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these things are said so that they may be ashamed and confounded and become aware of their own sins and go back from the way they had walked. But he says that David lived a legal and not an evangelical life; for the law, he says, speaking wrongly, commands to love one's neighbor and to hate one's enemy; for David, living evangelically, would say, 'If I have rendered to those who rendered evil to me'; finally, however, he too said that these things were spoken prophetically as things that would certainly come to be.

344 Ps 35,2 The habitual transgressor, reasoning within himself, would say nothing other than to sin. For one, having first consented in his mind, proceeds to sin in practice. But he is able also to sin in saying within himself, such as, 'But you said in your mind, I will ascend into heaven,' and what follows. If he had fear before the eyes of the inner man, he would have abstained from all sin, but since he does not have it, he says, 'Within himself, to sin'. A testimony that the one who has fear does not sin is, 'So that his fear may be in you, that you may not sin'. 345 Ps 35,3 The one who has become a transgressor, knowing his lawlessness to be hateful; if it should be seen, he acts deceitfully before him, so that the shame of his lawlessness may not be found so that it might be hated. This is what those do who sophistically advocate for sin as though it happens properly and not contrary to reason. 346 Ps 35,4.5 There is another scripture that says: 'The words of his mouth are lawlessness and toil,' that is, burdensome so as to produce toil for those who pay attention. He did not wish to understand so as to do good. It is clear from what has been said that the transgressor is not such by construction; for not wishing to have understanding for the purpose of doing good is a matter of free will. And furthermore: 'He stood in every way that is not good, and he did not abhor evil'. Such is the saying, 'Woe to those who work evils upon their beds and at the same time with the day accomplished them'. Thus, therefore, having devised lawlessness while on his bed, 'He stands in every way that is not good,' that is, in every wicked deed; not abhorring his evil, accepting it as a most wicked habit, he begins in practice to travel every way that is not good. 347 Ps 35,6 And in Isaiah it is mentioned along with the clouds thus: 'Let the heaven rejoice from above and let the clouds rain down righteousness'. But perceptible clouds flow not with righteousness or truth but with rain. The clouds, therefore, that flow with righteousness are divine men, pouring forth the spiritual rain, that is, the word according to virtue. And above these is a rejoicing heaven, that is, either the blessed natures that inhabit heaven, or the Savior allegorically so named; for this heaven is from above, that is, it is above all created nature, and it rejoices for the benefit of all. And here therefore in heaven, I mean in the Savior, is the mercy of the Lord who has mercy on all; but his truth, which is contrasted with wickedness and the types, is in the aforementioned clouds. For even if the prophets lived according to a shadow, yet they were not ignorant of the truth of which this is a symbol. 348 Ps 35,7c.8a It is no wonder that men who keep the image and the rational impulse obtain salvation. But when one sees those who have already become like beasts and become horses mad for mares and have taken on the character of other irrational animals coming to salvation, being amazed at the goodness of God he will say, 'Since you have multiplied your mercy, O God, not only men but also beasts are saved'; for great sins need greater and more mercy. 349 Ps 35,9a The house of God being the church, its fatness is the ecclesiastical teaching. From this those who are contained in it will be intoxicated with a sober intoxication. But if the house of God should be the Savior, from his instruction, which is fatness, those who partake of it will be intoxicated. 350 Ps 35,9b.10a Since 'With you is the fountain'

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ταῦτα λέγεσθαι τῷ αἰσχυνθῆναι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐντραπῆναι καὶ αισθησιν λαβεῖν τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ εἰς τοὐπίσω χωρῆσαι τῆς ὁδοῦ ης ωδευσαν. ὁ δὲ νομικήν φησιν καὶ οὐκ εὐαγγελικὴν ζῆν τὸν ∆αυὶδ πολιτείαν· ὁ γὰρ νόμος, φησίν, διαγορεύει ἀγαπῆσαι τὸν πλησίον καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν μισῆσαι κακῶς τε λέγων· εὐαγγελικῶς γὰρ πολιτευόμενος ὁ ∆αυὶδ εφασκεν, εἰ ̓Ανταπέδωκα τοῖς ἀνταποδιδοῦσί μοι κακά· τελευταῖον μέντοι καὶ ουτος προφητικῶς εφη ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι ὡς πάντως ἐσόμενα.

