St. Dorotheus the Archimandrite

OF OUR HOLY FATHER DOROTHEUS: VARIOUS TEACHINGS PROFITABLE TO THE SOUL

PREFACE

^A Since there have been two Dorotheuses and as many Barsanuphiuses, whereof the one sort defended the errors of Severus, while the other held fast to sound doctrine and the exercises of piety; it must be understood that it is those very men who held the right view who are mentioned in this book. And knowing that this work teaches the precepts of the virtues and can also make the soul better, we ought to embrace it. This is all the more true because this labor is, without controversy, that of the blessed Dorotheus, who bore the name among the holy Fathers of being a man of right-thinking and esteemed, and by no means that of that other man, a deviser of new and strange opinions and a man of evil counsel. ^B Of which thing our father and confessor of Christ, Theodore, who is considered to excel in the erudition and wisdom of all studies, is a most wealthy witness. For when, in that supreme testament which he had established among his disciples, he had set forth the confession of his own faith, and had adjudged all the authors of impious opinions concerning God and the true religion, one and all, unworthy of his inheritance, he said among other things: "I acknowledge all the God-delivered volumes of the New and Old Testaments; and furthermore, I approve the lives and writings of the holy and divine Fathers and doctors." And I have said this on account of the openly pernicious doctrine of Pamphilus, who journeyed from the East and slandered those holy men—I mean Mark, Isaiah, Barsanuphius, Dorotheus, and Hesychius—not, indeed, the Barsanuphius, and Isaiah, and Dorotheus, who are the "co-heads" of the Acephali, and those called "co-tempters" of the Decaceratae, and who are anathematized by him who is in the saints, Sophronius, in his libellus, but rather others than those aforementioned ^C

For I differ greatly from those, whom I not only embrace and venerate as having been handed down to us as if by the hands of our parents, hearing them from the most holy patriarch Tarasios, who at this time presides over the high priesthood, but also from other trustworthy persons, both native and Eastern. Added to this is the fact that the image of Barsanuphius is seen in the Great Church, rightfully dedicated and placed alongside the holy Fathers, Antony, Ephraim, and others; and finding no impiety in their teachings, but on the contrary, much spiritual profit. ^A Therefore, our great father Theodore examined the views of both Dorotheoses, and pronounced the doctrine of the one contained herein to be most beneficial; just as indeed it truly is very soul-profiting. By it, he who scrutinizes his own life will arrive at the perfect measure of virtue in Christ, and having reached it, will be adorned with the crown of apatheia, and will be deemed worthy of eternal life with the saints. ^B

Epistle to the brother who requested that the teachings found of our holy Father Dorotheos be sent to him.

^A I. I praise your intention, and I bless your blessed and truly beauty-loving zeal regarding the good, most desirable brother. For to search so laboriously and to sincerely praise the things concerning our truly blessed and God-worthy father, who is named for the gift of God, is to praise virtue, and having praised one so blessed, to love God, and to be concerned about the life which is truly life. For as the blessed Gregory says, praise is the cause of emulation; emulation, of virtue; and virtue, of blessedness. It is a cause for rejoicing and congratulating, then, in truth, on such progress of yours. For you seem to emulate him who was an emulator of the truly meek and humble of heart; who, having beheld the intelligible renunciation of Peter and those with him, thus stripped himself of the affection for visible things, and thus gave himself over to his own affairs according to God, that with confidence, I know, he also could say with Peter to the Savior: "Behold, we have left everything and followed you a." Whence, having reached perfection in a short time with God, he fulfilled long years; not dwelling in desert places and mountains, nor counting it a great thing to rule over body-devouring beasts, ^D but embracing the desert of the soul, and longing to draw near to those eternal mountains, knowing how to wonderfully illumine us, and to trample upon the heads of soul-killing serpents and scorpions; which he was deemed worthy to attain to briefly, through the cooperation of Christ, by the athletic renunciation of his own will; which opened to him the unerring path of the fathers; which showed the blessed burden to be light to him, and manifested the saving and useful, truly useful, yoke.

^A From this he learned the excellent way to height, which is humility. And having received the saying "Be merciful and meek" ^B both in deed and word from the holy elders, he was adorned with all these virtues. Whence the blessed man always bore that saying of the elders upon his lips: "He who has attained to the cutting off of his own will, has attained to the place of rest." For since he discovered, as he rightly sought, that self-love is the root of all evils—and that this, being intertwined with our will, is a bitter-sweet thing—by using this active remedy, he withered the root and the evil shoots completely; and he became a sincere cultivator of immortal fruits, and produced the truly living fruit, having gained the treasure hidden in the field, which he had diligently sought and found, and having truly become wealthy in things which do not fail. I would have wished, then, to be capable in both tongue and mind to expound the life of that holy man as it deserves, for the common benefit and as a most accurate model of virtue, [to show] how that most holy man trod the narrow and broad, yet paradoxical, way, contrary to all expectation: the narrow, because it is unerring and undistracted and guards against the precipitous deviations on either side. For so the friend of God, the truly great Basil, defines the narrowness of the afflictive and saving way; and the broad, because of its detachment and [the freedom it gives] to those who lead it toward God, and especially because of the height of humility, which alone, as the divine Anthony used to say, surpasses and shatters the snares of the devil. Wherefore, in him that which is written was most truly fulfilled: "Thy commandment is exceeding broad." ^C

