The Unfathomable Judgment of God

Such people hasten to be, and they recognize the same things when they ascend to the very boundary and end of knowledge. Therefore, let that knowledge and truth of the knower which is progress toward all things be spoken of, not because it is not of God and introductory; for because of it, this is received. The prototype and every idea of truth is the Savior. And it is possible to participate in this truth. The one participating has received a state called truth, concerning which the saint said: 'There is truth in me' (John 14:6), and: 'I have not hidden your truth in my heart' (Ps 118:11). This truth has come to be through the truth, by becoming a seal in wax or some other thing through the prototype seal.

So, indeed, do not neglect also the question of another quality of it, so that I may say this: some more human difference is still found. This quality itself does not accept the more and the less. But that which is in the 'quality' the substance accepts it. Yet the receiving and the not receiving are not the same. It is one way and not another way. But if it has come to be in a state and disposition, it accepts the more and the less. But the quality itself can be perceived; for even he who strictly wishes to see quality does not take it from the 'quality' the substance, but from it he knows the quality that has been established judgments, O Lord, are a great abyss (Ps 35:6).

In men, much difference is found, both of those falling from without and of those from their own disposition. It is possible to find difference from the outside. Some are rich, others poor; others are rulers, others submissive; some are healthy, others sickly. Likewise also concerning these capacities: some are naturally sharp and slow in soul, and others having permission toward virtue and others toward wickedness. And of these there is much difference; for no man is in perfect virtue, even if someone hastens toward it, even if he makes progress according to it. There, where there is the more and the less, there is much infinity. Likewise also with wickedness. And to speak well, virtue, accepting the more and the less, will at some time be released into the end, when there is no longer one who is more eager than the eager, or a wise man more wise than the wise. But wickedness is always in infinity. It has no end at all; for how could it be possible for the end of its wickedness to be, while it is discordant and differing?

In excess and deficiency there is infinity, but in a mean there is a determined end. Since we humans cannot say—even if they seem to possess knowledge—why one is poor and another is rich; for if you say, 'he has a certain incomprehensibility.' Often we say that God, seeing that one, having obtained such wealth or status, exceeds and tramples all others, does not give to them, and we find such people trampling and standing up against all, having wealth.

Likewise, regarding health and the movements of the soul, we say that the difference of these things happens by the judgment of God. And that it happens by the judgment of God, let us take the word from the Gospel and clarify it, if it is possible, having been led into this history; in the Gospel the Savior says: 'Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida; for if in Tyre and Sidon the powers that occurred in you had occurred, long ago they would have sat in sackcloth and ashes and repented' (Matt 11:21). If the tremendous powers had occurred to the Sidonians and Tyrians, they were called to repentance. But these spoken cities, Bethsaida and Chorazin, having been tested—why did the tremendous powers occur there, where they did not repent? It is a word resembling an abyss.

'Unsearchable' said the apostle, the judgments of God (Rom 11:33). No one searches them, no one is able to grasp their depth. But barely perceiving the things being done and as if being judged, we take a mental image that God is the one judging and ordaining each thing. But the 'why' we are not able to say, why this one, for instance, is strong and another is weak. We do not have the 'whys' to say.

And as I have said once, that there is a cyclical treatment, and if anyone receives each help for himself, he seems to grasp it, stumbling sometimes and blaming the physician. But then he understands it well, if he knew, why these things happened before him and these things will be after him, and until when it is so that health may exist. But the sick man is not able to understand this. We therefore take a mental image concerning them so that we might at last know that these judgments happen by the judgment of God. 'Your judgments' therefore are not simply 'an abyss,' but 'deep.' And the simply 'abyss' is very deep.