344 Ps 35,2 ̔Ο καθ' εξιν παράνομος ἐν ἑαυτῷ λογιζόμενος λέγοι οὐκ αλλο τι

η τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν. συγκαταθέμενος γάρ τις κατὰ διάνοιαν πρότερον ἐπὶ τὸ πρακτικῶς ἁμαρτάνειν διαβαίνει. δύναται δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγειν ἁμαρτάνειν, οιόν ἐστιν τὸ Σὺ δὲ ειπας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου Εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβήσομαι, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰ φόβον ειχεν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ εσω ἀνθρώπου, ἀπείχετο πάσης ἁμαρτίας, ἐπειδὴ δὲ μὴ εχει ̓Εν ἑαυτῷ, φησίν, τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν. μαρτύριον τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν τὸν εχοντα φόβον τὸ Οπως αν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, ινα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε. 345 Ps 35,3 ̔Ο γεγονὼς παράνομος εἰδὼς τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτοῦ μισητὴν τυγχάνουσαν· εἰ θεωρηθείη, δολοῖ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, οπως μὴ εὑρίσκηται τὸ αισχος τῆς ἀνομίας ωστ' αν αὐτὴν μισηθῆναι. τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν οἱ σοφιστικῶς συναγορεύοντες τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὡς καθηκόντως καὶ μὴ παρὰ λόγον γινομένῃ. 346 Ps 35,4.5 ̔Ετέρα ἐστὶν γραφὴ φάσκουσα· Τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀνομία καὶ κόπος, τουτέστιν, ἐπαχθῆ ὡς κόπον ἐμποιεῖν τοῖς προσέχουσιν. Οὐκ ἐβουλήθη συνεῖναι τοῦ ἀγαθῦναι. δῆλον ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ὡς ὁ παράνομος οὐκ ἐκ κατασκευῆς ἐστιν τοιοῦτος· τὸ γὰρ μὴ βούλεσθαι σύνεσιν εχειν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀγαθοποιεῖν αὐτεξουσίου. Ετι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις· Παρέστη πάσῃ ὁδῷ οὐκ ἀγαθῇ, κακίᾳ δὲ οὐ προσώχθισε. τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν τὸ Οὐαὶ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι κακὰ ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης αὐτῶν καὶ αμα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ συνετέλουν αὐτά. ουτως ουν ἀνομίαν λογισάμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης τυγχάνων Παρίσταται πάσῃ ὁδῷ οὐκ ἀγαθῇ, τουτέστιν πάσῃ πράξει πονηρᾷ· οὐ προσοχθίζων τῇ κακίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἀποδεχόμενος αὐτὴν ουσαν χειρίστην εξιν, πρακτικῶς αρχεται ὁδεύειν πᾶσαν οὐκ ἀγαθὴν ὁδόν. 347 Ps 35,6 Καὶ ἐν ̔Ησαίᾳ αμα ταῖς νεφέλαις μνημονεύεται ουτως· Εὐφρανθήτω ὁ οὐρανὸς ανωθεν καὶ αἱ νεφέλαι ῥανάτωσαν δικαιοσύνην. αἰσθηταὶ δὲ νεφέλαι οὐ δικαιοσύνην η ἀλήθειαν ἀλλ' ὑετὸν ῥέουσιν. αἱ ουν δικαιοσύνην ῥέουσαι νεφέλαι θεῖοι ανδρες εἰσίν, τὸν πνευματικὸν ὑετὸν τουτέστι τὸν κατ' ἀρετὴν λόγον προχέουσαι. ὑπεράνω δὲ τούτων οὐρανὸς εὐφραινόμενος ητοι αἱ μακάριοι φύσεις αἱ οἰκοῦσαι τὸν οὐρανὸν τυγχάνουσιν η ὁ σωτὴρ ἀλληγορικῶς ουτως ὀνομαζόμενος· ανωθεν γὰρ ὁ οὐρανὸς ουτος τουτέστιν ὑπεράνω φύσεως πάσης γεννητῆς τυγχάνει, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς πάντων ὠφελείας εὐφραίνεται. καὶ ἐνταῦθα ουν ἐν μὲν τῷ οὐρανῷ, φημὶ τῷ σωτῆρι, ἐστὶ τὸ ελεος τοῦ κυρίου πάντας ἐλεοῦντος· ἡ δὲ ἀλήθεια αὐτοῦ ἡ τῇ κακίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τύποις ἀντιδιαστελλομένη ἐν ταῖς προειρημέναις νεφέλαις ἐστίν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ σκιὰν ἐβίουν οἱ προφῆται, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠγνόουν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ης αυτη σύμβολον. 348 Ps 35,7c.8a ̓Ανθρώπους τοὺς κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ τὸ λογικὸν κίνημα τηροῦντας σωτηρίας τυγχάνειν οὐ θαῦμα. οταν δὲ καὶ ἀποκτηνωθέντας ηδη καὶ ιππους θηλυμανεῖς γεγενημένους καὶ τῶν αλλων ἀλόγων ζῴων ηθος ἀναλαβόντας ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν ἐρχομένους ιδῃ τις, ἐκπλαγεὶς ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαθότητι ἐρεῖ ̓Επεὶ τὸν ελεόν σου ἐπλήθυνας, ω θεέ, οὐκ ανθρωποι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ κτήνη σῴζονται· τὰ γὰρ μεγάλα ἁμαρτήματα μείζονος καὶ μᾶλλον ἐλέου δεῖται. 349 Ps 35,9a Οικου θεοῦ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τυγχανούσης, πιότης αὐτοῦ ἡ ἐκκλησιαστικὴ διδασκαλία τυγχάνει. ἀπὸ ταύτης νηφάλιον μεθυσθήσονται μέθην οἱ περιεχόμενοι αὐτῆς. εἰ δὲ οικος θεοῦ ειη ὁ σωτήρ, ἀπὸ τῆς παιδεύσεως αὐτοῦ ουσης πιότητος μεθυσθήσονται οἱ ἀπολαύοντες αὐτῆς. 350 Ps 35,9b.10a ̓Επεὶ Παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