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Its fruit is much security and peace, through which your gates will be opened always. According to the historical sense, therefore, "You will fear no enemy," he says. But according to the spiritual sense, 2632 the gates of the city of God are introductory and elementary teachings set forth always for those who run to piety. For this reason he said to bring to you the power of the nations, those who are able to say: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Of whom the chosen kings are those worthy of the heavenly kingdom. But through God all have the entrance into the knowledge of the Son. "For no one can come to me," he says, "unless the Father who sent me draws him." And indeed according to history, rulers and kings of the Romans make their entrance into the Church. But those who did not serve you, he says, the city of God, the most beautiful and saving servitude, will perish. For whom faith does not save, unbelief destroys. And to you the most beautiful and tallest plants in Lebanon will be brought. But the mountain of the foreigners, nourishing trees suitable for building. Understand as such those from the nations who have practiced worldly wisdom, who adorn the Church with the preparation of the word, through whom is glorified the holy place of God, and the place of his feet, that is, the Church, which nourishes and very many heads both raised on high by virtues, and spreading the fragrance of Christ, who also lie far from the corruption of the worldly mindset, which indeed is characteristic of the pine and the cedar. For it is a custom of Scripture to compare the multitude of the saints to such plants. For David also says: "And bread strengthens man's heart. The trees of the plain will be satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon, which you planted." And Paul says: "We are God's field." But some say, that Scripture calls the nations Lebanon, just as it calls Jerusalem Carmel. For it is the mountain of Samaria, just as that one is of the foreigners. It signifies, then, according to history, the timbers supplied for the rebuilding; but according to the spiritual sense, the minds of the just. Then it indicates that those who formerly humbled the Church with persecutions, changed to worship the God in her. For many such have become so. But some say, that Jerusalem has been humbled for having acted insolently toward Christ. But since the remnant has been saved, it has become the mother of nations. For the Romans who humbled her, ran to their faith. And then indeed, he says, You will be called the city of the Lord, Zion. For the Church is the city of God, about which David says: "Glorious things have been spoken of you, O city of God." But some say, "Then," he says, "when the fullness of the nations has come in, and all Israel will be saved." For then one body of peoples will be made from the two. For before the people from the nations was joined to the former Israel, it was not possible for them alone to be called all Israel, being mutilated by the second order of the new Israel. But then both will obtain the one 2633 salvation from God. But some have interpreted it historically, that with the city being in such a state, those who sinned against it will be ashamed, considering what they did. For indeed they made the yoke heavy for the elders, and did not pity the infant, so that for the future Jerusalem would be called the city of the Lord. For just as it has been disregarded because of impiety, so having returned to itself it will be an adornment, not only for that generation, but also for those after it. That is (since when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it) when the transgressing branches of the good olive tree were cut off, the pious of that time are said to have been forsaken, and hated, there being no one to help. But when those from the wild olive tree filled their place, and each people was joined together, by the power of the Savior the fullness of those being saved was established, and one city came into being from both, which is called Zion, to which, when perfected, the following things are promised. But some say that it was humbled because of the outrage against Christ, but will be saved by again recognizing him. So the things that follow: I will make you an eternal exultation, a joy from generation to generation. For where there is hope of incorruptibility in the Church of God, and of endless life, and of glory, and of the kingdom of the heavens, what would it have the

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αὐτοῦ καρπὸς ἡ πολλὴ ἄδεια καὶ εἰρήνη, δι' ἣν ἀνοιχθήσονται πύλαι σου διὰ παντός. Κατὰ μὲν οὖν τὴν ἱστορίαν, Οὐδένα, φησὶ, φοβηθήσῃ πολέμιον. Πρὸς 2632 δὲ νοῦν πύλαι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ πόλεως εἰσακτικαὶ, καὶ στοιχειώδεις διδασκαλίαι προκείμεναι διὰ παντὸς τοῖς τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ προστρέχουσι. ∆ιόπερ εἶπεν εἰσάγειν πρὸς σὲ δύναμιν ἐθνῶν, τοὺς εἰπεῖν δυναμένους· "Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ." Ὧν οἱ ἐξαίρετοι βασιλεῖς, οἱ τῆς ἐπουρανίου βασιλείας ἄξιοι. ∆ιὰ Θεοῦ δὲ πάντες ἔχουσι τὴν εἴσοδον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Υἱοῦ. "Οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός με, φησὶν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ πέμψας ἑλκύσῃ αὐτόν." Καὶ καθ' ἱστορίαν γε μὴν, ἄρχοντες καὶ βασιλεῖς Ῥωμαίων εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ποιοῦνται τὴν εἴσοδον. Οἱ δὲ μὴ δουλεύσαντές σοι, φησὶ, τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ πόλει, τὴν καλλίστην δουλείαν καὶ σωτήριον, ἀπολοῦνται. Ὃν γὰρ μὴ σώζει πίστις, ἀπόλλυσιν ἀπιστία. Σοὶ δὲ τὰ κάλλιστα καὶ ὑψηλότατα τῶν ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ φυτὰ κομισθήσεται. Ἀλλοφύλων δὲ τὸ ὄρος τρέφον δένδρα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν ἐπιτήδεια. Τοιούτους νόει τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν τὴν κοσμικὴν ἠσκημένους σοφίαν, οἳ κοσμοῦσι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τῇ τοῦ λόγου παρασκευῇ, δι' ὧν δοξάζεται ὁ τόπος ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ὁ τόπος τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, δηλαδὴ ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ἥτις τρέφει καὶ πλείστας ὅσας κεφαλὰς ὑψοῦ τε ἠρμένας ἐξ ἀρετῶν, καὶ Χριστὸν εὐωδιαζούσας, οἳ καὶ τῆς τοῦ κοσμικοῦ φρονήματος πόῤῥω κεῖνται φθορᾶς, ὃ δὴ πρόσεστι πεύκῃ καὶ κέδρῳ. Φίλον γὰρ τῇ Γραφῇ τὸ τῶν ἁγίων πλῆθος τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀπεικάζειν φυτοῖς. Φησὶ γὰρ καὶ ∆αβίδ· "Καὶ ἄρτος στηρίζει καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου. Χορτασθήσονται τὰ ξύλα τοῦ πεδίου, αἱ κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου, ἃς ἐφύτευσας." Καὶ Παῦλος δὲ λέγει· "Θεοῦ γεώργιόν ἐσμεν." Τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὡς Λίβανον ἡ Γραφὴ τὰ ἔθνη καλεῖ, ὥσπερ οὖν Κάρμηλον τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Σαμαρείας γὰρ τὸ ὄρος, ὡς ἐκεῖνο τῶν ἀλλοφύλων. ∆ηλοῖ τοίνυν κατὰ μὲν ἱστορίαν, τὰ πρὸς ἀνάκτισιν χορηγηθέντα ξύλα· κατὰ δὲ νοῦν, τὰς γνώμας τῶν δικαίων. Εἶτα δηλοῖ τοὺς πάλαι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῖς διωγμοῖς ταπεινώσαντας, μεταβαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ Θεὸν προσκυνεῖν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασι. Τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὡς τεταπείνωται μὲν Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Χριστὸν παροινήσασα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ σέσωσται τὸ κατάλειμμα, γέγονεν μήτηρ ἐθνῶν. Οἱ γὰρ ταπεινώσαντες ταύτην Ῥωμαῖοι, τῇ τούτων πίστει προσέδραμον. Καὶ τότε δὴ, φησὶ, Κληθήσῃ πόλις Κυρίου Σιών. Θεοῦ γὰρ πόλις ἡ Ἐκκλησία, περὶ ἧς φησιν ὁ ∆αβίδ· "∆εδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ, ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ." Τινὲς δὲ Τότε, φησὶν, ὅτε τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέλθῃ, καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ σωθήσεται. Τότε γὰρ ἓν ἐκ τῶν δύο γενήσεται σῶμα λαῶν. Μήπω γὰρ τοῦ ἐξ ἐθνῶν λαοῦ συναφθέντος τῷ προτέρῳ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐχ οἷόν τε μόνους ἐκείνους πάντα Ἰσραὴλ ὀνομάζεσθαι ἠκρωτηριασμένους τῷ δευτέρῳ τάγματι τοῦ νέου Ἰσραήλ. Ἄμφω δὲ τότε μιᾶς τῆς 2633 παρὰ Θεῷ τεύξονται σωτηρίας. Τινὲς δὲ ἱστορικῶς ἀπέδοσαν, ὡς οὕτω διακειμένης τῆς πόλεως, οἱ εἰς αὐτὴν πλημμελήσαντες αἰσχυνθήσονται, ἐννοοῦντες ἃ ἔδρασαν. Καὶ γὰρ πρεσβυτέρων τὸν ζυγὸν ἐβάρυναν, καὶ νήπιον οὐκ ἠλέησαν, ὥστε λοιπὸν Κυρίου πόλιν καλεῖσθαι τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὡς γὰρ παρῶπται δι' ἀσέβειαν, οὕτως ἐπανελθοῦσα πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἔσται κόσμος, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνῃ τῇ γενεᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς μετ' ἐκείνην. Ἤγουν (ἐπειδὴ πάσχοντος μέλους, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη) τῶν παραβεβηκότων τῆς καλλιελαίου κλάδων ἐκκοπέντων, οἱ τότε θεοσεβεῖς ἐγκαταλελεῖφθαι λέγονται, καὶ μεμισῆσθαι, μὴ ὄντος τοῦ βοηθοῦντος. Τῶν δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀγριελαίου τὴν ἐκείνων ἀναπληρωσάντων χώραν, καὶ συναφθέντος ἑκατέρου λαοῦ, τῇ τοῦ Σωτῆρος δυνάμει συνέστη τῶν σωζομένων τὸ πλήρωμα, μία τε πόλις ἐξ ἀμφοῖν γέγονεν ἡ καλουμένη Σιὼν, ᾗ τελειωθείσῃ ἐπαγγέλλεται τὰ ἑξῆς. Τινὲς δέ φασι τεταπεινῶσθαι μὲν αὐτὴν διὰ τὸ κατὰ Χριστοῦ τόλμημα, σωθήσεσθαι δὲ τοῦτον πάλιν ἐπιγινώσκουσαν. Τὰ δ' οὖν ἐπαγόμενα· Θήσω σε ἀγαλλίαμα αἰώνιον, εὐφροσύνην γενεῶν γενεαῖς. Ὅπου γὰρ ἐλπὶς ἀφθαρσίας ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀτελευτήτου τε ζωῆς, καὶ δόξης, καὶ βασιλείας, οὐρανῶν, ποίαν ἔχοι τὸ