The Mediator and the Glory of Hope

The inseparable Son of the Father, being brought near to himself, and through the faith that sanctifies grace, has become the cause of our being brought to God, and the cause of reconciling those who were divided through his mediation; being one with the Father in divinity, and having been joined to us according to humanity, so that whoever is brought near according to the human, he brings that one to God according to the divine.

Having said that we stand upon the advancing grace of God, he leads through faith the things concerning hope, as demonstrated by the writing in Hebrews, that hope is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). And he says that we glory in the hope of the glory of God, expecting the divine glory to be made manifest, of which Moses is a type, Christ is the truth, and we are the likeness. The cause of such glory to be attributed to us is the present grace.

For just as an artisan, dwelling in us, the Holy Spirit brings joy now and shapes us into the likeness of Christ through hidden inner workings, until it is announced and accomplished when he shines according to the appearance of the Savior, of which John says: 'Brothers, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. We know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him' (1 John 3:2).

The greatness of the certainty of hope is for those already glorying as they are for those about to come; for glorying occurs upon a good thing existing certainly. And this was the blessed glorying which the prophet Jeremiah introduces, saying let him not glory, saying, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him in this glory, the one glorying, to understand and to know the Lord, and the following things (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

And not because labors and tribulations follow, for this reason do we blunt the boasting regarding the good things that are to come; rather, we boast even more by this, knowing the patience of the labors as a partner of the enjoyment of the good things.

For through tribulation patience is established, and he who has endured is proven, and having been proven before God, hopes to receive those things from God. And he who has hoped in God will not be put to shame; for He is well-pleased in those hoping in His mercy. Thus, tribulation becomes a partner of the expected good things, having been established as a guide toward the hope.

And He shows the hope to be secure, becoming something upon the God who loved us, and the gift of the Spirit is the proof of that love; for the one pouring out the Spirit pours out love upon us. And He poured out it previously upon the hearts, since the Spirit also previously dwelt in the hearts, just as the Savior Himself says that it remains with you and will be with you. This is the old voice of Moses being made true in you: 'This is your boasting and this is your God' (Rom 5:11).

For how would anyone not rejoice and boast, even if he is hindered by ten thousand enemies, being honored by the friendship of God, through which even if we are not at all envied, we are not influenced by those against us. Let no one hearing these things be vexed at the apostle, saying as if this is in the law, to forbid the things that kill and to make known the bad and the good things of matters; even the Lord, distinguishing the bad and the good in His own words, would seem to be working out the same thing against those not following the way; for the difference is great and much, the law being in words only and giving no power toward righteousness, but upon [...]