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"Transgressions hunt a man, and each one is bound by the chains of his own sins." "Nor will transgressors stand before your eyes." The lawless man is never at all before God. He is not under the eyes of God, unless in another way according to the principle of providence. But according to the order of the virtuous, they will not stand. They will not stand in the same way as the righteous, concerning whom it is said: "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous." Therefore, by saying "they will not stand," he shows that they once were, when they kept the law, but when they became transgressors of it, then they were cast out from the eyes of God. 79 4-5 Your ways, O Lord, make known to me, and your paths, teach me. Lead me in your truth. The ways of God are spoken of in two ways: either those that lead to him, or those which he himself travels, going over all things, as is fitting according to the principle of providence or according to benefiting and being in those receptive of himself. For he says: "I will dwell in them and walk among them." And he who walks among them has ways, which he himself travels. In two ways, therefore, we speak of the ways of God: either those leading to him—and these are the virtues—or those which he himself walks upon according to his providence and judgment and administration and gifts. It is necessary, therefore, to know the ways of God, with him himself making them known. "And your paths, teach me." Either those which they tread who hasten toward you, or those which you tread, going over the works of your grace. And if it is possible to say more: you know that before teaching, some things must be known; for from things known beforehand come sciences and scientific proofs. Therefore, make known to me both your ways; for thus I will learn your paths, following those who have trodden them, those who have gone before in good things or you having gone before, "that we might follow in your steps," having you as an example and a pattern. Therefore, knowing comes before teaching. For thus they say that proofs and teachings come from things known. It is possible to take it thus, that the common notions are known beforehand. And indeed, when we test a teaching, we test it by referring to the common notions. Indeed, at any rate, sometimes a teacher says something, and the common notion of the learner anticipates and knows whether he speaks well or not well. You will find, therefore, even in these human, scientific proofs, that the sciences are not well conducted, if the listeners do not know beforehand what it is necessary to know beforehand. Indeed, at any rate, this too has often been said to us, that when someone is learning certain things which he must know before the lesson, one must not speak to him in unclear words, since they are not known to him. "Lead me in the truth." After the practical virtues and those related to disposition, the guidance into the truth occurs; for, it says, "having desired wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord will grant her to you." And wisdom and truth are the same thing. The Savior, at any rate, is said to be both: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." And he himself said: "I am the truth." 5 and teach me, for you are God my Savior. You are my God who created me, you are my Savior who wishes me to be improved. You, therefore, be my teacher. As creator, so also teacher. 5 and for you I waited all the day. For you I have waited all the time of my life, so that I might have you as teacher and savior; for "to you have I lifted up my soul," not to another. I have not called upon another to make known 80 to me your ways and to teach me your paths, but I have asked you to be my teacher of these things as well. In many places the whole time of our life is called "day," according to what was said: "for your sake we are killed all the day long," for which the Apostle has put "every day." And the whole time of the life of the saints can be called "day," because they are always in illumination, being illumined by the true light, "the sun of righteousness." This day is not interrupted by nights, it is unceasing

