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of salvation." Concerning which David also says: "This is the day which the Lord has made." Upon these things he says: And I have given you for a covenant of the nations, to establish the earth, to inherit 2473 desolate inheritances; or according to Symmachus, To raise up the earth, and to give as an inheritance inheritances that had disappeared. Such were the souls of the godless, desolate of God, and truly having disappeared. And they were also prisoners in the chains of sin. And once darkness, but now light in the Lord. He therefore established such an earth, which was troubled with evils. That is, He delivered all those on earth from the impending storm, and made them His own inheritance, having long ago only Israel. And He proclaims the good news to those freed from bonds and darkness, saying: In all the ways they shall be fed. And the ways and paths, which the god-fearing of old travelled, are the divine Scriptures; that is, the practices of the virtues, formerly inaccessible to those from the nations, in which all being fed enjoy rational nourishment, and partaking of which they say: The Lord shepherds me, and I shall want nothing, and the things that follow this. How then do they [not] still endure hunger of soul, or thirst, which they had of old when not instructed by the law or the prophets? But one who has changed according to Christ, is in spiritual nourishment, as Isaiah says: "He shall dwell in a high cave of a strong rock. Bread shall be given to him, and his water shall be sure. "But neither shall the flame of life strike them, which is called burning heat and sun. For Christ has become their protector, who also of old covered Israel with a cloud. In agreement with this is the saying of the Apostle: "But God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able." And this is the comfort of Him who has mercy on us. And through springs, he says, of waters He will lead them. And there are many springs of Israel, and springs of salvation, some of the Old Testament, some of the New. And nothing is impassable for them as they journey on the way of salvation. For the prophet said also before: "And every valley shall be filled," and the things related to this. And again, "The way of the ungodly became straight." That is, he says that the crooked and uneven parts of their characters are made smooth. Then he says that the called will come from every part of the world, having mentioned the four corners. For "from afar" indicates the southern region of the midday places, which is incomprehensible to us. And the sea indicates the west, being more westerly than Judea. Just as the land of the Persians represents the east. And perhaps, they say, it indicates the Magi who worshipped him. For this is indicated also by, "To him shall be given of the gold of Arabia." For now Arabia is meant to signify the country of the Persians. Then he calls creation to a festival for those who have been saved; through heaven, the powers there, who also rejoice over one sinner who repents. And through earth, all who were in it and were expecting, and have been deemed worthy of the theophany. Thus also Simeon, rejoicing, said: "Now 2476 you are releasing your servant, O Master," and what follows. But having feasted beforehand, they say, the prophet on the future salvation of all, urges all things intelligible and sensible to rejoice with him. For if creation is said to groan because of our evils, it follows that it rejoices for those who are being saved. And by mountains he means rational powers raised on high, or the preachers of the Gospels. For by announcing Christ they filled the earth with spiritual gladness. But instead of "let the mountains break forth into gladness," Symmachus has: "the mountains shall be gladdened over all." And Aquila: "sing, O mountains, a praise" they said. And you might say that the mountains more properly signify souls still living on earth, but strongly raised on high through the attainment of the virtues. And he says that the humbled who have received mercy are those previously indicated from the four corners, whom Christ rescued from the tyranny of the devil, making them partakers of the divine Spirit. And 'humbled,' either as having been humbled by sins before, and having inclined their mind to the earth. Or as having bent the neck to Christ, while those who resist him raise their horn and speak injustice against him. ιδʹκʹ. 9But Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord

