285

to be humbled, but to be exceedingly humbled; and this, being a king and a prophet, and having boldness from his virtue, and priding himself in wealth, and prevailing over his enemies. But he never endured to trust in his wisdom, nor in his courage, nor in his righteousness; but he considered these things to be 80.1856 gifts of divine grace. And when asking for life from the one who is able to give it, he does not ask indefinitely, but for that which is rational, lawful, and illumined by the divine law. 108. "Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me your judgments." The divine laws proclaim most of the achievements of virtue; but judgment adds some. Thus also of the sacrifices, some are legal, others are of the will. For the law commanded to offer sacrifices concerning sin, and trespass, and ignorance, and these were paid to God as a kind of debt. But those offered through the generosity of one's will, he called gifts. Thus also now the words of the gospel proclaim temperance and righteousness; but virginity, and continence after marriage, and poverty, and the solitary life, and the way of life in deserts, are works of the will, which leap beyond the law. Such things, therefore, the Prophet called freewill offerings. For what is not subject to the necessity of laws, but is the fruit of a God-loving will, is rightly called a freewill offering. 109. "My soul is continually in your hands, yet I have not forgotten your law." For, being guarded by your providence, I banished forgetfulness of your laws. 110. "Sinners have laid a snare for me, yet I have not strayed from your commandments." Men and demons devise many and various plots against me; but I have chosen to walk the unerring path of your commandments. 111. "I have inherited your testimonies for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." Believing your testimonies to be an eternal and inviolable inheritance, I rejoice and am glad in possessing them. 112. "I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever, for the reward." The council chamber of the soul is like a balance; and the mind, which has been appointed to rule, holds the balance. If, therefore, it adds pious thoughts, it is necessary for the scales to incline to the better things. The Prophet says he has done this: "I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever, for the reward." For having seen the profit that springs from these things, I gladly undertook the toils for them. And teaching how he chose the divine things, he added: 113. "I have hated the lawless, but I have loved your law." For having cast off thoughts that suggest lawlessness, I have preferred your law. 114. "You are my helper and my protector, in 80.1857 your words I have hoped." I did not accomplish this without your help, but having enjoyed your support, and being nourished by hope in you. 115. "Depart from me, you evildoers, and I will search out the commandments of my God." These things, he says, I said both to improper thoughts, and to those who attempt to advise evil things, that you should suggest no such counsel to me; for I must choose a life according to the divine commandments. And I will not simply follow them, but I will investigate them with all accuracy; so that nothing of them may escape me, but that I may fulfill all that the Lord of all has commanded. 116. "Uphold me according to your word, and I shall live; and do not put me to shame in my expectation." Therefore, deem him who has this purpose worthy of your providence, so that I might not fail in my hope and be filled with shame; and here "word" means "promise," as in, "Grant me the salvation you have promised." 117. "Help me, and I shall be saved, and I will meditate on your statutes continually." For upon obtaining salvation, I will not neglect your statutes, but I will continually meditate on them. And by meditation he means, not that in words only, but also that in deeds. 118. "You have despised all those who depart from your statutes, for unjust