III. But I will pass over this, as being beyond my power. For I know that among all the virtues of the blessed man, there were also those which he had gathered from the philosophers outside, which, like a truly wise bee, he would cull as flowers, finding some benefit in them, and would tirelessly set them forth for instruction ^D at the right time; such as "Nothing in excess," "Know thyself," and other similar things, for which—even if there were not a grateful disposition—the necessity of my own weakness, as has been said, compels me. But what your earnest and beauty-loving soul commanded me, this I have done with confidence, fearing the heavy burden of disobedience and fearing the penalty of laziness. And so I have sent to you, the wise money-changers of God, with the help of God, the talent that was lying idle with me—I mean the teachings of the blessed man, which he himself was deemed worthy to receive from his own fathers and which he handed down to his own disciples, doing and teaching as did our first and true instructor and Savior. Yet, if I have not been able to find all those holy discourses, but only very few, and these collected sporadically by some earnest people through the providence of God, it will nevertheless be sufficient

for your dexterity to approve even this small offering, in accordance with the saying: “Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will become wiser.” ^A

Prov. ix, 9.

But first, more briefly, [I shall relate] the facts concerning the blessed Dositheus, who became the first disciple of the blessed Abba Dorotheus while he was still among those of Abba Seridus, and who completed the struggle of subjection according to Christ.

OF OUR HOLY FATHER ABBA DOROTHEUS: DOCTRINE I. On renunciation.

^B 1. In the beginning, when God created man, He placed him in Paradise (as the divine Scripture says), having adorned him with every virtue, and given him the commandment not to eat from the tree that was in the midst of Paradise. And he was in the delights of Paradise, in prayer, in contemplation, in the midst of glory and honor, having his senses intact; and he was in the state ^C according to nature, just as he was created. For God made man according to the image of God, that is to say, immortal, possessed of free will, and adorned with every virtue. But when he transgressed the commandment and ate from the tree concerning which God had commanded him not to eat, then he was cast out of Paradise, and fell from the state according to nature, and was in the state contrary to ^D

^A nature, that is, in sin, in ambition, in the love of this present life, and in other innumerable passions, succumbing to them and obeying them in all things. For he had made himself a slave to them through transgression. Then, therefore, wickedness began to increase little by little, and death began to reign; nowhere was there religion, nowhere was there piety. Everywhere there was ignorance of God, and only a very few, as I said, the Fathers, moved by the law of nature, knew God; such as were Abraham and the other patriarchs, and Noah, and Jacob, and to speak briefly, a very few and rare persons. Then the enemy displayed all his craftiness; then iniquity and injustice began to dominate; then idolatry began, then various worship of gods, then illusions, then murders, and the rest of the devil's wickedness. ^B Then, therefore, the good God, having compassion on His creature, gave the written law through Moses. In it He forbade some things and permitted others, saying, "Do this, do not do that." He gave a commandment, and immediately He says: "The Lord thy God is one Lord," so that He might for a time turn their mind away from polytheism. And, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Everywhere you shall preach that God is one and there is no other. For in saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," He showed that God is one, and that there is one Lord. And again in the Decalogue: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave, and by His name shalt thou swear." Then He adds: "There shall be no other gods for thee, ^C nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth below." For they were worshipping all the creatures.

II. Therefore, the good God gave the law for help, for conversion, for the correction of wickedness, and yet it was not corrected. He sent prophets, and not even they accomplished anything. For iniquity prevailed, as Isaiah says, neither wound, nor bruise, nor festering sore admitted a poultice, or oil, or bandages; to say it simply, this wickedness is not partial, nor in one place, but it encompasses the whole soul in the whole body, and seizes all its powers; indeed, all things serve sin, all things are led captive by it. ^D Moreover, Jeremiah also says: "We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed," which means: We made Thy name manifest, we announced Thy commandments, Thy benefits, Thy promises, we gave warnings of the incursions of enemies, and yet she was not healed; that is, she did not repent, she did not fear, she did not turn away from her wickedness. Just as He says elsewhere, that "they did not receive discipline," that is, correction, instruction. And as He says in the Psalm: "Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near unto the gates of death."

^A III. Post-haste, then, our good and merciful God sends His only-begotten Son. For it belonged to God alone to heal and to overcome such an affliction, and the prophets were by no means ignorant of this. Hence David also spoke clearly: "Thou that sittest upon the Cherubim, show Thyself to us. Stir up Thy strength, and come to save us." Likewise: "O Lord, bow Thy heavens, and come down." And many other things in this vein. For all the prophets, in diverse ways, cried out much, some entreating that He might descend, and some fully persuaded that He certainly was coming down. Our Lord therefore came, having-become man for our sake, in order that, as the holy Gregory maintains, "the like might cure the like"—the soul by the soul, the flesh by the flesh. For He took on all that was man's, except sin; He took our very substance, the first-fruits ^B of our dough, and He becomes a new Adam, after the image of Him who fashioned him. He renewed that which was by nature, and made the senses sound again as they were from the beginning; He renewed fallen man by becoming man—He liberated him who was enslaved to sin, him whose life was held in its grasp. For man was led by force and tyranny by the enemy, and almost even those who did not wish to sin sinned by force, as the Apostle says in our person: "For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do."

^C IV. God, having therefore become man for our sake, liberated man from the tyranny of the enemy. For He crushed all his hostile power, He broke his strength, and He delivered us entirely from being his slaves, from being enslaved to him, unless we ourselves should willingly desire to sin. For He gave us power, as He said, to tread upon serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy, having cleansed us from every sin through holy baptism. For holy baptism offers forgiveness and wipes away every sin. But again, the good God, recognizing our weakness and foreknowing that we were destined, even after holy baptism, to sin again (as it is written: "For the heart of man is studiously bent upon evil from his youth"), gave us ^D of His own goodness holy commandments that cleanse us, so that if we should wish, we might be able to be cleansed again through the keeping of the commandments, not only from our sins, but also from the passions themselves. For passions are one thing, and sins another; the passions are wrath, vainglory, love of pleasure, hatred, evil desire, and whatever is like these; but the sins are these very operations of the passions, when someone actively performs them, when he brings into effect through the body those deeds which the passions suggest to him. Indeed, it is possible for one to have the passions, but not to act upon them.

^A V. God therefore gave us commandments, as has been said, which might purge us from the passions themselves, and from the evil dispositions that are within our inner man. For He imparts to him the discernment of good and evil; He awakens him; He shows him the causes from whence he comes to sin, and says: The law said, Thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say, neither shalt thou lust. The law said, Thou shalt not kill; but I say, neither shalt thou be angry. For if you have lust, even if you do not commit adultery today, nevertheless the concupiscence will not cease to harass you inwardly until it has cast you into the act. If you are angry, and you irritate yourself against your brother, when at some point you fall into it, you will also fall into slander, then into plotting; and thus, advancing little by little, you will eventually arrive at killing. Again, the law says, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and what follows. But He Himself admonishes us not only to receive patiently the blow of the one striking us, but even to offer the other cheek with humility. For the purpose of the law at that time was to teach us not to do to another what we would not want to suffer from another. And thus He cut off evil deeds from us through the fear of retaliation. This is the new question: to cut off hatred itself, pleasure itself, ambition itself, and vainglory, and all the rest of the passions. ^C VI. The purpose, I said ^B simply, of our Master Christ was to teach us why we came into all these sins, why we fallen into such bad times. First of all, then, He freed us, as I have already said, through holy baptism, giving us the remission of all sins, and He gave us the power to do good if we wish, and no longer to be dragged, as one might say, by force into evil. For he who is enslaved to sin is weighed down and dragged by it, as it is said: Every one is bound by the cords of his own sins. Then He teaches us through the holy commandments how to be purged also from the passions themselves, so that we may not fall again into the same sins through these. Finally, He shows us the cause from whence one comes into contempt and disobedience of the very commandments of God, and thus He also provides us with the medicine for this, so that we may be able to obey and be saved. What, then, is this medicine, and what is the cause of contempt? Listen to what the Lord Himself says: Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. Behold, here in brief, through one word, He has taught us the root and cause of all evils, and the medicine for them—of all good things—He showed that pride cast us down, and that it is impossible to be shown mercy in any other way except through its opposite, which is humility. For pride breeds contempt and ruinous disobedience; just as humility breeds

^A a habit of mind that has become truly humble in the heart itself.

VII. Whoever, therefore, desires to find true humility and rest for his soul, let him learn humility, and let him perceive that in it is all joy, all glory, and all rest, just as in pride are all things contrary to these. For from where did we come into all these afflictions? Was it not from our pride? Was it not from our arrogance? Was it not from our bearing with our own evil inclination, and from the bitterness of our own will prevailing within us? Yet from where did it come? Was not man created in all luxury, in all joy, in all rest, in all glory? Was he not in Paradise? ^B God commanded, "Do not do this," and he did it. Do you see pride? Do you see the stiff neck? Do you see disobedience? Then, God, seeing that shamelessness, says: "This one is foolish; this one does not know how to rejoice. Unless he experiences evil days, he goes off, he perishes completely." For if he does not learn what affliction is, he does not learn what rest is. Then He gave him his due rewards and cast him out of Paradise. He was delivered, therefore, to his own self-love and to his own desires, so that he might bruise his bones, that he might learn not to follow himself, but the commandment of God, so that this misery of disobedience might teach him the rest of obedience, as it says in the prophet: "Your apostasy will instruct you." Nevertheless, the goodness of God, as I have often said, did not overlook ^C His own creation, but again encourages it; again He calls out: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." As if to say: "Behold, you have labored; behold, you have suffered misery; behold, you have experienced the evil of your disobedience. Come, therefore, turn back; come, acknowledge your weakness, so that you may enter into your rest and your glory. Come, live through humility, for you have been put to death through pride." "Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