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σωτηρίας." Περὶ ἧς φησι καὶ ∆αβίδ· "Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα, ἣν ἐποίησεν ὁ Κύριος." Ἐπὶ τούτοις φησί· Καὶ ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην ἐθνῶν τοῦ· καταστῆσαι τὴν γῆν, κληρονομῆσαι κληρονομίας 2473 ἐρήμους· ἢ κατὰ Σύμμαχον Ἀνεγεῖραι τὴν γῆν, καὶ κληροδοτῆσαι κληροδοσίας ἠφανισμένας. Τοιαῦται δὲ ἦσαν αἱ τῶν ἀθέων ψυχαὶ, ἔρημοι Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀληθῶς ἠφανισμέναι. Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ σειραῖς ἁμαρτημάτων δεσμώτιδες. Καί ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ. Τὴν οὖν τοιαύτην κατέστησε γῆν τεθορυβημένην κακοῖς. Ἤγουν, πάντας τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ τῆς ἐπικειμένης ἀπήλλαξε ζάλης, καὶ κλῆρον ἴδιον ἐποιήσατο, μόνον ἔχων πάλαι τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Τοὺς δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ σκότους ἠλευθερωμένους εὐαγγελίζεται, λέγων· Ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς βοσκηθήσονται. Ὁδοὶ δὲ καὶ τρίβοι, ἃς διώδευσαν οἱ πάλαι θεοσεβεῖς, αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαί· ἤγουν, αἱ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπιτηδεύσεις ἄβατοι τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν ὑπάρχουσαι πρότερον, ἐν αἷς βοσκόμενοι πάντες λογικῆς τροφῆς ἀπολαύουσιν, ἣν καὶ νεμόμενοί φασι· Κύριος ποιμαίνει με, καὶ οὐδέν με ὑστερήσει, καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἑπόμενα. Πῶς οὖν [οὐκ] ὑπομένουσιν ἔτι ψυχῆς πεῖναν, ἢ δίψαν, ἃς εἶχον πάλαι μὴ νόμῳ, μὴ προφήταις παιδαγωγούμενοι; Μεταβαλὼν δέ τις κατὰ Χριστὸν, ἐν εὐτροφίᾳ γίνεται νοητῇ, λέγοντος Ἡσαΐου· "Αὐτὸς οἰκήσει ἐν ὑψηλῷ σπηλαίῳ πέτρας ἰσχυρᾶς. Ἄρτος αὐτῷ δοθήσεται, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῦ πιστόν. "Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ φλογμὸς τοῦ βίου πατάξει αὐτοὺς, λεγόμενος καύσων καὶ ἥλιος. Γέγονε γὰρ αὐτοῖς σκεπαστὴς ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ καὶ πάλαι νεφέλῃ σκεπάσας τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Σύμφωνον τούτῳ τὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου ῥητόν· "∆υνατὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ὃς οὐκ ἐάσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε." Καὶ αὕτη τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος ἡμᾶς ἡ παράκλησις. Καὶ διὰ πηγῶν, φησὶν, ὑδάτων ἄξει αὐτούς. Πολλαὶ δὲ πηγαὶ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ πηγαὶ σωτηρίου, αἱ μὲν τῆς Παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης, αἱ δὲ τῆς Καινῆς. Οὐδὲν δὲ δύσβατον αὐτοῖς τὴν σωτήριον ὁδοιποροῦσιν ὁδόν. Ἔφη γὰρ ὁ προφήτης καὶ πρότερον· "Καὶ πᾶσα φάραγξ πληρωθήσεται," καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τούτῳ. Καὶ πάλιν "Ὁδὸς ἀσεβῶν εὐθεῖα ἐγένετο." Ἤγουν ὁμαλίζεσθαι τὰ σκολιὰ καὶ ἀνώμαλά φησι τῶν ἠθῶν. Εἶτα τοὺς κεκλημένους πανταχόθεν ἥξειν τῆς οἰκουμένης φησὶ, τῶν τεσσάρων κλιμάτων μνησθείς. Τὸ γὰρ πόῤῥωθεν, τὸ νότειον δηλοῖ τῶν μεσημβρινῶν τόπων ἡμῖν ἀκατάληπτον. Ἡ δὲ θάλασσα τὴν ἑσπέραν δηλοῖ, δυτικωτέρα τῆς Ἰουδαίας ὑπάρχουσα. Ὥσπερ οὖν τὴν ἀνατολὴν ἡ Περσῶν παρίστησι γῆ. ∆ηλοῖ δὲ τάχα, φασὶ, τοὺς προσκυνήσαντας Μάγους αὐτῷ. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῦν, καὶ τὸ, "∆οθήσεται αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ χρυσίου τῆς Ἀραβίας." Νῦν γὰρ Ἀραβίαν τὴν Περσῶν χώραν σημαίνεσθαι. Εἶτα πρὸς ἐορτὴν τὴν κτίσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς σεσωσμένοις καλεῖ· δι' οὐρανοῦ μὲν, τὰς ἐκεῖ δυνάμεις, αἳ καὶ ἐφ' ἑνὶ χαίρουσιν ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι. ∆ιὰ γῆς δὲ, τοὺς ὅσοιπερ ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ προσεδόκων, καὶ τῆς θεοφανείας ἠξίωνται. Οὕτω καὶ Συμεὼν εὐφραινόμενος ἔλεγεν· "Νῦν 2476 ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, ∆έσποτα," καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Προεστιαθεὶς δὲ, φασὶν, ὁ προφήτης τῇ μελλούσῃ πάντων σωτηρίᾳ, συνευφραίνεσθαι αὐτῷ νοητὰ καὶ αἰσθητὰ πάντα προτρέπεται. Εἰ γὰρ στένειν ἡ κτίσις ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμετέροις λέγεται κακοῖς, ἀκόλουθον ἐπὶ σωζομένοις εὐφραίνεσθαι. Ὄρη δὲ λέγει λογικὰς δυνάμεις ἠρμένας ὑψοῦ, ἢ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων τοὺς κήρυκας. Χριστὸν γὰρ ἀγγέλλοντες νοητῆς εὐφροσύνης ἐπλήρουν τὴν γῆν. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ ῥηξάτωσαν τὰ ὄρη εὐφροσύνην· ὁ Σύμμαχος· Ἱλαρευθήσεται ὄρη ἐπὶ πᾶσιν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας· κελαδήσατε, ὄρη, αἴνεσιν ἔλεξαν. Εἴποις δ' ἂν τὰ ὄρη δηλοῦν οἰκειότερον ψυχὰς ἐπὶ γῆς μὲν ἔτι βιούσας, σφόδρα δὲ πρὸς ὕψος ἠρμένας διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρετῶν κατορθώσεως. Ταπεινοὺς δὲ ἠλεημένους φησὶ τοὺς προδεδηλωμένους ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων κλημάτων, οὓς ἐκ τῆς διαβολικῆς ὁ Χριστὸς τυραννίδος ἐῤῥύσατο, θείου Πνεύματος μετόχους ἀπεργασάμενος. Ταπεινοὺς δὲ, ἢ ὡς τεταπεινωμένους ἁμαρτήμασι πρότερον, καὶ νεύσαντας εἰς γῆν τῷ φρονήματι. Ἢ ὡς ὑποκύψαντας τῷ Χριστῷ τὸν αὐχένα, τῶν ἀνθισταμένων αὐτῷ ὑψούντων κέρας καὶ λαλούντων ἀδικίαν κατ' αὐτοῦ. ιδʹκʹ. 9Εἶπε δὲ Σιών· Ἐγκατέλιπέ με Κύριος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος