Unit 4 rem early

Boldness, by withdrawing the soul from gentleness, gives it over to death. It is not the fear of God that brings the lazy to repentance, but the fear of demons; for they stir them up to abhorrence. Or it is the fear of the Lord, which separates them from laziness and rouses them from evil through good works unto repentance. The soul and body are androgynous— the one soft, the one poured out, the one neither able to teach itself nor willing to learn from others. Or the fear of evil drives back those who hesitate toward virtue, who lack the forward-looking resolve. A man whose choice is feminine will not possess the nurturing virtue; they will hunger when, seeing the kingdom from the opposite side, they are tormented in the trial. The abundance of the knowledge of the Lord, and the active power of the Word, he calls strength; for he alone knows what was before, what is now, and what will be. He himself commanded, saying, “Let there be light,” and heaven, earth, and all that is in them were brought into being from non-existence. These things reveal him as Lord and God alone. By means of a righteous life, the just run toward him; by means of contemplation, they are exalted. Or, from the things that are made, or from their greatness, it is evident that God is almighty. We must use this word toward those who have not received knowledge from God, yet endeavor to teach others; for David says, “When I hear your praise, I will then declare your marvels to others,” and Solomon says—

What your eyes have seen, say this: for many, having failed to attain virtue themselves, do not merely encourage others to succeed, but they also compel and urge them on. Here he speaks of a man as God: for he who subdues his own anger in judgment, keeping himself under control by observing God’s commandments, likewise applies this to sensible things. Just as our Lord is said to become a stumbling stone to the rebellious and a rock of offense to those who fall away, so too the faint-hearted stands against those who sin; indeed, the faint-hearted may be called the wicked one, and every demon that has fallen from virtue and knowledge. Therefore, the upright life he has declared to be the dwelling of humanity, which one enlarges and provides with what is worthy of God’s fullness—this he calls the throne of rulers, or rather, of the holy powers. For the mind is an excellent habit, either restraining or restraining the one who sits, keeping them immobile. Understanding puts an end to folly, for it is the allotment of the rational nature; and among the powers, it determines what comes to be and what is done. For the one who possesses divine understanding, all things yield; or he speaks here of the counter-arguments raised by the demons against us, those opposed to virtue, seeking to separate us from God—these the lot of understanding keeps from us, and it sets the ruling demons to retreat, as one allotted to God, from himself and from others, as one possessing divine understanding. Or he speaks of the soul as receptive to life and death, from which the self-determining power is shown in the fruits of the present and the future, whether one enjoys them well or badly.

He who finds good wisdom finds God’s grace. –He who holds onto wickedness is foolish and impious, as though he were the inventor of it, like the devil. The wealth of knowledge and wisdom adds to us many joyful gatherings; but the unclean person, whom the poor man claims, is separated from the angel given to him from childhood. For spiritual friendship is virtue and knowledge of God, by which we are joined in friendship with the holy powers—if indeed those who repent become joy to the angels. Thus too the Savior calls friends those who were once servants, having deemed them worthy of His greater contemplation; thus also Abraham, enriched in knowledge, sets before his friends who appear at noon that mystical table which he himself has prepared. But Saul, too, is separated from his former friend because of his wickedness; for it is written: “And the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” And the spirit of the Lord says to the angel: “For He makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire.” That the angels are entrusted with humanity, the Lord teaches in the Gospels, saying: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.” And again Jacob says: “Your angel, the one who delivers me from all evil.” Those who ignore the words concerning judgment and providence blaspheme the Creator; they are false witnesses.