VIII. Oh, my brothers, what does pride do? Oh, what is humility able to do? What was the need for all these ^D roundabout ways? For if, from the beginning, man had been humbled and had obeyed God, and had kept the commandment, he would not have fallen. Even after the shameful act, He gave him an opportunity to repent and be shown mercy, and yet his neck remained stiff. For He came, saying to him: "Adam, where are you?" That is to say: "From what glory into what shame have you fallen?" And then He asks him: "Why have you sinned; why have you..."

fallen?” And then He asks him: "Why have you sinned; why have you transgressed?" ^A Turning to him specifically, as if signaling for him to respond, "Forgive me, Lord." But nowhere is "Forgive me" to be heard; nowhere is humility, nowhere is repentance to be seen, but rather the opposite. For he responds: "The woman whom You gave to me was the cause." He did not say, "The woman tricked me," but, "the woman whom You gave to me," as if someone were to say, "The calamity that You brought upon my head." And this is not enough, my brothers, that he does not wish to accuse himself, but he even accuses God Himself. Then He proceeds to the woman and says to her, "Why did you not obey my command?" implying to her in a way that she should respond, "Forgive me, I beseech You, Lord," so that she might immediately be healed through humility. Yet she did not respond in that way; but she too says, "The serpent deceived me," as if to say, "If he sinned, what guilt is mine?" What are you doing, wretched ones? Offer a single repentance, acknowledge your fall, have pity on your own nakedness! Neither deigned to accuse himself, nor was even one found who possessed a modicum of humility.

^B IX. And now, you see simply where our condition has arrived; you see to what and to how many evils this self-justification has brought us—this holding on to our own will and following ourselves, which are children of the enmity of pride against God. Just as there are children of humility: to blame oneself, not to trust in one's own judgment, to hate one's own will. For from these, one is deemed worthy to recover oneself and to return to one's natural state through the cleansing of the holy commandments of Christ. For without humility, one cannot be subject to the commandments, nor come to any good whatsoever, as the abbot Mark said: without contrition of heart, it is impossible to be rid of malice and to acquire virtue. Therefore, through contrition of heart one accepts the commandments, is rid of malice, acquires the virtues, and thereafter returns to his own rest. Knowing this, all the saints strove with all zeal and diligence in humble acts by which they might join themselves to God; for there were certain lovers of God who, after holy baptism, not only cut off the operations and actions of the passions, but desired to conquer the passions themselves and to become altogether impassible—such as we have heard were Saint Antony, Pachomius, and the other God-bearing Fathers.

^D X. Since, therefore, they had determined to render themselves cleansed from all defilement of flesh and spirit, as the Apostle says, and knew that the soul—as we have already said—could not be cleansed unless by the observance of the divine commandments, and that the mind, once so cleansed, returns to its own nature (for the commandment of the Lord is lucid, enlightening the eyes) they realized without a doubt that, being worldly and secular, they could in no way ascend to virtue. Wherefore they established for themselves a stricter life, a life of pilgrimage, I mean that of the monk —

^A they began immediately to desert the world and to inhabit the vast deserts, macerating themselves with fasts, vigils, sleeping on the bare ground, and other hardships, and they renounced entirely their fatherland, kinsmen, money, lands, and possessions, and simply crucified themselves to the world. And they not only kept the commandments, but also offered gifts to God. And I say how: The commandments were given to all Christians, and every Christian is bound to keep them; they are, as one might say, taxes owed to the King. Who, then, who does not pay these taxes to the King, escapes punishment? But there are in the world great and illustrious men who not only provide the taxes to the King, but also offer gifts to him, and these are deemed worthy of great honor, of great gifts, and of dignities. Thus, therefore, did the Fathers not only keep the commandments, but also offered gifts to God. And the gifts are virginity and non-possession; these are not commandments, they are gifts; for nowhere is it written: "Do not take a wife, do not beget children." Nor, again, did Christ give a command saying: "Sell your belongings." Indeed, when the lawyer approached him saying: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" he answered: "You know the commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness against your neighbor, and the rest." And when he said, "All these I have kept from my youth," he added: "If you wish ^B to be perfect, sell what you possess, and give to the poor, and the rest." Behold, he did not say, "Sell your possessions" as one commanding, but as one advising. For to say, "If you wish," is not that of one commanding, but of one advising.

