says, the one who departs from the road leading to the kingdom of heaven is found in the great breadth of error. And I reckon that "wide" and "spacious" are the same thing. For "broad" is also called "wide" by those educated in secular learning. Therefore the space, that is, the place of error, is wide, the end of which is destruction.

QUESTION 241 How is the gate narrow, and the road afflicted that leads to life; and how does one enter through it? ANSWER. Again here also "narrow" and "afflicted" do not denote different things, but "afflicted" presents an intensification of the narrowness; the road having been made narrow to such a degree, that the one traveling is pressed, that is, straitened on both sides, every deviation being dangerous, whether to the right or to the left; as on a bridge, with the river flowing beneath receiving on all sides the one who turns aside. Therefore David says: They have set scandals for me near the path. Therefore he who intends to enter into life through the narrow and afflicted way must guard himself from every deviation and turning aside from the commandments of the Lord, fulfilling what is written: Do not turn to the right, nor to the left.

QUESTION 242. What is the meaning of, "In brotherly love be affectionate to one another." ANSWER. Affection may be spoken of as an intensification of friendship, in desire and a fervent disposition of the one loving toward the one beloved. Therefore, so that brotherly love may not be superficial, but heartfelt and fervent, it is said, In brotherly love be affectionate to one another. 31.1245

QUESTION 243. What does the Apostle mean by saying: "Be angry, and do not sin; let not the sun go down on your anger;" and yet elsewhere saying: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger be put away from you." ANSWER. I think the Apostle has handled the saying here in imitation of the Lord. For just as in the Gospel the Lord, having first said: It was said to those of old this,

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παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ δέξασθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται, ἐὰν πει σθῶμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγοντι· Εἰ ταῦτα οἴδατε, μακάριοί ἐστε ἐὰν ποιῆτε αὐτά.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΛΖʹ. Ποταπὴ ψυχὴ κατευθύνεται πρὸς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ καταδεξαμένη τὴν πρότασιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς μὲ, ἀπαρνησά σθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. Ἐὰν γάρ τις μὴ προκατορθώσῃ τὸ ἀπαρνήσασθαι ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τὸ ἆραι τὸν σταυ ρὸν, πολλὰ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ εὑρίσκει προϊὼν τὰ τοῦ ἀκολουθεῖν ἐμπόδια.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΛΗʹ. Εἰ δυνατόν ἐστι τὸ ἀδιαλείπτως ψάλλειν, ἢ ἀνα γινώσκειν, ἢ σπουδαιολογεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν ῥη μάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ διάστημα μὴ γίνεσθαι καθόλου διὰ τὴν ἐπισυμβαίνουσάν τισιν ἀνάγ κην τῶν ῥυπαρωτέρων τοῦ σώματος χρει ῶν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦτο ἡμῖν ὁ Ἀπόστολος κανονίζει εἰπών· Πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω. Ὥστε δεῖ μᾶλλον τῆς εὐσχημοσύνης καὶ τῆς εὐταξίας φροντί ζειν κατά τε καιρὸν καὶ τόπον.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΛΘʹ. Τίς ὁ θησαυρὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸς, καὶ τίς ὁ πονηρός. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ μὲν φρόνησις πάσης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἀρετῆς θησαυρὸς ἀγαθός ἐστιν· ἡ δὲ φρόνησις τῆς κακίας τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου θη σαυρὸς πονηρός ἐστιν· ἐξ ὧν προφέρεται, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνὴν, ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις ἑκατέρων ἔργοις τε καὶ λόγοις, ἤτοι πονηρὰ, ἤτοι ἀγαθά. 31.1244

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΜʹ. Κατὰ τί πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη, καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς εἴρηται, ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ Κύριος διὰ πολλὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῖς ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι τῶν γινωσκομένων πραγμάτων κέ χρηται πρὸς παράστασιν τῶν ἀληθείας δογμάτων. Ὥσπερ οὖν τῆς κατὰ γῆν εὐθείας ὁδοῦ ἡ παρέκβασις πολλὴν πλατύτητα ἔχει· οὕτω, φησὶν, ὁ ἐκβαίνων τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς ἀγούσης εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρα νῶν, ἐν πολλῷ πλάτει τῆς πλάνης εὑρίσκεται. Τὸ δὲ πλατεῖα καὶ εὐρύχωρος λογίζομαι, ὅτι ταυτόν ἐστιν. Τὸ γὰρ εὐρὺ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἕξω πεπαιδευ μένοις πλατὺ λέγεται. Ὁ οὖν χῶρος, τουτέστιν ὁ τόπος τῆς πλάνης, πλατύς ἐστιν, ἧς τὸ τέλος ἀπώλεια.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΜΑ Πῶς στενὴ ἡ πύλη, καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν· καὶ πῶς δι' αὐτῆς τις εἰσέρχεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πάλιν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ στενὸν καὶ τεθλιμμένον οὐκ ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο τι δηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ τῆς στενότητος τὴν ἐπίτασιν τὸ τεθλιμμένον παρίστησιν· ἐπὶ τοσ οῦτον τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀπεστενωμένης, ὡς θλίβεσθαι, τουτ έστι στενοχωρεῖσθαι ἑκατέρωθεν τὸν ὁδεύοντα, παρ εκβάσεως πάσης ἐπικινδύνου οὔσης, εἴτε δεξιᾷ, εἴτε ἀριστερᾷ· ὡς ἐπὶ γεφύρας, πάντοθεν τοῦ ὑποῤ ῥέοντος ποταμοῦ ὑποδεχομένου τὸν ἐκκλίνοντα. ∆ιό φησιν ὁ ∆αβίδ· Ἐχόμενα τρίβου σκάνδαλα ἔθεντό μοι. ∆εῖ οὖν τὸν διὰ τῆς στενῆς καὶ τεθλιμμέ νης εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν προθέμενον φυλάσσειν ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ πάσης παρεκβάσεως καὶ παρεκτροπῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, πληροῦντα τὸ γεγραμμέ νον· Μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς εἰς δεξιὰ, μηδὲ ἀριστερά.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΜΒʹ. Τί ἐστι τὸ, «Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φι λόστοργοι.» ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ στοργὴ κατ' ἐπίτασιν τῆς φιλίας λέγοιτο ἂν ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ καὶ διαθέσει διαπύρῳ τοῦ ἀγαπῶν τος περὶ τὸν ἀγαπώμενον. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ ἐπιπόλαιος ἡ φιλαδελφία, ἐνδιάθετος δὲ καὶ διάπυρος ᾖ, εἴρηται τὸ, Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι. 31.1245

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΣΜΓʹ. Τί βούλεται λέγων ὁ Ἀπόστολος· «Ὀργί ζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε· ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπι δυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν·» καίτοιγε ἀλλαχοῦ εἰπών· «Πᾶσα πικρία, καὶ θυμὸς, καὶ ὀργὴ ἀρθήτω ἀφ' ὑμῶν.» ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ Κυρίου νομίζω τὸν Ἀπόστολον ἐνταῦθα μετακεχειρίσθαι τὸν λόγον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὁ Κύριος πρότερον εἰπών· Ἐῤῥέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τόδε,