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The divisions of the river, they say, make glad the city of God. You will understand 23.409 the divisions by hearing Paul say: There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle. But according to Symmachus: The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. For the city being great and large, there is something exceptional about it. For of those in the Church, the rest of the multitude is great, but rare are those dedicated to holiness, keeping the commandment that says: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. And in these holy ones the tabernacle of the Most High is said to be; for in them alone the voice of God which says has a place: I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her at the break of dawn. But another says again: I think he alludes to the morning gatherings, in which we are accustomed to assemble in the churches throughout the world. And in another way, the saying arouses us and urges us to morning prayers; so that we might offer to him, as it were, the first fruits of our own lives; for at these times the purified mind, being especially undisturbed, is accustomed to minister to God in the manner of a priest. Diapsalma. Nations were in an uproar, kingdoms tottered; he gave his voice, the earth was shaken. Here he introduces the men who dwell on the earth being troubled, and the kingdoms on earth arming themselves against the Church, and raising war against the word of the Gospel. Then, just as in battles, when the side of the victors prevails, the opposition is thrown into confusion and takes to flight; so now, with the word of the Gospel being victorious, nations were in an uproar and kingdoms tottered, or, kingdoms were overturned, according to Symmachus. But also when he gave his voice, the earth was dissolved. For when the word of the Gospel had recently come into the world, the nations were astonished, and defending their former superstition, were stirred up; and their kings rose up against the Church. But since God was her refuge, they were all overthrown, our Savior having given nothing more than a voice. For he gave his voice, and it was shaken. What voice but that through the preaching of his apostles? Rightly, therefore, we who said above: Our God is our refuge and strength, repeat the same confession, saying, that not by our own power were so many great achievements accomplished, but the Lord of hosts who worked these things was with us. And he was our helper, the God of Jacob. And opportunely here also they made mention of the God of Jacob, referring us to the one who appeared to Jacob in the form of a man. For 23.412, it says, a man wrestled with him, who also said to him: Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name; for you have prevailed with God. And Jacob arose and called the name of that place, Form of God, saying: For I have seen God face to face. For this is that very one who appeared to Jacob in the form of a man. He is the Lord of hosts who is with us, and he is our helper, the God of Jacob. For through him we have accomplished all the things written before. Come and see the works of the Lord, what wonders he has set on the earth, abolishing wars to the ends of the earth. He will break the bow, and shatter the weapon, and burn the shields with fire. It is possible, paying attention to the times, to understand these very things as fulfilled literally; since before the appearance of our Savior there were local rulers and toparchies in country and in city; and wars were waged in every corner of the earth;

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Τοῦ ποταμοῦ, φασὶν, αἱ διαιρέσεις εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Νοήσεις 23.409 δὲ τὰς διαιρέσεις ἀκούων Παύλου λέγοντος· ∆ιαιρέσεις χαρισμάτων εἰσὶ, τὸ δ' αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα· καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Κύριος· καὶ διαιρέσεις εἰσὶν ἐνεργημάτων, ὁ δ' αὐτὸς Θεὸς, ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. Ἡγίασε τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος. Κατὰ δὲ τὸν Σύμμαχον· Τὸ ἅγιον τῆς κατασκηνώσεως τοῦ Ὑψίστου. Μεγάλης γὰρ οὔσης καὶ πολλῆς τῆς πόλεως, ἔστι τι αὐτῆς τὸ ἐξαίρετον. Τῶν γὰρ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πολὺ μὲν τὸ ἄλλο πλῆθος, σπανίοι δὲ οἱ τῇ ἁγιοσύνῃ προσανακείμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν τὴν λέγουσαν· Ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν ἅγιος, φυλάττοντες. Καὶ ἐν τούτοις τε τοῖς ἁγίοις ἡ κατασκήνωσις λέλεκται εἶναι τοῦ Ὑψίστου· ἐν μόνοις γὰρ αὐτοῖς χώραν ἔχει ἡ φάσκουσα τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνή· Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω· καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν Θεὸς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι λαός. Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς οὐ σαλευθήσεται· βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς τῷ πρωῒ, πρωΐ. Ἕτερος δὲ πάλιν φησίν· Οἶμαι αὐτὸν αἰνίττεσθαι τὰς πρωϊνὰς συνόδους, ἐν αἷς εἰώθαμεν κατὰ τὰς ἁπανταχοῦ γῆς ἐκκλησίας συγκροτεῖσθαι. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ διεγείρει ἡμᾶς τὸ λόγιον καὶ παρορμᾷ ἐπὶ τὰς ἑωθινὰς προσευχάς· ἵν' ὥσπερ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῆς ἑαυτῶν ζωῆς ἀναφέροιμεν αὐτῷ· κατὰ γὰρ τούτους τοὺς καιροὺς ἀτάραχος οὖσα μάλιστα ἡ κεκαθαρμένη διάνοια, ἱερέως τρόπον λειτουργεῖν εἴωθε τῷ Θεῷ. ∆ιάψαλμα. Ἐταράχθησαν ἔθνη, ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι· ἔδωκε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ. Ἐνταῦθα τοὺς τὴν γῆν οἰκοῦντας ἀνθρώπους εἰσάγει ταραττομένους, τάς τε ἐπὶ γῆς βασιλείας ὁπλιζομένας κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ πόλεμον αἰρομένας κατὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ λόγου. Εἶθ' ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς συμβολαῖς, ἐπικρατοῦντος τοῦ τῶν νικώντων μέρους, τὸ ἐναντίον ταράττεται καὶ εἰς φυγὴν χωρεῖ· οὕτω καὶ νῦν, νικῶντος τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ λόγου, ἐταράχθησαν ἔθνη καὶ ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι, ἢ, περιετράπησαν βασιλεῖαι, κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ διδόντος φωνὴν αὐτοῦ διελύθη ἡ γῆ. Τοῦ γὰρ εὐαγγελικοῦ λόγου νεωστὶ περιιόντος εἰς τὸν βίον, ξενιζόμενα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ τὴν προτέραν αὐτῶν δεισιδαιμονίαν διεκδικοῦντα συνεκινήθη· οἵ τε τούτων βασιλεῖς ἐπανέστησαν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ὁ Θεὸς καταφυγὴ αὐτῆς ἦν, οἱ πάντες ἀνετράπησαν, πλέον οὐδὲν ἢ φωνὴν μόνην τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν δεδωκότος. Ἔδωκε γὰρ φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δ' ἐσαλεύετο. Ποίαν δὲ φωνὴν ἢ τὴν διὰ τοῦ κηρύγματος τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ; Εἰκότως οὖν πάλιν ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀνωτέρω εἰρηκότες· Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις, τὴν αὐτὴν ὁμολογίαν ἐπαναλαμβάνομεν λέγοντες, ὅτι μὴ ἐξ ἡμετέρας δυνάμεως τὰ τοσαῦτα κατορθώματα, ἀλλ' ἦν μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ ταῦτα ἐνεργῶν Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων. Αὐτός τε ἦν ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Εὐκαίρως δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐμνημόνευσαν, ἀναπέμποντες ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν ὀφθέντα τῷ Ἰακὼβ ἐν σχήματι ἀνδρός. Ἐπάλαισε 23.412 γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπος μετ' αὐτοῦ, ὃς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἔτι κληθήσεται τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἰακὼβ, ἀλλ' Ἰσραὴλ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου· ὅτι ἐνίσχυσας μετὰ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἀναστὰς Ἰακὼβ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου, Εἶδος Θεοῦ, εἰπών· Εἶδον γὰρ Θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον. Οὗτος γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἐν ἀνθρώπου σχήματι τῷ Ἰακὼβ φανείς. Αὐτὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων ὁ μεθ' ἡμῶν, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. ∆ι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ τὰ προγεγραμμένα πάντα κατωρθώσαμεν. ∆εῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Κυρίου, ἃ ἔθετο τέρατα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀνταναιρῶν πολέμους μέχρι τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς. Τόξον συντρίψει, καὶ συγκλάσει ὅπλον, καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαύσει ἐν πυρί. Ἔστι γε, ἐπιστήσαντα τοῖς χρόνοις, καὶ πρὸς λέξιν αὐτὰ ταῦτα πεπληρωμένα παραλαβεῖν· εἴ γε πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφανείας τοποκρατίαι καὶ τοπαρχίαι κατὰ χώρας ἦσαν καὶ κατὰ πόλεις· πόλεμοί τε συνίσταντο καθ' ἑκάστην γωνίαν τῆς γῆς·