XI.

they crucified themselves to the world. We, indeed, think that we have crucified the world for ourselves, because we have left it and withdrawn to the monastery; yet we do not desire to crucify ourselves to the world. For its blandishments still flourish in our spirit; we still conceal within ourselves affection for it; we sympathize with its glory, we sympathize with its delights and pleasures, we sympathize with its ornaments and garments, and on account of worthless and empty things we fall back for the most part into its former passions. If by chance some fine workman's tool is obtained, we are immoderately affected by it, and, as Abba Zosimus said, we allow that tool to become for us like a ^A hundred pieces of gold. This certainly arises from nothing but great senselessness, that we who have abandoned precious and great things should be greatly troubled over the most minor ones. And this is done by us very badly. For just as we renounce the world and its affairs, so too ought we to renounce its former passions; we must learn, likewise, what the true renunciation is, and for what purpose we have departed to the monastery, and what our habit signifies to us, and [we must] adapt and conform ourselves to it, and strive with manly vigor, as did our fathers.

XII. Our habit is this: a tunic without sleeves, a leather belt, an analabus, and a cowl.

promise, as I said, to endure all his sufferings, and just as a soldier does not abandon his military service, and by ^A moving away becomes a farmer or merchant, for he falls from his dignity, as the Apostle says: "No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him"; so we also ought to struggle and be free from care concerning all things of this world, and to be occupied with God alone, as he says, that she may be a virgin, assiduous and undistracted.

^B XIII. We have also a belt, and why do we wear it? The belt that we wear is a symbol, first of all, that we are prepared for work. For everyone who wishes to work girds himself first, and thus begins the task, as he says: "Let your loins be girded"; and again, so that, just as the belt is against a dead body, so we also may mortify our desire. For the belt is against our loins, and there are the kidneys, in which is said to be the concupiscible power of the soul. And this is what the Apostle says: "Put to death your members that are on the earth, fornication, impurity, and what follows." We have also an analabus; the analabus is placed crosswise upon our shoulders; that is to say, we bear the symbol of the cross upon our shoulders, as he says, "Take up your cross and follow me." And what is the cross but the perfect mortification which is accomplished for us through faith in Christ? For faith, as it is said again in the book of the Elders, always puts aside what hinders and makes our activity unhindered, which leads us to such perfect mortification; that is to say, that one should mortify himself from all things of this world; and if he has left parents, that he should struggle also against the [emotional] attachment, likewise also money or possessions, and whatever else a man renounces, he should wish to renounce even that attachment of his, as we have already said; and this is the perfect renunciation. We receive also a cucullus; this is a symbol of humility. For small, ^C innocent infants wear cuculli; but a perfect man does not wear a cucullus. We, therefore, wear it for this reason, that we may be infants in malice, as the Apostle says: "Do not be children in your thinking; be infants in malice." And what is it to be an infant in malice? An infant, because it has no malice, if it is dishonored, it is not angry, and if it is honored, it is not vainglorious; if someone takes its things, it is not distressed; for it is an infant in malice, it does not seek revenge for a passion, it does not claim glory for itself. The cucullus is again a symbol of the grace ^D of God. For just as the cucullus covers and warms the head of a child, so also the grace of God defends our minds. The cucullus is therefore a sign of the grace of our Savior God defending our head...

and warming our childishness in Christ, because of the demons who are always trying to strike and wound us. Behold, we have also the girdle upon our loins, which is the new [life] against the shoulders, which is the cross. Behold also the cucullus, which is a sign of innocence and of childishness in Christ. ^A

XIV. Let us therefore conduct ourselves according to the habit, as the Fathers said, so that we may not bear an alien habit. But just as we have left the great things, so let us leave the small ones too; we have left the world, let us leave its affections as well. For an excessive and immoderate love for the most part binds us again to base and trivial things, and we, blind and wretched as we are, hardly notice it. If, therefore, we wish to be perfectly delivered and freed, let us learn to cut off our wills, and thus little by little, with God, we advance and come to non-attachment. For nothing so much aids men in this as the cutting off of one's own will; indeed, one advances through this matter almost above every virtue. And just as a man traveling on a road, coming upon a staff to lean on, quickens his pace through that staff and covers much of that road, so it is with him who walks this path of cutting off the will. For by cutting off one's own will, one acquires non-attachment, and from non-attachment one comes, with God, to perfect impassibility. One can, within a short time, cut off ten wills; and when someone is walking and sees something and a thought says to him, "Pay attention there," he says to the thought, "Truly I do not," and he cuts off his will and pays no attention. Again, he finds some people gossiping, and the thought says to him, "You too say this word," and he cuts off his will and does not say it. Again the thought says to him, "Go, ask the cook what he is preparing," and he does not go, and he cuts off his will. He sees something and the thought says to him, "Ask who brought it," and he cuts off his will and does not ask. And thus by cutting, he comes into the habit of cutting, and he begins to cut the great things after the small ones with ease; and thus thereafter he begins never to have any will at all, but whatever happens, he finds rest in it as if it were his own. And even when he does not desire to do his own will, he is always found to be doing it. For he who has nothing of his own, whatever happens is his own. And thus he is found, as we said, not to have attachment, and from non-attachment, as I said, he comes to impassibility. ^{B C}

