275

leading not outside of it, but within it. And rejoice in it, he says, all you who see this new and recent establishment and you who have long and for a great while mourned to receive it, such as Paul was when he said: "we who are in this tent groan, being burdened," "longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven," but now that you have received it, which you longed for, groaning and mourning, "rejoice and be glad" as you are about to be filled with the milk in it. For it is fitting that she, having suddenly born a male people to God, should also be filled with milk for the nourishment of her infants; which "spiritual milk" will flow from her two breasts, that is, of the old and new covenant. For from both of these her breasts, about which it is also said in the Song: "that your breasts are better than wine," watering her own infants with "spiritual and pure milk" she will bring forth perfect men. Therefore, the words of exhortation and comfort for less perfect souls were properly called "milk," with "solid food" being understood as mystical doctrines and in the contemplative insights laid up in the divine scriptures. But you, the children of the new Jerusalem, "newborn infants," rejoice at hearing these things, since indeed you are about to enjoy them and delight in the promises of God. After these things it is said: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will turn toward them like a river of peace and like a flooding torrent the glory of the nations. Again here he joins the glory of the nations to the aforementioned new Zion and the new Jerusalem, and he compares the peace to be given to the nations to a flooding river, which he also presented in other places, saying: "the river of God is full of water," and: "the streams of the river make glad the city of God." And indeed, as a most profound peace like a river irrigates the church of God with its great current, he says their children will be lifted onto shoulders and comforted on knees. And above he also used the same promises, signifying how certain "nurses," that is, teachers and leaders of the church of God genuinely or certain divine and heavenly angels, support those who are still infants of the church, since indeed they are fed with milk. For our savior revealed this when he said: "do not despise one of the little ones" in my church; "for their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." Therefore, the stronger will carry the weaker on their shoulders and comfort them on their knees. Just as a mother will comfort her own children, I myself, the Lord, since I am indeed the father of them all, will comfort the comforters of the inferior ones. When these things are thus accomplished, he says, you will see, and your heart will rejoice. And what will you see but clearly God? and your bones will spring up like grass, or according to Symmachus: will flourish like green grass, and the hand of the Lord will be known to those who fear him. And this will be the end of the promises: "you will see God," for which reason the savior also called these blessed, saying: "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." And so it will be known to all that it was not the hand of men nor human power that accomplished such great things, but truly the hand of God himself, which will be known to those who fear him; for having received the "fear" that comes from the "wisdom" of God, "for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," they will understand that such wondrous grace would not have proceeded to men without the hand of God. Therefore, these will have the knowledge of these things, but to those who are not such, the word next threatens the things that follow. 2.58 To those who have been revealed, he promises the things foretold, but to those who have gone the opposite way, having said he will threaten with a threat, he consequently teaches the manner of the threat, presenting the second and glorious coming of the savior, when

