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of all those having the same virtue as them. And that this is true, pay attention to what is written in Ezekiel; for this prophet came during the time of the captivity. For it is written in this same Ezekiel, that God says in his threats to Israel: If I bring a sword upon the land and Noah and Job and Daniel are found in it, the sword will not come upon them—and yet the men he mentions had been born thousands of years before. For Noah was before the flood, and Job, being the fifth from Abraham, existed many, many years before the prophecy. What then can we say about these things, except that he homonymously named those who have the same virtues as them? And if this is so, it is clear that all who become faithful servants happen to be according to Moses, and similarly for the others. 958 Ps 98,7 He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud. And from this we learn that according to Scripture there is a so-called collective manner, in which when it has named several, it reports the attributes of individuals as if about all of them. For although he spoke to Moses alone in a pillar of cloud, it now speaks of it concerning all of them. You will also find a figure of such a narrative in the Epistle to the Hebrews. For when all those who pleased through faith have been enumerated, it collectively speaks of the actions or suffering of individuals concerning all: 'They were sawn in two, they were stoned,' and what follows. What it means for God to speak in a pillar of cloud must now be understood. Perhaps, then, since the word of God is firm and unswerving, it is fittingly called a pillar, just as the church that received it is a pillar and foundation of the truth; but since it is also drinkable and a cause of fruits, coming like rain into the minds of men, it is a pillar of cloud. Perhaps also through this the Savior's descent here was foretold, according to which, mounting a light cloud, he came to Egypt, the place on earth. It is characteristic of a perfect man who has all the virtues to keep all the testimonies and commandments of God.

959 Ps 99,2b To go out from the face of the Lord God is opposed by

entering before him. So just as Cain, going out from the face of the Lord God, did not leave a place where the face of God was to be in another place, but having become bereft of right thoughts about God, he went outside his face, embracing improvidence and godlessness so as to no longer have an image or concept of God's appearance; so to enter before the Lord is to consider him to be present through thought. For he who from the greatness and beauty of created things has analogously contemplated their Creator has, by transcending the whole world, entered into the very thought of God, so as to stand continually before the Lord, according to the one who says, 'As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand.' 960 Ps 99,4 The gates of the Lord are the particular virtues, about which it is also said elsewhere, 'Open to me the gates of righteousness,' so that, having passed through his gates into the courts of God, having entered with hymns concerning theology, they may give thanks to God.

961 Ps 100,1b He who now sings soothes and calms the characters of his hearers,

praising through the ode God as judge of the deeds of men; then since his judgment is exact, examining not only manifest things but also the secrets of the heart, he brings it on with a good purpose. For if he were to look at us according to the worth of our works and words and thoughts, we would be utterly destroyed; therefore, that this may not happen, he has mercy before the judgment; For if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, who shall stand? But since with you there is propitiation (for you are a fount of goodness and mercy), we are confident that in mercy and judgment you examine our affairs

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πάντων τῶν ἐχόντων τὴν αὐτὴν αὐτοῖς ἀρετήν. καὶ οτι τοῦτο ἀλήθειά ἐστιν, ἐπίστησον τοῖς ἐν τῷ ̔Ιεζεκιὴλ γεγραμμένοις· γέγονε δὲ ουτος ὁ προφήτης κατὰ τὸν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας καιρόν. γέγραπται γοῦν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ̔Ιεζεκιήλ, λέγων ὁ θεὸς ἐν ταῖς πρὸς τὸν ̓Ισραὴλ ἀπειλαῖς ̓Εὰν ῥομφαίαν ἐπάξω ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐπ' αὐτῇ Νῶε καὶ ̓Ιὼβ καὶ ∆ανιήλ, ἐπὶ τούτους οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται ἡ ῥομφαία-καίτοι πρὸ μυρίων ἐτῶν γεγενημένων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ων μνημονεύει. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Νῶε πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ γεγένηται, ̓Ιὼβ δὲ πέμπτος ων ἀπὸ ̓Αβραὰμ πρὸ πάνυ πολλῶν ἐτῶν τῆς προφητείας ὑπῆρξε. τί ουν εχομεν περὶ τούτων εἰπεῖν η οτι τοὺς τὰς αὐτὰς ἀρετὰς εχοντας ὁμωνύμως αὐτοῖς ὠνόμασεν; εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ουτως εχει, δῆλον οτι καὶ οἱ πιστοὶ θεράποντες γενόμενοι πάντες κατὰ Μωυσέα τυγχάνουσι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν αλλων ὁμοίως. 958 Ps 98,7 ̓Εν στύλῳ νεφέλης ἐλάλει πρὸς αὐτούς. καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν ειναι τὸν καλούμενον συλληπτικὸν τρόπον, ος αν πλείονας ὠνόμασε τὰ τοῖς κατὰ μέρος προσόντα, ὡς περὶ πάντων ἀπαγγέλλει. μόνῳ γοῦν Μωυσῇ λαλήσαντος ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης, περὶ πάντων αὐτὸ νῦν φθέγγεται. εὑρήσεις δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ Πρὸς ̔Εβραίους ἐπιστολῇ σχῆμα τοιαύτης διηγήσεως. ἀπαριθμηθέντων γὰρ πάντων τῶν διὰ πίστεως εὐαρεστησάντων, τὰς τῶν κατὰ μέρος πράξεις η πάθος συλλήβδην αμα λέγει περὶ πάντων ̓Επρίσθησαν ἐλιθάσθησαν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τί δὲ βούλεται τὸ ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης τὸν θεὸν λαλεῖν, ηδη κατανοητέον. μήποτ' ουν ἐπεὶ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος βέβαιος καὶ ἀκλινής ἐστι, στῦλος εἰκότως καλεῖται ὡς τὴν καταδεξαμένην αὐτὸν ἐκκλησίαν στῦλον καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας ειναι· ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ καὶ πότιμος καὶ καρπῶν αιτιός ἐστιν ὑετοῦ δίκην εἰς τὰς διανοίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐρχόμενος, στῦλος νεφέλης ἐστι. Τάχα δὲ καὶ προεθεσπίζετο διὰ τούτου ἡ τοῦ σωτῆρος δεῦρο κάθοδος καθ' ην ἐπιβὰς κούφης νεφέλης εἰς Αιγυπτον ηκε τὸν περὶ γῆν τόπον. Τελείου δὲ ἀνδρὸς καὶ εχοντος πάσας τὰς ἀρετὰς τὸ πάντα τὰ μαρτύρια καὶ προστάγματα τοῦ θεοῦ φυλάσσειν.