XV. See, little by little, to what progress the cutting off of one's own will leads; like that blessed Dositheus. From what kind of life, and what kind of luxury, from what kind of stupidity did a man, not having even once heard the word of God, and yet you heard to what measures the practice of obedience and the cutting off of his own will brought him in a short time; and how God received him, and did not leave ^D

his virtue in obscurity, but revealed it to the holy elder, and he was seen among all those saints enjoying their blessedness. I may also relate to you another incident, which happened in my own time, so that you may learn that obedience, and the not having one's own will, can deliver a man even from death. ^A Once, when I was among the brothers of Abba Seridus, a disciple of a great elder from the regions of Ascalon came there to one of his brothers. He had an order from his elder to return to his own cell by evening. In the meantime, a most violent storm arose with heavy rain, and the nearby torrent was in full flood; nevertheless, he wanted to leave because of the elder's word. We urged him to stay, saying that it was impossible for him to be saved from the river. But he would not be persuaded by us to remain. We said later, "Let us go with him as far as the river; for if he sees it, perhaps he will turn back of his own accord." We went with him, and when we reached the river, he took off his clothes and tied them to his head, girded his tunic, and threw himself into the river into that whole terrible current. We stood there amazed and trembling for fear that he might perish; but he continued swimming and found himself immediately on the other side, and he put on his clothes, and signaled his repentance to us from the other side, and received a blessing, and went away running; and we remained amazed and struck by the power of virtue, that while we stood there in fear, even though we were looking on, he crossed safely because of his obedience. ^B And that other brother, ^C whom his Abba sent on their business to his representative in the village: how, when he saw himself being drawn by his daughter into shameful intercourse, he cried out this single word: "O God of my father, deliver me," and he was immediately found on the road to Scete, going to his father.

16. See the power of virtue, behold the strength of the word; how much help there is in calling upon the prayers of one’s father, so that he might say, "O God, through the prayers of my father deliver me," and he was immediately found on the road. Consider also the humility and the reserve of both. They were in a strait, and the elder wanted to send the brother to the one who was doing their business, and he did not say to him, "Go," but said to him, "Do you wish to go?" ^D Likewise, the brother did not say, "I am going," but said to him, "As you wish, I will do." For he was afraid both of the scandal and of not obeying his father. Then, when they were further pressed, the elder said to him, "Rise, go," and he did not say to him, "I hope in my God that He will protect you," but he says, "I hope in the prayers of my father that they will protect me." Likewise, also the brother, when he was tempted, did not say that God

^A would deliver me, but, "O God, deliver me by the prayers of my Father." And each of them hoped in the prayers of his Father. See how they yoked obedience with humility; for just as a chariot is yoked, and one horse cannot outrun the other, but is checked, so obedience requires humility to be yoked to it. And how can anyone be deemed worthy of this grace unless, as I said, he forces himself to cut off his own will, and gives himself over, after God, to his own Father, in nothing doubting, but doing all things, just as to Him, with the full conviction that he is obeying God? Who is worthy to be shown mercy, who is worthy to be saved?

XVII. There is a story told that at one time, as Saint Basil was visiting his monasteries, he said to one of the superiors: ^B "Do you have any among those being saved?" The abbot said to him: "Through your prayers, master, we all wish to be saved." Saint Basil said to him again: "Do you have anyone among those being saved?" That man, understanding (for he himself was also a spiritual man), said: "Yes." When he had come, the saint said to him: "Give me water to wash." He goes away and brings it to him to wash. And after Saint Basil had washed, the saint himself takes the basin and says to the brother: "Take it and wash yourself." That one then receives the basin from the saint without questioning; then, after testing him in this, he says to him again: "When I enter the sanctuary, come, remind me to ordain you." Again that one obeys without questioning. And when he saw Saint Basil inside the sanctuary, he goes away and reminds him, and he ordains him, and takes him with himself; for whom was it fitting, if not with that holy ^C and God-bearing man, for such a blessed brother to be with him? You, however, brethren, I see are still inexperienced in this kind of indiscreet obedience, nor do you know how great its rest is. I remember that I once questioned Abbot John, the disciple of the blessed Barsanuphius, about a matter of this kind: "Since," I said, "the Scripture says that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of heaven, and I see that I have not even one affliction, what ought I to do, lest perhaps I lose my soul, because I had neither tribulation nor anxiety?" But if it happened that I had a thought, I would take the tablet and write to the Elder. For even while writing, and before serving him, and before I finished, by the very act of writing I felt help and relief; such was the freedom from care and the rest. But I, not knowing the power of the virtue, and hearing ^D that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of heaven, was afraid because I did not have affliction. When, therefore, I explained this to the Elder, he declares to me thus: "Have no distress; you have no problem; but everyone who casts himself into obedience to the Fathers has this freedom from care and this rest."