275

ἄγοντας οὐκ ἐκτὸς αὐτῆς, ἀλλ' ἐν αὐτῇ. καὶ χάρητε δὲ ἐπ' αὐτῇ φησι πάντες οἱ ὁρῶντες αὐτὴν τὴν καινὴν καὶ νέαν σύστασιν καὶ οἱ πάλαι καὶ ἐκ μακροῦ πενθοῦντες ἐπὶ τῷ ἀπολαβεῖν αὐτήν, οἷος ἦν Παῦλος λέγων· «ἡμεῖς οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῷ σκήνει στενάζομεν βαρούμενοι», «τὸ οἰκητήριον ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπενδύσασθαι ἐπιποθοῦντες», ἀλλὰ νῦν ἀπολαβόντες, ἣν πάλαι στένοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες ἐπιποθεῖτε, «χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε» ὡς ἂν μέλλοντες ἐμπίπλασθαι τοῦ ἐν αὐτῇ γάλακτος. ἀκόλουθον γάρ ἐστιν αὐτὴν ἀθρόως γεννήσασαν λαὸν τῷ θεῷ ἄρρενα, καὶ γάλακτος πληροῦσθαι εἰς ἐκτροφὴν τῶν αὐτῆς νηπίων· ὃ δὴ «λογικὸν γάλα» ἀπὸ τῶν δύο θηλῶν αὐτῆς ῥεύσει, παλαιᾶς δηλαδὴ καὶ νέας διαθήκης. ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἑαυτῆς μαζῶν, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἄισματι· «ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ οἱ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον» τοῖς ἑαυτῆς νηπίοις ἐπάρδουσα «τὸ λογικὸν καὶ ἄδολον γάλα» ἄνδρας προσάξει τελείους. οἱ οὖν λόγοι οἱ παρακλητικοὶ καὶ παραμυθητικοὶ τῶν ἀτελεστέρων ψυχῶν «γάλα» κυρίως ὠνομάσθησαν, «τῆς στερεᾶς τροφῆς» ἐν δόγμασι μυστικῆς νοουμένης καὶ ἐν θεωρήμασι τοῖς ἐν ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς ἀποκειμένοις. ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς, τὰ τέκνα τῆς νέας Ἰερουσαλήμ, «τὰ ἀρτιγέννητα βρέφη», εὐφραίνεσθε τούτων ἀκροώμενοι, ἅτε δὴ μέλλοντες αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσειν καὶ κατεντρυφᾶν ἐν ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπαγγελίαις. Τούτοις ἑξῆς εἴρηται· ὅτι τάδε λέγει κύριος Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ κλίνω εἰς αὐτοὺς ὡς ποταμὸς εἰρήνης καὶ ὡς χειμάρρους ἐπικλύζων δόξαν ἐθνῶν. πάλιν κἀνταῦθα τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν δόξαν συνάπτων τῇ προλεχθείσῃ νέᾳ Σιὼν καὶ τῇ νέᾳ Ἰερουσαλήμ, τὴν δὲ δοθησομένην τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εἰρήνην ποταμῷ κατακλύζοντι παραβάλλει, ὃν καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις παρίστη λέγων· «ὁ ποταμὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπληρώθη ὑδάτων», καί· «τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ θεοῦ». καὶ δὴ βαθυτάτης εἰρήνης δίκην ποταμοῦ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ πολλῷ τῷ ῥεύματι ἀρδευούσης τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐπ' ὤμων ἀρθήσονται καὶ ἐπὶ γονάτων παρακληθήσονταί φησι. καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ ταῖς αὐταῖς ἐκέχρητο ἐπαγγελίαις σημαίνων ὡς τοὺς ἔτι νηπίους τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἅτε δὴ γάλακτι τρεφομένους «τιθηνοί» τινες ὑποβαστάζουσιν, ἤτοι διδάσκαλοι καὶ προεστῶτες τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ γνησίως ἢ θεῖοί τινες καὶ οὐράνιοι ἄγγελοι. τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδήλου ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν λέγων· «μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν» τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ μου· «οἱ γὰρ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς». οἱ μὲν οὖν δυνατώτεροι τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους βαστάξουσιν ἐπ' ὤμων καὶ ἐπὶ γονάτων παρακαλέσουσιν. ὡσπερεί τις μήτηρ τὰ ἑαυτῆς παρακαλέσει τέκνα, κἀγὼ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος, ἅτε δὴ πάντων αὐτῶν ὑπάρχων πατήρ, παρακαλέσω τοὺς τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων παρακλήτορας. Τούτων οὕτως ἐπιτελουμένων ὄψεσθέ φησι, καὶ χαρήσεται ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν. τί δὲ ὄψεσθε ἢ δηλαδὴ τὸν θεόν; καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ ὑμῶν ὡς βοτάνη ἀνατελεῖ, ἢ κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον· ὡς χλόη ἀνθήσει, καὶ γνωσθήσεται ἡ χεὶρ κυρίου τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. καὶ τοῦτο τέλος ἔσται τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν, τό· «ὄψεσθε τὸν θεόν», διὸ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ τούτους ἐμακάριζεν λέγων· «μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται». οὕτω δὲ καὶ γνωσθήσεται τοῖς πᾶσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀνθρώπων ἦν χεὶρ οὐδ' ἀνθρωπίνη δύναμις ἡ τὰ τοσαῦτα ἐνεργήσασα, αὐτοῦ δ' ἀληθῶς τοῦ θεοῦ χείρ, ἥτις γνωσθήσεται τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν· «φόβον» γὰρ ἀνειληφότες τὸν ἐκ «σοφίας» θεοῦ, «ἀρχὴ γὰρ σοφίας φόβος κυρίου», νοήσουσιν ὅτι οὐκ ἂν εὔχειρος θεοῦ ἡ τοσαύτη παράδοξος εἰς ἀνθρώπους προεχώρησε χάρις. οὗτοι μὲν οὖν τούτων ἕξουσι τὴν γνῶσιν, τοῖς δὲ μὴ τοιούτοις ἑξῆς ὁ λόγος ἀπειλεῖ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα. 2.58 Τοῖς μὲν δηλωθεῖσιν ἐπαγγέλλεται τὰ προλελεγμένα, τοῖς δὲ τὴν ἐναντίαν πεπορευμένοις εἰπὼν ἀπειλήσειν ἀπειλήν, ἀκουλούθως διδάσκει τὸν τῆς ἀπειλῆς τρόπον παριστὰς τὴν δευτέραν καὶ ἔνδοξον τοῦ σωτῆρος παρουσίαν, ὅτε