Divine Rejection and the Sinner's Delusion

Having crushed the one who requested the mountain called here, he says to them that 'he will weaken and fall from the expectation he had', trying to see me.' For indeed all request, as it is foretold, but they do not know that the purpose of the opponent will fall away. And the rock will be made old from its place. Even if the opponent thinks himself to be the rock, 'it will be made old'—Instead of 'a stumbling block shall be seen,' it signifies the appearance of correctness.

And the rock is mentioned because it sends out the impression as unshakeable, and because Christ is being formed and is an imitator of the true rock, concerning which it was said: 'And the rock was Christ' (1 Cor 10:4). And he calls the state here a place, according to which the virtuous man wishes to see. Since the place is also called a step, it is said in the Acts: 'Master, Knower of hearts, reveal one to take the place of this ministry from which Judas passed' (Acts 1:20).

And even after saying that 'you sealed my iniquities in a bag' (Ps 69:6) and how regarding his own sin he had brought forward the previously set forth things, he applied the words 'but the mountain falling shall fall, and the rock shall be made old from its place' (Job 14:10) to show that 'even if a mountain arises through pride or through hardness, its condemnation shall be,' having perceived this. Waters smoothed the stones, and waters overwhelmed the depths of the earth's soil; and did you destroy the endurance of man? He confirms through these things the previously spoken, that repentance is powerful.

For through 'waters smoothed the stones' (Job 14:11), he demonstrates that the one beginning to repent, persisting in this, according to the water which removes the excess from the stone, frees himself from the superfluities of sin, as if no longer having the roughness from it, and just as lying in the depths of soils, he works the flood of sin. 'If these things have this manner, do not recognize the endurance of man, nor say that this is destroyed when it has worn him down and gone to an end.' He moves the word toward God. For after saying that repentance is possible and that one must not lose hope in man, he brings the 'having worn him down and gone to an end' as an instruction, that unless God is a co-worker, the things of endurance are in vain. 'If...

For unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Ps 127:1). God does not push away the worthy person, but the one positioned in such a way, saying: 'Depart from me, workers of iniquity, I never knew you' (Matt 7:23). He turns His face away and drives them out.

It is said: 'The face of the Lord is against those doing evil' (Ps 2:5); and again the saints pray: 'Let your face shine and we shall be saved' (Ps 67:1); and in others: 'May His face shine upon you and give you peace' (Num 6:25). Therefore, if the sinner, through God's great patience, remains unfeeling toward his failings, not thinking himself to be God, but desiring to remain hidden, saying: 'Darkness covers me from every side and the walls, who sees me?', God says: 'I am a God drawing near and not a God far off. Shall anyone hide in secret and I shall not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord' (Jer 23:24).

Having turned His face from the sinner, He sends him away, instead of 'showing him to be a stranger to Himself,' according to: 'God will drive them away because they did not listen to Him, and they shall be wanderers among the nations' (Deut 32:28) and: 'Like wounded women cast down sleeping in a grave, of whom you no longer remembered, and they themselves were driven from your hand' (Isa 57:1). And though many of His sons became so, he did not know; even if a few became so, he does not know.

Understand, lest these things reveal the ungraspable nature of God's judgments. Rather, his flesh grieved and his soul mourned. This shows that as the wrath against the sinner moves according to the secret words of providence, the one falling into it suffers and mourns, but is ignorant of the words of the handing over. These things are instructional, so as not to say to friends that they know that one suffers through sin.

For the one who does not endure suffers and is consumed when he falls into calamities, but the brave man, even if he is stung by hardships, bears them courageously toward the goal, looking away (Heb 12:2). For only the one who seeks nothing good or useful suffers if he is afflicted. But the virtuous man, like a crowned athlete, does not regard the hardships because of the expectation of the crown. Having understood, Eliphaz the Temanite says: Whether the wise man will give an answer of the understanding of the spirit? And this one of the same...