DOCTRINA II. On humility.

1. One of the Elders said: "Above all we are in need of humility, ready in every word that we hear to say, 'Forgive.' For through humility all the things of the enemy and of our adversary are destroyed. Let us seek what is the power of

this doctrine. For why, says the elder, do we have need of humility before all else, and not rather of abstinence and patience? For the Apostle says: "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things," ^A or even of the fear of God? For the Scripture says: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord." And again: "By the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil"; or of mercy and faith? For it is said: "By alms and faith sins are purged"; and the Apostle says: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." If, therefore, it is impossible to please God without faith, and sins are purged by alms and faith, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil, and the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and he who competes exercises self-control in all things: why then does he say that before all else we have need of humility, and has passed over all these things which are so necessary? I believe the elder wished to hint to us that neither the fear of God, nor alms, nor faith, nor abstinence, nor any other of the virtues can be raised up in us without humility. Hence he says: Before all things, brothers, humility is necessary for us, being most attentive to all things that we may have heard, and most patient to all things that may be said. For through humility all the weapons of the enemy and the adversary are shattered.

II.

are we able to labor, and yet unable to be humbled? ^B Blessed is he, brethren, who possesses humility. Great is humility; and that holy man aptly pointed out the one who possesses true humility; for this reason he said that “humility is not angered, nor does it provoke anyone to anger.” And the thing seems strange; for humility opposes only vainglory, and supposedly protects a man from it. But a man is also angered over money and food; how then does he say that humility is not angered and does not provoke anyone to anger? Humility is great, as we have said, and is able to draw the grace of God into the soul. Then this grace of God, having arrived, covers the soul from these other two burdensome passions; for what is more burdensome than to be angered, and to provoke one’s neighbor to anger, as someone said? It is altogether strange for monks to be angered; truly, if such a one is not quickly covered by humility, he gradually comes into the state of a demon, disturbing and being disturbed.

^C III. Why then do you say that humility neither provokes anyone nor is ever provoked? And what do I say, that we are liberated by humility from these two passions? I confess that we are snatched from every passion by humility, and by it the soul is protected from every temptation. When the holy Anthony saw all the snares of the devil spread out over the whole world, and groaning, he asked God who, then, could escape these, what did God answer him? “Humility escapes them.” And what other wonderful thing did He add? This: “And they do not even touch it.” Do you see its power, brother? Do you see the grace of virtue? In truth, nothing is stronger than humility. If anything grievous happens to the humble man, he immediately turns within himself, he immediately judges himself worthy of that adversity and affliction, he does not endure criticizing anyone, he does not endure casting the blame upon others, and therefore he proceeds without disturbance, without trouble, with all tranquility. For this reason he is neither angered, nor does he provoke anyone to anger. Therefore the holy man spoke well, that above all things we have need of humility.

IV. There are two kinds of humility, just as there are two kinds of pride. The first kind of pride is when someone despises his brother, when he deems him worthless, as one who is nothing, and considers himself superior to him. ^D If such a one does not quickly come to his senses and exert himself, he gradually comes also to the second kind of pride: so that he becomes proud even against God, and ascribes his own achievements to himself, and not to God. Indeed, my brethren, I know a man who once fell into this wretched state; and at the beginning, if any of the brothers said anything in commendation and praise of another, he would immediately reject him and, as it were, spit upon him, saying: “Who is he? There is no one who is worth anything except Zosimas and those who are with him.” Afterward he began to despise even them and to say: “There is no one except Macarius;” and after a little while he began to say: “Who

^A is Basil, and who is Gregory? There is no one except Paul and Peter.” I say to him: “Truly, brother, he begins to disdain even them.” Believe me, that after a little time he began to say: “Who is Peter and who is Paul? There is no one except the Holy Trinity.” Thus, later, he became proud even against God Himself, and thus he became distraught. For this reason we must struggle, my brothers, against the first pride, so that we may not falling little by little into perfect pride.

^B V. There is also worldly pride and monastic pride. Worldly pride is when someone becomes proud against his brother, as being richer, or more handsome than him, or as wearing better clothes than him, or being more noble than him. When, therefore, we see ourselves being vainglorious in these things, or that our monastery is larger, or wealthier, or that we have many brothers, we ought to know that we are still in worldly pride. There is also a time when one is vainglorious about certain natural gifts. What do I mean? Someone is vainglorious that he has a good voice and chants well, or that he is gracious and serves neatly. These things are more modest than the first ones; yet they too belong to worldly pride. ^C Monastic pride is when someone is vainglorious as being watchful, as fasting, as pious, as being of good conduct, as being diligent. There is also a time when someone humbles himself for the sake of glory. These things belong to monastic pride. It is possible for us to not be proud at all; but if not, at least to be proud about monastic things, and not about worldly ones. Behold, we have said what the first pride is, and what the second is; likewise, let us say what worldly pride is, and what monastic pride is. Let us learn, then, what the two humilities are.

