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of the law I have waited for the Lord. My soul has waited for your word. Another, My soul has hoped in his word. Another, My soul has waited, and I have eagerly awaited his word. That is, from the announcements and the continual promises concerning loving-kindness and goodness I had a sacred anchor, and I did not despair of my own affairs. From the morning watch until night let Israel hope in the Lord. All one's life, he says; that is, every night and day. For nothing for salvation is equal to looking continually, and hanging from that hope, even if countless things should occur that cast one into despair. This is an unbreakable wall, this is a security not made with hands, this is an invincible tower. Even if affairs, then, threaten death, and danger, and utter destruction, do not cease hoping in God, and expecting salvation from him. For all things are easy and simple for him, and out of impossible situations he will be able to find a way. Do not, then, when things are carried along with the stream, expect to enjoy an alliance only; but especially then, when there is a surging of waves and a storm, and the danger of the utmost extremities hangs overhead. For then especially does God display his own power more. This, then, is what he says: one must always hope in the Lord all one's life, all one's existence. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he himself will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. What is, "For with the Lord there is mercy"? A spring and a treasury of loving-kindness is there, he says, welling up continually. And where there is mercy, there is also redemption; and not simply redemption, but plenteous, and an infinite sea of loving-kindness. Even if, then, we have been betrayed by our sins, we must not fall back, nor despair. For where there is mercy and loving-kindness, the accountings of sins are not made precisely, since the judge, on account of his great mercy and his inclination to loving-kindness, overlooks many things. For such is God, inclined and ready to have mercy continually and to give forgiveness. And he himself will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. If, then, he is such, and the greatness of his loving-kindness is poured out everywhere, it is clear that he will also save his people, and will deliver them not only from punishment, but also from their sins. Knowing these things, then, let us remain entreating, praying, and let us never cease, whether we receive or do not receive. For if he is Lord of giving, he is also Lord of when to give, 55.377 and he himself knows the exact time. Let us remain, then, supplicating, entreating, trusting in his mercy and loving-kindness, and let us never despair of our own salvation, but let us contribute what is from ourselves, and what is from him will certainly follow, since with him mercy is ineffable and loving-kindness is infinite; which may we all happen to obtain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory together with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen. ON THE 130TH PSALM. Lord, my heart was not exalted, nor were my eyes lifted up. Another; Nor were they lifted up. Neither have I walked in great things, nor in things too wonderful for me. Another, In greatnesses. Another, In majesties, nor in things exceeding me. What is this? Paul, even when there was necessity, says that to praise oneself is foolishness; wherefore he also added, saying: I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. How then

