Captivity, bonds, and the freedom proclaimed to prisoners

Drink. For this reason, having grown weak and been overtaken by the pursuer—who is “our adversary, the devil”—they go before him, being driven wherever he wishes to lead them. But if the aforementioned daughter Zion attends to her beauty and loveliness and takes care to guard her dignity, she scorns and sneers at the king of the Assyrians, as we have learned from Isaiah saying: “You have been made worthless and you have been mocked, virgin daughter Zion.” For the one who remembers suffering something in these present circumstances does not recall the present hardship, but the past. And shortly after: Having pondered these things in that place and seeking a reminder of her former lowliness and her removals, because her people have fallen into the hands of an oppressor and the events that have befallen her have occurred, we consider whether perhaps the proper lowliness is not something other than sin, just as exaltation is right action, and removal is not the doing of anyone except through wicked conduct—for this is sufficient to drive away from God and from all that is naturally most beautiful. Therefore, when Jerusalem, that is, its inhabitants, drunk and having turned away from sin, was brought low, she was not noticed in her stumblings; but when her repayments came, because her people had fallen into the hands of the oppressor, with no one helping her, then she remembered the causes of her suffering, recognizing them as the reasons why her people had fallen and why she herself had been left helpless.

And after a little while: But if the soul of such a kind is Jerusalem, it is worthy to seek her people, whose falling into the hands of the oppressor, when there is no helper present, she remembers the humility of her own people, and still also her own whom she has driven away in expulsions; and besides these, her desires which were from ancient days. See whether the doctrines in the scientific soul are not the people of Jerusalem, whoever, through neglect and carelessness having happened to the soul, falls prostrate under every oppressor. For the doctrines of the negligent flow away, crushed by the powers of the land of sins beside the neglectful of the better, not having at all the help from the word. The meaning of the word is such. Since Jerusalem has sinned, she has become in confusion and tumult to such an extent that all who formerly praised her have changed, desiring to destroy such a city, having seen her shameful conduct. But she herself, having suffered these things because of her sins, has fallen into confusion and dishonor from those who once praised her, groaning no longer to come forward from her sins, but having diminished them, has withdrawn backward. And after a little while: But if Jerusalem is called such a soul, she is anxious and perceptive and “understanding the peace of God which surpasses all mind,” for it is possible through many causes to sin in this way, thus it is shown that she has fallen into confusion, having departed from the good things and having become in the worse things.

Anyone who has fallen from virtue and now lives in fellowship with wickedness is said to enjoy sound health in the midst of filth. This indicates the cessation of Jerusalem’s sins—not the sins that were once stretching forward, nor those being committed in the pasture of transgressions, but rather the sins that are turning backward upon their own proper good. According to the bodily narrative, the statement concerning Jerusalem now is this: the uncleanness of Jerusalem is an impediment; but what it is an impediment to, the prophet has left for us to perceive. Perhaps it indicates that uncleanness is hindering her journey. Yet, being such, it also indicates that Jerusalem has not remembered her latter end. The one who has this before his eyes and sees what will be repaid because of the sins will not sin. Therefore, on account of this uncleanness as an impediment to her, and because she does not remember her latter end—her wonderful and great things, which she possessed when she was worthy of being inspected—she has been brought down and brought into lowliness, formerly being exalted and greater than all praise. Moreover, after all this, there was no one consoling her who had brought down her greatest things. Upon these things, consider my humiliation, Lord, because my enemy is magnified over the things that have happened to my homeland. And shortly after: It is necessary, however, to inquire according to the laws of the ascent,