Divine Provision and the Diversity of Instruction

To guard a city, whether it be the body or the soul, is impossible unless God co-guards it. 'Those hoping in his mercy' Ps 33:18; he has mercy on those fearing him, to rescue their souls from death. For this reason, 'his eyes' are 'upon those fearing him' Ps 33:18-19 and 'those hoping in his mercy', so that he may rescue 'their souls from death' Ps 33:19. Death here we do not take to be the common death which the pious and the impious, the righteous and the unjust, all undergo, but it is a death of the soul which consumes the soul from the blessed life.

From this death we are turned away to avoid it; concerning this it is said: 'this soul that sins shall die' Ezek 18:4. And again: 'sin, when completed, brings forth death' Gal 6:8. And since this death follows sins, God, giving the forgiveness of sins, will rescue those who have received grace beforehand from the following death. And he will nourish them in famine, those fearing him and hoping in his mercy. Just as he rescues souls from death, so also he nourishes them in famine.

Indeed, such things have happened many times in history. He nourished the people of the Hebrews during a long journey in the wilderness, providing manna every day by himself. And you will find this in various instances: for example, Elijah was nourished by the widow and by the angel shown to him through bread and the jar of water. And also, while Jezebel was persecuting Elijah and all the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah, the commander of the household of King Ahab, nourished fifty men in two caves, God having prepared him for this. Indeed, he said this without neglect to Elijah when he met him: 'and your servant fearing the Lord' 1 Kings 18:3. And he who feared the Lord nourished them because of the Lord.

If, therefore, he has restorations—these other things have happened according to history—he again nourishes those fearing his fear and hoping in his mercy, providing for them the bread of life, descending from heaven, which partakes of his flesh as 'true food' John 6:51. Being the savior of all, he holds them. He does not do this by a single means, but according to the circumstances: he saves in wars from external enemies, making them victorious and not allowing them to fall into captivity, he saves...

He saves those who are doing badly, like a pilot when we are tossed by storms in the sea of life. Furthermore, he gives to each one a spring—in which is 'a spring unto eternal life' (John 4:14)—and he is nourished even when having become in a waterless place. And, 'open your eyes and be filled with bread' (Isa 58:11).

The one having opened the eyes of the soul and having been filled by the manner of chewing the bread of the divine logos does not suffer from famine; for 'the Lord will not let the soul of the righteous starve' (Ps 34:9). Whoever is in desire for bread but is not opening his eyes to his own bread, lives in famine; for the soul has many foods from God within itself.

Our soul waits upon the Lord. This is what is said: since we have known these things, that the eyes of the Lord are watching those who fear him (Ps 33:18)—even if they have at some time been in death, he rescued them; even if they have at some time been in famine, he nourished them; even if we should at some time be in any lack, we wait knowing that we too shall enjoy these things; and our soul, if it should be in death, shall be saved. For he is a helper and a defender of us.

You see that a remainder has become a multitude: 'the Lord looked down from heaven, he saw all the sons of men' (Ps 147:9). If at any time something is being said discordantly and oppositely, observe if these things are being said about one single thing; for then an opposition occurs. But if it is being said about a church or a city or a house, they are not opposites; for the things concerning the one are said, and the things concerning the other are said.

And this you ought to know: that the saints do not offer up their prayers and thanksgivings concerning themselves alone, but concerning all things which they consider. It is not the same to say one thing that must harmonize with one, and a multitude, such as a people or a nation or a city. It is impossible for the same thing to be at once good and bad, or temperate and intemperate.

And the apostle writes to the Corinthians that they have become rich 'in every word and in all knowledge' (1 Cor 1:5). Does he not say again, 'fornication is heard among you' (1 Cor 5:1)? If he were saying these things toward one person, it would be discordant. But since the whole church is being addressed, and such and such are in the collections, he says all things, so that each one may receive help for himself. In this way, too, he charges them concerning those erring about the resurrection, and concerning the gifts, and concerning those having become idolaters.