959 Ps 99,2b ̓Αντίκειται τῷ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ

εἰσελθεῖν ἐνώπιον. ὡς τοίνυν ἐξελθὼν ὁ Κάϊν ἀπὸ προσώπου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ τόπον καταλείψας ἐν ῳ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν αλλῳ τόπῳ γεγένηται ἀλλ' ερημος τῶν περὶ θεοῦ ὀρθῶν ἐννοιῶν γεγενημένος, εξω τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἐχώρησεν, ἀπρονοησίαν καὶ ἀθεΐαν ἀσπασάμενος ὡς μηκέτι φαντασίαν η εννοιαν εχειν ἐπιφανείας θεοῦ· ουτω τὸ εἰσιέναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου τὸ διὰ νοήσεως ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτὸν παρόντα τυγχάνειν. ὁ γὰρ ἐκ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως τὸν γενεσιουργὸν αὐτῶν θεασάμενος πάντα τὸν κόσμον ὑπερβὰς εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν περὶ θεοῦ νόησιν εἰσελήλυθεν, ὡς ἐνώπιον κυρίου διαπαντὸς ἑστάναι κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα Ζῇ κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων ῳ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. 960 Ps 99,4 Πύλαι τοῦ κυρίου αἱ κατ' ειδος ἀρεταὶ περὶ ων καὶ ἐν αλλοις ειρηται ̓Ανοίξατέ μοι πύλας δικαιοσύνης, ινα ὑπερβάντες τὰς πύλας αὐτοῦ ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ θεολογίαν υμνοις εἰσεληλυθότες εὐχαρίστως ἐξομολογήσωνται τῷ θεῷ.

961 Ps 100,1b ̔Ο νῦν ᾳδων πραΰνει καὶ καταστέλλει τὰ ηθη τῶν ἀκροατῶν,

διὰ τῆς ᾠδῆς κριτὴν τὸν θεὸν τῶν πραττομένων ἀνθρώποις ὑμνῶν· ειτ' ἐπεὶ ἀκριβής ἐστιν αὐτοῦ ἡ κρίσις οὐ τὰ φανερὰ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας ἐξετάζουσα, σὺν χρηστῇ προθέσει ἐπάγει αὐτήν. εἰ γάρ τοι πρὸς ἀξίαν τῶν εργων καὶ λόγων καὶ ἐνθυμημάτων ἡμῶν σκοπήσαι, αρδην ἀπολώμεθα· ιν' ουν μὴ τοῦτο γένηται, πρὸ τῆς κρίσεως ἐλεεῖ· ̓Εὰν γὰρ ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃ, κύριε, τίς ὑποστήσεται; ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ παρὰ σοὶ ὁ ἱλασμός ἐστιν (πηγὴ γὰρ τυγχάνεις ἀγαθότητος καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης), θαρροῦμεν οτι ἐλέῳ καὶ κρίσει ἐξετάζοντός σου τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς