What, really, does our spiritual father intend to teach? I will teach you the fear of the Lord. When he ordered us above to fear the Lord, he also showed the profit that comes from fear, saying, Those who fear him do not lack anything.^[1] At present also, they hand down to us a certain teaching of divine fear. Now it is in the power of every one, even of the private individual, to say that it is necessary to be healthy; but, to say how health must be obtained, that certainly belongs to him who understands the art of medicine. Every fear is not a good and saving feeling, but there is also a hostile fear, which the prophet prays may not spring up in his soul, when he says, Deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy. Fear of the enemy is that which produces in us a cowardliness with regard to death and misleads us to cower before distinguished persons. How, in fact, will he who fears these things be able in time of martyrdom to resist sin even to death and to pay his debt to the Lord, who died and rose again for us? He also, who is easily scared by the demons, has the fear of the enemy in him. On the whole, such a fear seems to be a passion born of unbelief. For no one who believes that he has at hand a strong helper is frightened by any of those who attempt to throw him into confusion.

The just person will take delight in the Lord and hope in him, and all the upright of heart shall be praised. We have certainly sung this with voice and heart. Christian consciences and tongues have spoken these words to God: The just one will take delight not in the world but in the Lord. Light has dawned for the just, it says somewhere else, and delight for the upright of heart.^[1] You may ask where delight is to be found. Here you have it: The just one will take delight in the Lord. And somewhere else: Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the aims of your heart.^[2] What are we being shown? What is being granted us? What are we being told? To take delight in the Lord. But can you take delight in what you do not see? Or perhaps we do see the Lord? We have that safely promised us; but now we walk by faith, as long as we are in the body we are away from the Lord.^[3] By faith, not by sight. When will it be by sight? When another thing John says is fulfilled: Beloved, we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.^[4] Then there will be great and perfect delight, then joy will be full, when it is no longer hope suckling us with milk but the real thing providing us with solid food.