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is confirmed for the dead, since it is never in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore Jesus, wishing to fulfill his own testament, accepted death. But one must also seek in the testament the testimonies of God, the words that have been testified to and inspired by him. 225 Ps 24,11 For the sake of your name, O Lord, I your servant will seek your testament, expecting from it freedom or the inheritance which you appointed for me as one who has become a son; but also Be merciful to my sin, not that which is still active but that which has ceased. For it is great, not in quantity but in comparison to the purity that ought to be present. 226 Ps 24,12 He who fears God is rare, but not undiscoverable. To this one therefore the Lord legislates a way, which either the Lord himself chose or the one who fears him. 227 Ps 24,13 The soul of the devout, not going beyond good things, dwells in them, always putting them into practice. Therefore his seed will altogether succeed in inheriting the land, not that which is underfoot but that of the meek. 228 Ps 24,16b-20 He calls himself only-begotten according to the one who says: And I was left alone, and they seek my soul. Therefore I am also poor, not having help from those of like zeal. But one must know that only-begotten means only, just as you would also call the sun only-begotten; it would not be the same as the only-begotten Son; for where son is added to only-begotten or only-begotten from the Father, it means the only one begotten from him. But you will understand the afflictions of the heart also as the opposing thoughts that disturb. Bring me out of my necessities: from those standing around, compelling and forcing me to cast out my purpose, as from great necessities, bring me out. Someone who has perceived his own sins, being humbled because of his lack of boldness and weary from the fruits of repentance, will say Look upon my humiliation and my labor and forgive all my sins. When someone ceases from the sins he formerly committed, he will have as enemies the demons who work them. And these, being many against the one being plotted against, hate him with an unjust hatred; and unjust hatred is that which is directed against those who do not do things worthy of hatred, for the wicked are justly hated. Guard the soul, so that it does not fall under those who unjustly hate; but also deliver it from such deeds by which they will be able to overcome it. 229 Ps 24,21 He calls blameless either those who are deprived of malice or the more simple, and upright those who have achieved perfect virtue. These therefore Clung to me (because of like-mindedness), because I waited for you, Lord. Perhaps he also calls the diligent from among men blameless, and the divine angels upright, who cling to him, so that divine powers also come to be around the diligent person.

230 Ps 25,1bc No one who sins wishes to be judged for what he has done and

especially by the one who sees secret things. But he who has walked in innocence, that is, has made progress, deems it worthy to receive this; for he knows he will obtain a reward or an inheritance, And trusting in the Lord I shall not be weak; as long as I am encompassed by hope in God, being strengthened by it I will not be weak. A scripture is brought forth that says: I shall not be moved. And through this it is therefore shown: since hope in God provides me a firm and immovable foundation, Trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved. 231 Ps 25,2 Since it is not he who commends himself who is approved but he whom the Lord commends, having testified to himself that he has walked in innocence and has not been weak, he wishes to be tested by the Lord and to be tried through struggles, so that he may be revealed as righteous, and to be tried so that having given proof of endurance he may have what is approved. And it has already been said before that the reins have an analogy to the heart. He therefore deems it worthy for both of these to be tried by fire through a painful discipline, so that he may be shown to be approved gold. 232 Ps 25,3 I would not have thought it worthy to suffer the aforesaid painful things, if I had not understood your mercy

