Unless I wash you: cleansing and share with Christ

We have set forth the proposition that when a soul of this kind happens to be encountered, it is necessary to recognize the natural good things belonging to it as a cosmos in its own right, through which it was healed by the divine, stored up in its inaccessible parts for everything except the word of the high priest, and called its desires. Moreover, upon all these things, the enemy who has gained mastery in the ancient contest, having afflicted the soul that wages war not well for itself but rather has been left behind worthily by divine aid, extends himself through the power of his activity into evil things, drags away the ruling faculty and leaves the soul that has departed from God desolate of good things. And the nations, according to the place, are to be understood allegorically as the crowd of vices that have entered into the formed ruling faculty, so as to be a receptacle and true sanctification of God for the pure mind wishing to rest again. These nations God utterly forbids from entering the church; for what else could we consider more forbidden by God from entering into a soul numbered in the church of God than the works and the mind of the flesh, which are truly nations hostile to God? For "the flesh wars against the spirit," "the mind of the flesh is enmity toward God"; "for to the law of God it is not subject, nor indeed can it be." They groaned because of famine and because of little food, the soul turning back and leaving behind provided the most precious things. But how did the previously mentioned desires, taken away by the enemies, provide for the purchase of food? Yet "the enemy stretched forth his hand against all things," and having been satisfied with taking what he wished, he left the rest behind, in exchange for which they bought food.

Jerusalem prays, Lord, look upon my shame, since you have destroyed the world by famine. Perhaps different desires preceded, first the foretold things which the enemy had stretched out his hand upon, secondly each person's own desires from among the people; and the common things were taken, but instead of the particular things, each one bought food for himself. Moreover, for guidance, just as Esau sold his birthright for red stew, of which he became surnamed (Edom meaning Red Earth; and indeed he became earthly, having despised the birthrights, having made earthly things which Jacob, as necessary, transferred to him in a second discourse because he happened to be in a body), so also Jerusalem. But the one who gives Jacob the worthy to obtain, which things he had desired, even if he did not previously choose them; but the people of Jerusalem have given indeed also themselves because of food, but not having sanctified this construction, but the Babylonians who were about to insult the given desires. For Jacob knows how to adorn the things from Esau, but the Babylonians do not use the given things for their own good. And so the soul, through lack of necessities, rejects the divine teachings to those who, out of curiosity, desire to learn for slander and mockery. 30 He has shown the one upon the conflagration of the strongest buildings touching or the fall of the superior ones in it of the city, to the soul and to those outside as if burning with the calamities. He also indicates the conception of those who have been subdued into slavery like in a field with nets,

Those who did not make good use of freedom. For these, "not stretching forward to the things that are ahead, but forgetting the things that are behind," they turned away from glory into dishonor, from freedom into slavery, and have become instead of honorable ones, darkened and obscure through dishonor and insolence; because of these things the city has fallen into endless grief. 31 Providence, he says, has not slept over my impious deeds; for God, as if taking them into his hands, has intertwined them through examination with the works of recompense. And these things have become to me like a yoke placed upon the neck and slavery imposed upon it; for just as I served slavery to Nebuchadnezzar, my sins are slavery, therefore I have become weak, delivered over to these things whose dominion I cannot withstand. And shortly after: His yoke upon my neck is shown. But it is indicated through the present expression that the things spoken of as concerning our passions ought to be taken more tropically in regard to God. For how otherwise could the impieties of Jerusalem be understood, joined to the hand of God, except tropically? For no one could speak these things literally. And how is it not absurd, that while the city of Jerusalem is said to lift up its neck tropically, the things spoken as concerning God do not hear the same manner? Let the present things be spoken as if by the soul sinking into impiety, in the act of becoming unconscious from the saving yoke of the wholesome word, which the Savior calls good, and putting on the