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to arrange and establish the covenant of God himself on spiritual sacrifices; and sacrifices of praise and any other similar ones. Therefore, accepting the sacrifices upon which the spiritual covenant is based, he commands his holy ones to be gathered to him, so that they may accomplish the aforementioned things. 522 Ps 49,6a The heavens will declare him who is named Righteousness, being holy men bearing the image of the heavenly one. 523 Ps 49,8 God reproves not concerning the things themselves that are brought, but concerning the disposition with which these things are brought; for he reproved Cain for not rightly dividing what he ought to bring. Therefore even if someone offers a spiritual sacrifice as whole burnt offerings, his own body completely, let him do this with a right mind; for not for the actions which are praiseworthy but for the mind not rightly accomplishing it is someone reproved. 524 Ps 49,9-11a Since those in your house, tropically called calves, were seen to be enemies to the savior, concerning whom it is also said, "Many calves have surrounded me, fat bulls have beset me round," for this reason I will not accept them nor the he-goats counted with them. For even these, offering themselves for sin, sin nonetheless. For know that the once beasts of the wood, the savage men from the nations, being tamed by divine teaching, have become mine, they who were formerly with barrenness; for of this the wood is a symbol. But also the cattle, as it were sheep of Christ, and the oxen that have gone up beyond your house, that is, the shadow of the law, abiding in the doctrines of the gospel (being on mountains because of the height), are our possession. Paul therefore, being an ox of those upon the mountains, when he set forth the law concerning the ox, added, "Is it for oxen that God cares? Or does he say it altogether for our sake?" But also the souls that have become high-flying, winged with right thoughts and actions, are called birds of heaven, which I have known; for I know those who are mine. 525 Ps 49,11b The good ground which received, that is, the upright heart, the seed cast by Jesus, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold, thirtyfold, having the full and ripe fruit, is the beauty of the field, not being far from the sower; for he himself says, "The beauty of the field is with me." 526 Ps 49,12 The savior hungers for the salvation of certain ones, just as, for instance, concerning the salvation of the Samaritan woman he says to the disciples, "I have food to eat that you do not know," and "My food is to do the will of him who sent me." Since therefore those of the circumcision coming from the shadow offer sensible worship to him as to one who is hungry, he says, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you;" for I have as my possession the glorious church, called the inhabited world, and its fullness. And its fullness is the gospel, of which the shadow is a type. Being fed therefore by the fullness of the nations, I will not demand food from you according to the shadow. But if you truly wish to serve me, being your God, sacrifice to me a sacrifice of praise, praising and theologizing; for these are the offerings I accept; "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings." 527 Ps 49,14 He is the same, both God and Most High and deliverer from affliction. And by "sacrifice of praise" he means the just and fitting hymns, and by "vows" the promises; for thus also in the twenty-first psalm he says, "I will pay my vows before them that fear him." 528 Ps 49,16 Since praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, God rebukes the sinner, saying, "Why do you declare my statutes which you are unwilling to perform," "and also, why do you take my covenant in your mouth?" For it was necessary, having received it in your heart and having formed your thoughts according to it, thus to bring forth the words of my covenant. To this agrees, "You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?" and what follows. 529 Ps 49,18-21 But you will understand according to the sense also thus: if ever you saw one with a heterodox mind stealing the will of the truth, consenting you ran with him, but also those attempting to commit adultery with the bride of Christ by distracting to themselves

