PAUL, as a wise man, recommends constancy in
prayer: for he said, "Pray without ceasing." And in very truth it is
a thing full of benefit. But I say this, that whosoever draws near unto God,
ought not to do so carelessly; nor may he offer unbefitting petitions. And one
may very justly affirm, of a multitude of petitions, that they are unbefitting,
and such as are not suitable for God to give, nor beneficial for us to receive.
And if we will direct the penetrating glance of the mind upon the passage
before us, we shall see without difficulty the truth of what I have said. For a
certain man drew near to Christ, the Savior of us all, and said, "Teacher,
bid my brother divide with me the inheritance. But He said unto him, Man, who
set Me as judge or divider over you?" For the Son indeed, when He appeared
in our likeness, was set by God the Father as "Head and King over Sion,
His holy mount," according to the Psalmist's words: and the nature of His
office He again Himself makes plain, "For I am come, He says, to preach
the commandment of the Lord." And what is this? Our virtue-loving Master
wishes us to depart far from all earthly and temporal matters; to flee from the
love of the flesh, and from the vain anxiety of business, and from base lusts;
to set no value on hoards, to despise wealth, and the love of gain; to be good
and loving unto one another; not to lay up treasures upon earth; to be superior
to strife and envy, not quarrelling with the brethren, but rather giving way to
them, even though they seek to gain an advantage over us; "for from him,
He says, who takes away what is yours, demand it not again;" and rather to
strive after all those things which are useful and necessary for the salvation
of the soul. And for those who habitually thus live, Christ lays down laws by
which they become illustrious and praiseworthy. For He said, "Possess
neither silver nor gold: nor two coats, nor scrip, nor brass in your
purses." And again, "Make for yourselves purses that grow not old: a
treasure that does not fail forever in heaven." And when a young man drew
near saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Go, He answered, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall
have treasure in heaven, and come after Me." To those therefore who bow
down to Him the obedient neck of their minds, He both gives commandments and
appoints laws: He lays down for them precepts, distributes to them the heavenly
inheritance, gives them spiritual blessings, and is a storehouse for them of
never-failing gifts. While for those who think only of earthly things, and
whose heart is set on wealth, and their mind hardened, and unmerciful, and
without gentleness or love for the poor, to such He will justly say, " Who
set Me as ruler or divider over you? He rejects the man therefore as
troublesome, and as having no desire to learn ought fitting for him to know.
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