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Samuel. and he who has simply comprehended the elementary doctrines of the church beholds the delight of the Lord, but one who applies himself to the things concerning the Trinity will look around his temple. 238 Ps 26,5.6 We have often already spoken of the difference between a tabernacle and a house when they are named together, that the one signifies progress, and the other perfection. Therefore when the day of evils is still present for someone, he cannot be in the house of God, but is hidden in the shadow by the Lord who protects the progress of the one being delivered from evil; for he who is just now repenting is not able to go on to perfection. Perhaps here also the name of evils can signify afflictions. He sheltered me in the secret place of his tabernacle, of the instruction by which we progress. Some things are manifest, others are secret and withdrawn, such as the mysteries. In progressing, therefore, God shelters not in superficial things but In the secret place of his tabernacle. And "his" is added to show that not every tabernacle, that is progress, is according to God. On a rock he has exalted me, after my progress, when I had reached the most steadfast and unbreakable principle of perfection, allegorically called a rock; the Lord himself has exalted me. "He hid" is suitable for progress, "he exalted" for perfection. And it is possible to call the training through the law and the prophets a tabernacle, in whose secret place, that is, in the mystical mind, God hides the one being instructed, exalting him on a spiritual rock which happens to be none other than Christ. And now after having passed through progress and reached the goal of truth, he lifts up the head, that is, my mind, or Christ who has become the ruler of the mind, over my enemies, so that I might have them under my feet and subdued. I have gone round and have sacrificed in his tabernacle a sacrifice of praise. The present passage is suitable to "He hid me in his tabernacle in the day of my evils"; for then he will offer a sacrifice of shouting, which is accomplished after victory, having gone round in his tabernacle. And to shout is to cry out all at once over defeated enemies. He therefore who prevails over his enemies fittingly offers the thank-offering for victory in the tabernacle, that is, in progress. I will sing and I will chant to the Lord. Not only will I contemplate the things of truth, which is signified by "I will sing," but I will also act according to virtue, which is represented by "I will chant," doing both in a way that is pleasing to God. For this is what "I will sing and I will chant to the Lord" means. 239 Ps 26,7-9a He who says these things, knowing that God hearkens to the prayers of the righteous, having cried out from the same disposition as the righteous, deems it worthy to be heard. If you should consider what is according to merit, Lord, you would not listen to any mortal; for no one will send up such a great cry as to reach you. Looking therefore to your goodness, Have mercy on me; for thus you will also Hear me. And I said both, to be shown mercy and to be heard, not from superficial lips but from the heart itself to you. By this it is shown that God does not always listen to the spoken voice, but especially to the voice of the heart. My face has sought you; and this my heart also said to you, the face of my heart, being none other than the mind, will seek you out. And I will attain the finding after the seeking, encountering you face to face, when that which is through a mirror and in a riddle has been abolished. Having paid attention, I knew the face of the inner man to be formed according to your image and likeness; whence I seek to see your face. For having understood it, I will have more light. And I can seek then, when you reveal your face; for if this does not happen, I will not be able to encounter it. Therefore I say: Do not turn your face away from me. 240 Ps 26,11 Set a law for me, so that having received such a law from you, I might travel the way of him who said: I am the way. And lead me in your straight and unbending path because of the enemies who lie in wait, placing scandals for me along the worn path. moreover of the mean of virtue