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διαθέσθαι καὶ συνθέσθαι τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ θυσίαις πνευματικαῖς· θυσίας δὲ τὴν τῆς αἰνέσεως καὶ ει τις αλλη παραπλήσια. τὰς ουν θυσίας ἐφ' ας ἡ πνευματικὴ διαθήκη ἀποδεχόμενος συναχθῆναι αὐτῷ τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ προστάττει, ινα τὰ προειρημένα ἐπιτελέσωσιν. 522 Ps 49,6a ∆ικαιοσύνην προσονομαζόμενον ἀναγγελοῦσιν οἱ οὐρανοί, ανδρες οντες ἱεροὶ φοροῦντες τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου. 523 Ps 49,8 ̓Ελέγχει θεὸς οὐκ ἐπ' αὐτὰ τοῖς προσαγομένοις ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῇ διαθέσει καθ' ην προσάγεται ταῦτα· καὶ τὸν Κάϊν γοῦν ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ ὀρθῶς διῃρηκέναι α εδει προσάγειν ηλεγξεν. καν πνευματικὴν ουν θυσίαν προσφέρῃ τις ὡς ὁλοκαυτώματα διὰ παντελοῦς τὸ σῶμα ἑαυτοῦ, ὀρθῇ γνώμῃ τοῦτο ποιείτω· οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς πραττομένοις ἐπαινετοῖς ουσιν ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῇ γνώμῃ οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐπιτελούσῃ ἐλέγχεταί τις. 524 Ps 49,9-11a ̓Επεὶ οἱ ἐν τῷ οικῳ σου, τροπικῶς λεγόμενοι μόσχοι, πολέμιοι τῷ σωτῆρι ωφθησαν περὶ ων καὶ λέγεται ̓Εκύκλωσάν με μόσχοι πολλοί, ταῦροι πίονες περιέσχον με, τούτου χάριν οὐ δέξομαι αὐτοὺς οὐδὲ τοὺς συγκαταλεγομένους αὐτοῖς χιμάρους. καὶ ουτοι γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας προσάγοντες ἑαυτοὺς οὐδὲν ηττον ἁμαρτάνουσιν. γίνωσκε γὰρ οτι οἱ ποτὲ θῆρες τοῦ δρυμοῦ, οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐξηγριωμένοι ανθρωποι, τῇ θείᾳ διδασκαλίᾳ τιθασσευόμενοι ἐμοὶ γεγένηνται τὸ πρότερον ἀκαρπίᾳ συνόντες· ταύτης γὰρ σύμβολον ὁ δρυμός. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κτήνη οἱονεὶ πρόβατα Χριστοῦ καὶ οἱ βόες οἱ ὑπεραναβάντες σου τὸν οικον, τουτέστιν τὴν τοῦ νόμου σκιὰν ἐν τοῖς δόγμασι τοῦ εὐαγγελίου (διὰ τὸ υψος ορεσιν ουσι) διατρίβοντες κτῆμα ἡμέτερόν εἰσιν. Παῦλος ουν βοῦς ων τῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ορη τὸν περὶ βοὸς ἐκθέμενος νόμον ἐπήγαγεν τὸ Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ; η πάντως περὶ ἡμῶν λέγει; ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ ὑψιπέτεις γενόμεναι ψυχαί, ἑπτερωμέναι νοήσεσι καὶ ἐνεργείαις ὀρθαῖς, πετεινὰ οὐρανοῦ χρηματίζουσιν α εγνωκα ἐγώ· γινώσκων γάρ εἰμι τοὺς οντας ἐμούς. 525 Ps 49,11b ̔Η δεξαμένη ἀγαθὴ γῆ, τουτέστι καρδία ὀρθή, τὸν ὑπὸ ̓Ιησοῦ βαλλόμενον σπόρον καὶ καρποφορήσασα ἑκατὸν ἑξήκοντα τριάκοντα τὸν πλήρη καὶ ωριμον καρπὸν εχουσα ὡραιότης ἐστὶν ἀγροῦ, οὐ μακρὰν ουσα τοῦ σπορέως· αὐτὸς γάρ φησιν ̔Ωραιότης ἀγροῦ μετ' ἐμοῦ ἐστιν. 526 Ps 49,12 Πεινᾷ ὁ σωτὴρ τήν τινων σωτηρίαν, ωσπερ ἀμέλει περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς φησιν ̓Εγὼ βρῶσιν εχω φαγεῖν ην ὑμεῖς οὐκ οιδατε, καὶ ̓Εμὸν βρῶμά ἐστιν ινα ποιήσω τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. ἐπεὶ ουν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς ἐρχόμενοι τῆς σκιᾶς ὡς πεινῶντι αὐτῷ προσάγουσι τὰς αἰσθητὰς λατρείας, φησὶν ̓Εὰν πεινάσω, οὐ μή σοι ειπω· εχω γὰρ κτῆμά μου γεγενημένην τὴν ενδοξον ἐκκλησίαν οἰκουμένην χρηματίζουσαν καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς. πλήρωμα δ' αὐτῆς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ου τύπος ἡ σκιά. τρεφόμενος ουν τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν, οὐκ ἀπαιτήσω σε κατὰ σκιὰν τροφήν· εἰ δὲ θέλεις με τῷ οντι θεραπεύειν θεόν σου τυγχάνοντα, θῦσόν μοι θυσίαν αἰνέσεως αἰνῶν καὶ θεολογῶν· ταύτας γὰρ δέχομαι τὰς προσφοράς· Ελεον γὰρ θέλω η θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ η ὁλοκαυτώματα. 527 Ps 49,14 ̔Ο αὐτός ἐστι θεός τε καὶ υψιστος καὶ ῥυόμενος ἀπὸ θλίψεως. αἰνέσεως δὲ λέγει θυσίαν τοὺς δικαίους πρέποντας υμνους, εὐχὰς δὲ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις· ουτω γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ καὶ εἰκοστῷ λέγει ψαλμῷ Τὰς εὐχάς μου ἀποδώσω ἐνώπιον τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν. 528 Ps 49,16 ̓Επεὶ οὐχ ὡραῖος αινος ἐν στόματι ἁμαρτωλοῦ, τῷ ἁμαρτάνοντι ἐπιπλήττει ὁ θεὸς φάσκων Ινα τί διηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου α ἐπιτελεῖν οὐ θέλεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ινα τί ἀναλαμβάνεις τὴν διαθήκην μου διὰ στόματος; εδει γὰρ ἐν καρδίᾳ σου αὐτὴν δεξάμενον καὶ τυπώσαντά σου κατ' αὐτὴν τὰς νοήσεις ουτω προφέρειν τοὺς λόγους τῆς διαθήκης μου. τούτῳ συνᾴδει τὸ ̔Ο κηρύττων μὴ κλέπτειν κλέπτεις; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 529 Ps 49,18-21 Πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν νοήσεις καὶ ουτως· ει ποτε ἐθεώρεις ἑτεροδόξῳ γνώμῃ κλέπτοντα τὸ βούλημα τῆς ἀληθείας, συναινῶν συνέτρεχες αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύειν πειρωμένους τὴν Χριστοῦ νύμφην τῷ περισπᾶν εἰς αὐτοὺς