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νεκροῖς βέβαια, ἐπεὶ μήποτε ἰσχύει οσον ζῇ ὁ διατιθέμενος. διὸ πληρῶσαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διαθήκην ὁ ̓Ιησοῦς βουλόμενος θάνατον ἀνεδέξατο. ἐκζητητέον δὲ ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια τοῦ θεοῦ, τοὺς μεμαρτυρηκότας καὶ ἐμπνευσθέντας ὑπ' αὐτοῦ λόγους. 225 Ps 24,11 Ενεκα τῆς σῆς προσηγορίας, ω δέσποτα, ἐγὼ ὁ σὸς οἰκέτης ἐκζητήσω τὴν διαθήκην σου, ἐλευθερίαν ἐξ αὐτῆς προσδοκῶν η κληρονομίαν ην ὡς υἱῷ γενομένῳ ωρισας· ἀλλὰ καὶ ̔Ιλάσθητι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ μου, οὐ τῇ ετι ἐνεργουμένῃ ἀλλὰ παυσαμένῃ. Πολλὴ γάρ ἐστιν, οὐ κατὰ ποσότητα ἀλλὰ κατὰ σύγκρισιν τῆς προσεῖναι ὀφειλούσης καθαρότητος. 226 Ps 24,12 ̔Ο φοβούμενος θεὸν σπανίζει μέν, οὐκ ἀνεύρετος δέ ἐστιν. τούτῳ ουν νομοθετεῖ ὁ κύριος ὁδόν, ην ᾑρετίσατο ητοι αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος η ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτόν. 227 Ps 24,13 ̔Η ψυχὴ τοῦ εὐλαβοῦς τῶν ἀγαθῶν περαιτέρω μὴ γινομένη ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐλίζεται, ἐνεργοῦσα αὐτὰ ἀεί. διὸ καὶ καθόλου τεύξεται τὸ σπέρμα εχειν κληρονομοῦν τὴν γῆν, οὐ τὴν ὑπὸ πόδας ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν πραέων. 228 Ps 24,16b-20 Μονογενῆ ἑαυτὸν φάσκει κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα· Κἀγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου. διὸ καὶ πτωχός εἰμι, οὐκ εχων τὴν ἐκ τῶν ὁμοζήλων ἀρωγήν. ἰστέον δ' οτι τὸ μονογενὲς σημαίνει τὸ μόνον, ωσπερ καὶ τὸν ηλιον μονογενῆ ἐρεῖς· οὐ ταὐτὸν αν τῷ μονογενεῖ υἱῷ· οπου γὰρ πρόσκειται τῷ μονογενεῖ υἱὸς η παρὰ πατρὸς μονογενές, λέγεται τὸ μόνον ἐξ ἐκείνου τυγχάνον. Θλίψεις δὲ τῆς καρδίας νοήσεις καὶ τοὺς διοχλοῦντας ἐναντίους λογισμούς. ̓Εκ τῶν ἀναγκῶν μου ἐξάγαγέ με· ἐκ τῶν περιεστηκότων βιαζομένων καὶ ἀναγκαζόντων ἐκκροῦσαι τὴν πρόθεσίν μου ὡς ἐκ μεγάλων ἀναγκῶν ἐξάγαγέ με. Αισθησιν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἑαυτοῦ λαβών τις ταπεινούμενος διὰ τὸ ἀπαρρησίαστον καὶ κάμνων διὰ καρποὺς μετανοίας ἐρεῖ τὸ Ιδε τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου καὶ τὸν κόπον μου καὶ αφες πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Οτ' αν παύσηταί τις ων πρότερον ἐνήργει ἁμαρτημάτων, ἐχθροὺς εξει τοὺς ἐνεργοῦντας αὐτὰ δαίμονας. ουτοι δὲ καὶ πολλοὶ κατὰ τοῦ ἐπιβουλευομένου γινόμενοι μῖσος αδικον μισοῦσιν αὐτόν· μῖσος δὲ αδικόν ἐστι τὸ γινόμενον κατὰ τῶν μὴ αξια μίσους πραττόντων, δικαίως μισουμένων τῶν φαύλων. Φύλαξον τὴν ψυχήν, οπως μὴ ὑποπέσῃ τοῖς ἀδίκως μισοῦσι· ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥῦσαι αὐτὴν ἀπὸ πράξεων τοιούτων ἐφ' αις κρατῆσαι αὐτῆς δυνήσονται. 229 Ps 24,21 ̓Ακάκους λέγει η τοὺς στερομένους κακίας η τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους, εὐθεῖς δὲ τοὺς κατορθώσαντας τὴν τελείαν ἀρετήν. ουτοι ουν ̓Εκολλῶντό μοι (δι' ὁμοφροσύνην), οτι ὑπέμεινά σε, κύριε. τάχα δὲ καὶ ἀκάκους λέγει τοὺς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων σπουδαίους, εὐθεῖς δὲ τοὺς θείους ἀγγέλους κολλωμένους αὐτῷ τῷ καὶ θείας δυνάμεις γίνεσθαι περὶ τὸν σπουδαῖον.

230 Ps 25,1bc Οὐδεὶς ἁμαρτάνων κριθῆναι βούλεται ἐφ' οις πεποίηκεν καὶ

μάλιστα πρὸς τοῦ τὰ κρυπτὰ ὁρῶντος. ὁ δὲ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ πορευθεὶς τουτέστιν προκόψας ἀξιοῖ τούτου τυχεῖν· οιδεν γὰρ μισθοῦ η κληρονομίας τευξόμενος, Καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ ἐλπίζων οὐ μὴ ἀσθενήσω· οσον περιέχομαι τῆς πρὸς θεὸν ἐλπίδος, ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἐνδυναμούμενος οὐκ ἀσθενήσω. φέρεται γραφὴ λέγουσα· Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ. καὶ διὰ ταύτης ουν δηλοῦται· ἐπεὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡ πρὸς θεὸν εδραν μοι βεβαίαν καὶ ἀμετακίνητον παρέχει, ̓Ελπίζων ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ. 231 Ps 25,2 ̓Επεὶ οὐχ ὁ ἑαυτὸν συνιστάνων δόκιμός ἐστιν ἀλλ' ον ὁ κύριος συνίστησιν, μαρτυρήσας ἑαυτῷ τὸ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ πεπορεῦσθαι καὶ τὸ μὴ ἀσθενῆσαι βούλεται ὑπὸ κυρίου δοκιμασθῆναι καὶ πειρασθῆναι μὲν δι' ἀγώνων, ινα ἀναφανῇ δίκαιος, πειρασθῇ δὲ οπως πεῖραν δεδωκὼς καρτερίας εχῃ τὸ δόκιμον. Καὶ πρότερον ηδη ὡς ἀναλογίαν ἐχόντων τῶν νεφρῶν πρὸς τὴν καρδίαν ειρηται. πυρωθῆναι ουν ἑκάτερα ταῦτα ἀξιοῖ δι' ἐπιπόνου ἀγωγῆς, ινα ὡς χρυσὸς δόκιμος ἀναδειχθῇ. 232 Ps 25,3 Οὐκ αν ἠξίωσα παθεῖν τὰ προειρημένα ἐπίπονα, εἰ μὴ κατανενοήκειν τὸν ελεόν σου