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τὸν Σαμουήλ. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἁπλῶς περὶ τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων δογμάτων τῆς ἐκκλησίας διειληφὼς θεωρεῖ τὴν τερπνότητα κυρίου, προσβάλλων δέ τις τοῖς περὶ τῆς τριάδος περιαθρήσει τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ. 238 Ps 26,5.6 Πολλάκις ηδη διαφορὰν σκηνῆς καὶ οικου οτε αμα ὀνομάζονται εἰρήκαμεν, ὡς τῆς μὲν προκοπὴν δηλούσης, τοῦ δὲ τελειότητα. οτε τοίνυν ἐνέστηκέν τινι ετι ἡ τῶν κακῶν ἡμέρα, οὐκ ἐν τῷ οικῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ειναι δύναται, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ κρύπτεται ὑπὸ κυρίου τῷ τὴν προκοπὴν σκεπάζειν τὸν κακίας ἀπαλλαττόμενον· οὐ γὰρ ὁ αρτι μετανοῶν ἐπὶ τελειότητα ἰέναι οιός τε. Τάχα δὲ τὸ ονομα τῶν κακῶν σημαίνειν τὰ περιστατικὰ καὶ ἐνταῦθα δύναται. ̓Εσκέπασέν με ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ, τῆς παιδεύσεως καθ' ην προκόπτομεν. τὰ μέν ἐστι προφανῆ, τὰ δὲ ἀπόκρυφα καὶ ἀνακεχωρηκότα οια τὰ μυστικά. ἐν τῷ προκόπτειν ουν σκεπάζει ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἐπιπολαίοις ἀλλ' ̓Εν τῷ ἀποκρύφῳ τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ. πρόσκειται δὲ τὸ Αὐτοῦ πρὸς παράστασιν τοῦ μὴ πᾶσαν σκηνὴν τουτέστι προκοπὴν κατὰ θεὸν ειναι. ̓Εν πέτρᾳ υψωσέν με, μετὰ τὴν προκοπὴν φθάσαντά με ἐπὶ τὸν στερρότατον καὶ ἀρραγῆ τῆς τελειώσεως λόγον πέτραν ἀλληγορικώτερον ὀνομαζόμενον· αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος υψωσέν με. κατάλληλον τῇ προκοπῇ τὸ Εκρυψεν, τῇ τελειότητι τὸ Υψωσεν. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τὴν διὰ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν ἀγωγὴν σκηνὴν λέγειν ης ἐν τῷ ἀποκρύφῳ τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ μυστικῷ νῷ κρύπτει τὸν παιδευόμενον ὁ θεός, ὑψῶν αὐτὸν ἐν πέτρᾳ πνευματικῇ οὐκ αλλῃ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τυγχανούσῃ. Καὶ νῦν μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὴν προκοπὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ τέρμα τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφθακέναι ὑψοῖ τὴν κεφαλήν, ητοι νοῦν τὸν ἐμὸν η Χριστὸν αρχοντα νοῦ γεγενημένον, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου, οπως ὑπὸ πόδας καὶ ὑποτεταγμένους αὐτοὺς εχω. ̓Εκύκλωσα καὶ εθυσα ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως. Κατάλληλον τῷ Εκρυψέν με ἐν σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν μου καὶ τὸ προκείμενον· τότε γὰρ θυσίαν ἀλαλαγμοῦ μετὰ νίκην ἐπιτελουμένην θύσει, κυκλώσας ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ. ἀλαλάξαι δέ ἐστιν τὸ ἀθρόως ἐπὶ ἡττηθεῖσιν ἐχθροῖς βοῆσαι. ὁ ουν τῶν ἐχθρῶν περιγινόμενος τὴν ἐπὶ νίκῃ χαριστήριον θυσίαν εἰκότως ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ προκοπῇ, προσάγει. Αισω καὶ ψαλῶ τῷ κυρίῳ. Οὐ μόνον θεωρήσω τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας οπερ δηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ Αισω, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατ' ἀρετὴν ἐνεργήσω ο παρίσταται διὰ τοῦ Ψαλῶ, ἀρεσκόντως θεῷ ποιῶν ἀμφότερα. τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ Αισομαι καὶ ψαλῶ τῷ κυρίῳ. 239 Ps 26,7-9a ̓Επιστάμενος ὁ ταῦτα λέγων εὐχαῖς δικαίων ἐπακούοντα τὸν θεόν, ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς διαθέσεως τοῖς δικαίοις κεκραγὼς εἰσακουσθήσεσθαι ἀξιοῖ. Εἰ τὸ κατ' ἀξίαν σκοπήσοις, κύριε, οὐκ εἰσακούσῃ θνητοῦ τινος· οὐδεὶς γὰρ τηλικαύτην κραυγὴν ἀναπέμψει ὡς φθάσαι πρὸς σέ. εἰς τὴν σὴν ουν ἀγαθότητα ἀποβλέψας ̓Ελέησόν με· ουτω γὰρ καὶ Εἰσακούσῃ μου. ἀμφότερα δὲ τότε ἐλεηθῆναι καὶ εἰσακουσθῆναι οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς χειλέων ἀλλ' ἀπ' αὐτῆς καρδίας ειπον πρὸς σέ. διὰ τούτου παρίσταται οτι οὐ πάντως τῆς προφορικῆς φωνῆς ἀλλὰ μάλιστα τῆς φωνῆς τῆς καρδίας εἰσακούει θεός. ̓Εξεζήτησέν σε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ειπέν σοι ἡ καρδία μου, τὸ ἐμοῦ τῆς καρδίας πρόσωπον οὐκ αλλο τυγχάνον τοῦ νοῦ ἐκζητήσει σε. τεύξομαι δὲ τῆς μετὰ τὴν ἐκζήτησιν εὑρέσεως πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον προσβάλλων σοι, καταργηθέντος τοῦ δι' ἐσόπτρου καὶ ἐν αἰνίγματι. ̓Επιστήσας εγνων τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ εσω ἀνθρώπου κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν τὴν σὴν τετυπωμένον· οθεν ζητῶ ἰδεῖν σου τὸ πρόσωπον. κατανοήσας γὰρ αὐτὸ φωτισμὸν πλείονα εξω. τότε δὲ ζητεῖν δύναμαι, οτ' αν σὺ ἐπιφάνῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου· εἰ μὴ γὰρ τοῦτο γένηται, προσβάλλειν αὐτῷ οὐ δυνήσομαι. διό φημι· Μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. 240 Ps 26,11 Νομοθέτησόν με, ινα τοιοῦτον νόμον παρὰ σοῦ λαβὼν ὁδεύσω τὸν εἰπόντα· ̓Εγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός. Καὶ ὁδήγησόν με τῇ εὐθείᾳ καὶ ἀκαμπεῖ ὁδῷ σου ενεκα τῶν ἐπικειμένων ἐχθρῶν, σκάνδαλα ἐχόμενα τρίβου τιθέντων μοι. ετι μὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς μεσότητος