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νόμου ὑπέμεινα Κύριον. Ὑπέμεινεν ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὸν λόγον σου. Ἄλλος, Προσεδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου τῷ ῥήματι αὐτοῦ. Ἄλλος, Ὑπέμεινεν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα αὐτοῦ ἐκαραδόκησα. Τουτέστιν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν καὶ τῶν συνεχῶν ὑποσχέσεων τῶν περὶ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ χρηστότητος ἄγκυραν εἶχον ἱερὰν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπηγόρευον τὰ κατὰ ἐμαυτόν. Ἀπὸ φυλακῆς πρωΐας μέχρι νυκτὸς ἐλπισάτω Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον. Πάντα τὸν βίον, φησί· τουτέστι, νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν πᾶσαν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἴσον τοῦ διαπαντὸς ὁρᾷν, καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐκκρέμασθαι ἐκείνης, κἂν μυρία συμπίπτῃ τὰ εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβάλλοντα. Τοῦτο τεῖχος ἀῤῥαγὲς, τοῦτο ἀσφάλεια ἀχείρωτος, τοῦτο πύργος ἄμαχος. Κἂν τὰ πράγματα τοίνυν θάνατον ἀπειλῇ, καὶ κίνδυνον, καὶ πανωλεθρίαν, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἐλπίζων εἰς Θεὸν, καὶ προσδοκῶν τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ σωτηρίαν. Ῥᾴδια γὰρ αὐτῷ πάντα καὶ εὔκολα, καὶ ἐξ ἀπόρων πόρον εὑρεῖν δυνήσεται. Μὴ τοίνυν κατὰ ῥοῦν φερομένων τῶν πραγμάτων προσδόκα ἀπολαύσεσθαι συμμαχίας μόνον· ἀλλὰ καὶ τότε μάλιστα, ὅταν κλυδώνιον ᾖ καὶ χειμὼν, καὶ ὁ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἐπικρέμαται κίνδυνος. Τότε γὰρ μάλιστα πλεῖον ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐνδείκνυται. Τοῦτο οὖν ἐστιν ὃ λέγει· διαπαντὸς δεῖ πρὸς Κύριον ἐλπίζειν πάντα τὸν βίον, πᾶσαν τὴν ζωήν. Ὅτι παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸ ἔλεος, καὶ πολλὴ παρ' αὐτῷ λύτρωσις. Καὶ αὐτὸς λυτρώσεται τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν αὐτοῦ. Τί ἐστιν, Ὅτι παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸ ἔλεος; Πηγὴ καὶ θησαυρὸς ἐκεῖ φιλανθρωπίας, φησὶ, πηγάζων διηνεκῶς. Ὅπου δὲ ἔλεος, καὶ λύτρωσις· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς λύτρωσις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴ, καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἄπειρον πέλαγος. Κἂν τοίνυν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ὦμεν προδεδομένοι, ἀναπίπτειν οὐ χρὴ, οὐδὲ ἀπαγορεύειν. Ὅπου γὰρ ἔλεος καὶ φιλανθρωπία, οὐ γίνονται τῶν πεπλημμελημένων ἀκριβεῖς αἱ εὐθῦναι, τοῦ δικάζοντος διὰ τὸν πολὺν ἔλεον, καὶ τὸ πρὸς φιλανθρωπίαν ἐπιῤῥεπὲς, τὰ πολλὰ παρατρέχοντος. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς, πρὸς τὸ ἐλεεῖν διηνεκῶς καὶ συγγνώμην διδόναι ἐπιῤῥεπὲς καὶ πρόχειρον. Καὶ αὐτὸς λυτρώσεται τὸν, Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν αὐτοῦ. Εἰ τοίνυν τοιοῦτός ἐστι, καὶ κέχυται πανταχοῦ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας αὐτοῦ τὸ μέγεθος, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ σώσει, καὶ ἀπαλλάξει οὐχὶ κολάσεως μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδότες, μένωμεν παρακαλοῦντες, δεόμενοι, καὶ μηδέποτε ἀποστῶμεν, κἂν λάβωμεν, κἂν μὴ λάβωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ δοῦναι κύριος, καὶ τοῦ πότε δοῦναι κύριός ἐστι, 55.377 καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀκριβῶς οἶδεν αὐτός. Μένωμεν τοίνυν ἱκετεύοντες, παρακαλοῦντες, θαῤῥοῦντες αὐτοῦ τῷ ἐλέει καὶ τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, καὶ μηδέποτε τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀπογινώσκωμεν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσφέρωμεν, καὶ πάντως ἕψεται τὰ παρ' ἐκείνου, ἐπειδὴ ἄφατον παρ' αὐτῷ τὸ ἔλεος καὶ ἄπειρος ἡ φιλανθρωπία· ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΡΛʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Κύριε, οὐχ ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία μου, οὐδὲ ἐμετεωρί σθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου. Ἄλλος· Οὐδὲ ὑψώ θησαν. Οὐδὲ ἐπορεύθην ἐν μεγάλοις, οὐδὲ ἐν θαυμασίοις ὑπὲρ ἐμέ. Ἄλλος, Ἐν μεγαλωσύναις. Ἄλλος, Ἐν μεγαλειότησιν, οὐδὲ ὑπερβάλλουσιν ὑπὲρ ἐμέ. Τί τοῦτο; Ὁ Παῦλος, καὶ ἀνάγκης οὔσης, τὸ ἑαυτὸν ἐγκωμιάζειν ἀφροσύνην φησί· διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε λέγων· Γέγονα ἄφρων καυχώμενος· ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε. Πῶς οὖν