285

τεταπεινῶ σθαι, ἀλλὰ σφόδρα τεταπεινῶσθαι· καὶ ταῦτα βασι λεὺς ὢν καὶ προφήτης, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς παῤῥησίαν ἔχων, καὶ πλούτῳ κομῶν, καὶ τῶν πο λεμίων κρατῶν. Ἀλλ' οὔτε τῇ σοφίᾳ, οὔτε τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ, οὔτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ θαῤῥῆσαι ἠνέσχετο πώποτε· τῆς δὲ θείας ταῦτα χάριτος ὑπελάμβανε 80.1856 δῶρα. Καὶ ζωὴν δὲ αἰτῶν δοῦναι δυνάμενον, οὐκ ἀορίστως αἰτεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν λογικὴν, τὴν ἔννομον, τὴν τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ λαμπρυνομένην. ρηʹ. "Τὰ ἑκούσια τοῦ στόματός μου εὐδόκησον δὴ, Κύριε, καὶ τὰ κρίματά σου δίδαξόν με." Τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς κατορθωμάτων τὰ πλεῖστα μὲν οἱ θεῖοι νόμοι διαγορεύουσιν· ἔνια δὲ καὶ ἡ γνώμη προστί θησιν. Οὕτω καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν τὰ μὲν νομικὰ, τὰ δὲ γνωμικά. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ περὶ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ πλημμε λείας, καὶ περὶ ἀγνοίας, ὁ νόμος προσφέρειν ἐκέλευ σεν, καὶ ταῦτα οἷόν τι χρέος ἀπεδίδοτο τῷ Θεῷ. Τὰ δὲ τῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ τῆς γνώμης προσφερόμενα, δῶρα προσηγόρευσεν. Οὕτω καὶ νῦν τὴν μὲν σωφροσύ νην, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην, οἱ εὐαγγελικοὶ διαγο ρεύουσι λόγοι· παρθενία δὲ, καὶ μετὰ γάμον ἐγκρά τεια, καὶ ἀκτημοσύνη, καὶ μονήρης βίος, καὶ ἡ ἐν ἐρήμοις διαγωγὴ, τῆς γνώμης ἔργα, τοῦ νόμου ὑπερπηδῶντα. Τὰ τοιαῦτα τοίνυν ὁ Προφήτης ἑκού σια προσηγόρευσεν. Ἃ γὰρ οὐχ ὑπόκειται νόμων ἀνάγκῃ, ἀλλὰ φιλοθέου γνώμης ὑπάρχει καρπὸς, εἰκότως ἑκούσια προσηγόρευται. ρθʹ. "Ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου διὰ παντὸς, καὶ τοῦ νόμου σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην." Ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς γὰρ προνοίας φρουρούμενος, τὴν λήθην τῶν σῶν ἐξώρισα νόμων. ριʹ. "Ἔθεντο ἁμαρτωλοὶ παγίδα μοι, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου οὐκ ἐπλανήθην." Πολλὰς καὶ παντο δαπὰς καὶ ἄνθρωποι καὶ δαίμονες ἐπιβουλάς μοι τυρεύουσιν· ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἀπλανῆ τῶν σῶν ἐντολῶν πορείαν προειλόμην ὁδεύειν. ριαʹ. "Ἐκληρονόμησα τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅτι ἀγαλλίαμα τῆς καρδίας μού εἰσιν." Κλῆρον αἰώνιόν τε καὶ ἄσυλον τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἶναι πιστεύων, ἐπὶ τῇ κτήσει τούτων ἀγάλλομαί τε καὶ εὐφραίνομαι. ριβʹ. "Ἔκλινα τὴν καρδίαν μου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, δι' ἀντάμειψιν." Τρυτάνῃ ἔοικε τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς βουλευτήριον· κατέχει δὲ τὴν τρυτάνην ὁ νοῦς ἡγεμονεύειν λαχών. Ἐὰν τοίνυν τοῖς εὐσεβέσι προσθῆται λογισμοῖς, ἀνάγκη κλίνειν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀμείνω τὰ ζυγά. Τοῦτο δεδρακέναι ὁ Προφήτης φησίν· "Ἔκλινα τὴν καρδίαν μου, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, δι' ἀντ άμειψιν." Τὸ γὰρ ἐκ τούτων φυόμενον θεασάμενος κέρδος, ἀσπασίως τοὺς ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀνεδεξάμην ἱδρῶτας. Καὶ διδάσκων ὅπως τὰ θεῖα προείλετο, ἐπήγαγε· ριγʹ. "Παρανόμους ἐμίσησα, τὸν δὲ νόμον σου ἠγάπησα." Τοὺς γὰρ παρανομεῖν ὑποτιθεμένους ἀποσεισάμενος λογισμοὺς, τὸν σὸν προτετίμηκα νόμον. ριδʹ. "Βοηθός μου, καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ μου εἶ, εἰς 80.1857 τοὺς λόγους σου ἐπήλπισα." Οὐ δίχα δὲ τοῦτο τῆς σῆς βοηθείας κατώρθωσα, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς ἀπολαύσας ῥοπῆς, καὶ τῇ σῇ ἐλπίδι τρεφόμενος. ριεʹ. "Ἐκκλίνατε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, πονηρευόμενοι, καὶ ἐξερευνήσω τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ μου." Ταῦτα, φησὶ, καὶ τοῖς ἀτόποις ἔλεγον λογισμοῖς, καὶ τοῖς τὰ φαῦλα συμβουλεύειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ὅτι μηδεμίαν μοι τοιαύτην ὑποτίθεσθε συμβουλήν· ἐμοὶ γὰρ κατὰ τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς προαιρετέα ζωή. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ταύταις ἀκολουθήσω, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πάσης αὐτὰς ἀκριβείας ἀνερευνήσω· ὥστε μηδέν με τούτων λαθεῖν, ἀλλὰ πάντα πληρῶσαι, ὅσα τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος ἐνετείλατο. ριʹ. "Ἀντιλαβοῦ μου κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου, καὶ ζῆσόν με, καὶ μὴ καταισχύνῃς με ἀπὸ τῆς προσδοκίας μου." Τοῦτον τοίνυν ἔχοντα τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς σῆς προνοίας ἀξίωσον, ἵνα μὴ διαμαρτὼν τῆς ἐλπίδος αἰσχύνης ἀναπλησθῶ· τὸ δὲ λόγιον ἐνταῦθα τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν λέγει, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Τὴν ἐπαγγελθεῖσάν μοι παράσχου σωτηρίαν. ριζʹ. "Βοήθησόν μοι, καὶ σωθήσομαι, καὶ μελε τήσω ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασί σου διαπαντός." Καὶ γὰρ τυχεῖν τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν σῶν δικαιωμάτων οὐκ ἀμελήσω, ἀλλὰ διαπαντὸς τὴν τούτων μελέτην ποιήσομαι. Μελέτην δὲ λέγει, οὐ τὴν ἐν λόγοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐν ἔργοις. ριηʹ. "Ἐξουδένωσας πάντας τοὺς ἀποστατοῦν τας ἀπὸ τῶν δικαιωμάτων σου, ὅτι ἄδικον