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"παρανομίαι ἄνδρα ἀγρεύουσιν, σειραῖς δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἕκαστος σφίνγεται". "οὐδὲ διαμενοῦσιν παράνομοι ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου". ὁ ἄνομος ὅλως οὐδέποτε γίνεται ἐπίπροσθεν θεοῦ. ὑπὸ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ γίνεται εἰ μὴ ἑτέρως κατὰ τὸν τῆς προνοίας λόγον. κατὰ δὲ τὸ τάγμα τῶν σπουδαίων οὐ διαμενοῦσιν. οὐχ οὕτω διαμενοῦσιν ὡς οἱ δίκαιοι, περὶ ὧν λέγεται· "ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους". διὰ τοῦ οὖν εἰπεῖν "οὐ διαμενοῦσιν" δείκνυσιν ὅτι γέγονάν ποτε, ὅτε ἐφύλαττον τὸν νόμον, ὅτε δὲ παραβάται αὐτοῦ γεγόνασιν, τότε ἐκβέβληνται τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ. 79 4-5 τὰς ὁδούς σου, κύριε, γνώρισόν μοι καὶ τὰς τρίβους σου δίδαξόν με. ὁδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου. διττῶς αἱ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁδοὶ λέγονται· ἤτοι αἱ φέρουσαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἢ ἃς αὐτὸς ὁδεύει ἐπιπορευόμενος τοῖς ὅλοις, δέον κατὰ τὸν τῆς προνοίας λόγον ἢ κατὰ τὸ ὠφελεῖν καὶ εἶναι ἐν τοῖς δεκτικοῖς ἑαυτοῦ. λέγει γοῦν· "ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐνπεριπατήσω". ὁ δὲ ἐνπεριπατῶν ἔχει ὁδούς, ἃς αὐτὸς ὁδεύει. διττῶς οὖν ὁδοὺς θεοῦ λέγομεν ἢ τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγούσας -αὗται δέ εἰσιν αἱ ἀρεταί-ἢ ἃς αὐτὸς ἐπιβαδίζει κατὰ τὴν πρόνοιαν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ κρίσιν καὶ διοίκησιν καὶ δωρεάς. δεῖ οὖν γνῶναι τὰς ὁδοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτοῦ γνωρίζοντος. "καὶ τὰς τρίβους σου δίδαξόν με". ἤτοι ἃς τρίβουσιν οἱ πρὸς σὲ σπεύδοντες ἢ ἃς σὺ τρίβεις ἐπιπορευόμενος τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς χάριτός σου. εἰ δὲ ἔστιν καὶ πλείους εἰπεῖν· οἶδας ὅτι πρὸ διδασκαλίας δεῖ εἶναι γνώριμά τινα· ἐκ προγιγνωσκομένων γὰρ αἱ ἐπιστῆμαι καὶ αἱ ἀποδείξεις αἱ ἐπιστημονικαί. ἀμφοτέρας οὖν γνώρισόν μοι τὰς ὁδούς σου· οὕτω γὰρ μαθήσομαι τὰς τρίβους σου ἐπεπόμενος τοῖς τρίψασιν αὐτάς, τοῖς προοδεύσασιν ἐν τοῖς καλοῖς ἢ σοῦ προοδεύσαντος, "ἵνα τοῖς ἴχνεσίν σου ἐπακολουθῶμεν" ὑπογραμμόν σε ἔχοντες καὶ τύπον. πρὸ τοῦ διδάξαι οὖν τὸ γνωρίσαι. οὕτω δὲ λέγουσιν ὅτι ἐκ γνωρίμων αἱ ἀποδείξεις καὶ αἱ διδασκαλίαι γίνονται. δυνατὸν λαβεῖν οὕτως ὅτι αἱ κοιναὶ ἔννοιαι προγιγνωσκόμεναί εἰσιν. καὶ τὴν διδασκαλίαν γοῦν ὅτε δοκιμάζομεν, πρὸς τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας λέγοντες δοκιμάζομεν αὐτήν. ἀμέλει γοῦν ἐνίοτε διδάςκαλος λέγει τι· καὶ προλαμβάνει ἡ ἔννοια ἡ κοινὴ τοῦ μανθάνοντος καὶ γιγνώσκει, εἰ καλῶς λέ γει ἢ οὐ καλῶς. εὑρήσεις οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀποδείξεσιν ταύταις ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις, ταῖς ἐπιστημονικαῖς, μὴ καλῶς ἀγομένας τὰς ἐπιστήμας, ἐὰν ἃ δέον ἐστὶν προγιγνώσκειν μὴ προγιγνώςκουσιν οἱ ἀκούοντες. ἀμέλει γοῦν πολλάκις καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῖν ἐλέχθη ὅτι, ὅτε τις μανθάνει τινὰ ἃ δεῖ προειδέναι τῆς μαθήσεως, οὐ δεῖ διὰ ἀσαφῶν λέξεων λέγειν ἐκείνῳ, ἐπεὶ οὔκ ἐστιν γνώριμα αὐτῷ. "ὁδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν". μετὰ τὰς πρακτικὰς ἀρετὰς καὶ τὰς κατὰ διάθεσιν ἡ ὁδήγησις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν γίνεται· "ἐπιθυμήσας" γάρ, φησίν, "σοφίας διατήρησον ἐντολάς, καὶ κύριος χορηγήσει σοι αὐτήν". σοφία δὲ καὶ ἀλήθεια ταὐτόν ἐστιν. ὁ σωτὴρ γοῦν ἀμφότερα εἶναι λέγεται· "Χριστὸς θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεοῦ σοφία". καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· "ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια". 5 καὶ δίδαξόν με, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ θεὸς ὁ σωτήρ μου. θεός μου εἶ δημιουργήσας με, σωτήρ μου εἶ θέλων με βελτιοῦσθαι. σύ μου οὖν διδάσκαλος γενοῦ. ὡς δημιουργός, οὕτω καὶ διδάσκαλος. 5 καὶ σὲ ὑπέμεινα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν. σὲ ὑπέμεινα πάντα τὸν χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς μου, ἵνα διδάσκαλόν σε σχῶ καὶ σωτῆρα· "πρὸς σὲ" γὰρ "ἦρα τὴν ψυχήν μου", οὐ πρὸς ἄλλον. οὐχ ἕτερον παρεκάλεσα, ἵνα γνωρίσῃ 80 μοι τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ τὰς τρίβους σου διδάξῃ με, ἀλλὰ σὲ ἠξίωσα καὶ τούτων μοι διδάσκαλον γενέσθαι. πολλαχοῦ ὁ πᾶς τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν χρόνος ἡμέρα καλεῖται κατὰ τὸ λεχθέν· "ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν", ἀνθ' οὗ πεποίηκεν ὁ ἀπόστολος "πᾶσαν ἡμέραν". δύναται δὲ ἡμέρα λέγεσθαι ὅλος ὁ χρόνος τῆς ζωῆς τῶν ἁγίων, ὅτι ἐν φωτισμῷ εἰσιν ἀεί, καταλαμπόμενοί εἰσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ φωτὸς "τοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης". αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα οὐ μεσολαβεῖται ὑπὸ νυκτῶν, ἀδιάκοπός