^D VI. The first humility is to consider one’s brother as more prudent than oneself, and that in everything he surpasses oneself, and simply, as that holy man said, to be beneath everyone. The second humility is to ascribe one's successes to God. This is the perfect humility of the saints. This humility is naturally generated in the soul, from the working of the commandments. For just as when trees bear much fruit, the fruit itself bends the branches downwards and weighs them down, but the branch that bears no fruit is lifted high and rises straight up; and there are some trees where, in proportion as their branch rises upward, it bears no fruit; but if someone takes a stone and hangs it on the branch and pulls it downwards, then it bears fruit; so it is with the soul: when it is humbled, then it bears fruit, and the more fruit it bears, the more it is humbled. For as holy men approach nearer to God, so much the more do they see themselves as sinners. I remember that we were once speaking about humility, and a certain one of the dignitaries of Gaza, hearing us say this, that in proportion as one approaches God, he sees himself as [a sinner], he was amazed and said that he did not know how this could be; but he wished to learn. I answered him: “Tell me, I pray, master, noble man, whom do you consider to be [your equal] among your fellow citizens?”

He replied, “I consider myself a great man and the foremost in the city.” I said to him, “But if you go to Caesarea, what do you consider yourself there?” He replied, “I consider myself inferior to the great men who are there.” I said to him, “But if you go to Antioch, what do you consider yourself?” He replied to me, “I consider myself as one of the common people.” I said to him, “But if you go to Constantinople, near the Emperor, what do you consider yourself there?” ^A He replied to me, “I consider myself a mere beggar.” Then I said to him, “See, thus it is with the saints: the more they draw near to God, the more they see themselves as sinners.” For when Abraham saw the Lord, he called himself dust and ashes. Isaiah said, *Woe is me, for I am unclean.* Likewise also Daniel, when he was in the pit with the lions and Habakkuk came to him with food, saying to him, *Receive the meal that the Lord has sent you*, he replied with tears, *Has the Lord remembered me?* What humility of heart did he have even in that pit! ^B Therefore he was not harmed by the lions, neither the first time nor the second. He was amazed and said, *Has the Lord remembered me?*

VII. You see the humility of the saints, how their hearts are disposed? But if they are sent by God for the help of men, they do not accept the mission out of humility, fleeing from glory and honor. For just as someone dressed in purple and silk, if a filthy cloak is thrown upon him, turns away and flees, so that his precious clothing may not be defiled; so also are the holy men, clothed in the most excellent virtues, and they flee human glory, so that they may not be defiled by it. ^C But those who are greedy for glory appear to me like a naked man, who goes about everywhere trying to find some rag or whatever else he can, so that he may cover his shame. Thus even he who is stripped of virtues seeks the glory of men. Since the saints, therefore, were often sent by God for the help of men, they would hardly consent out of humility. For Moses said, *I beseech thee, O Lord, send another more eloquent than me; for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.* Jeremiah, moreover, said, *I am a child.* In short, all the saints possessed this humility while they observed the commandments of God (as we have said). ^D However, no man can explain in speech how it comes into the mind, unless he has first learned it by experience. Once, Abbot Zosimas was speaking about humility. And since a certain sophist was present there, and did not sufficiently grasp what was being said, in order to learn these things more surely, he said to the abbot: “Tell me, I pray, how do you consider yourself a sinner, I do not know, since you perform works of virtue and are a saint? Indeed, whatever commandments there are, you keep them, and you are most observant of them; why then do you proclaim yourself a sinner?” But the elder did not know what he should best answer to these things, and he said: “What answer I should give you to the things you ask, I do not know; but I have”

^A been taught to be silent.” The sophist, however, resisted all the more, wishing to extort from the elder the reason for this matter. The elder, finding nothing with which he could explain this thing to him, began to say with holy simplicity: “Do not distract me with sophistries; I keep myself thus.” As I saw the elder hesitating over how to answer, I took up the speech and said: “I think this is the case, just as it is with logic and the medical art; when someone learns these well and puts them into practice, through the gradual frequenting of their act, a habit is formed for the doctor and for the logician. Yet they cannot subsequently teach, nor do they know, how they arrived at the habit of those disciplines. Thus the soul (as I said) gradually and without awareness has conceived those disciplines from action. The same thing is to be said about humility, that, namely, from the frequent operation of the commandments of God, a certain habit of humility is produced in the soul, which cannot be explained by speech.” ^B When the abbas Zosimas heard this, he was glad and immediately embraced me, and said to me: “You have found the matter; it is as you said.” The sophist was also healed when he heard this, and he himself accepted the word. Thus the sophist, having been freed from his scruple when he heard these things, admitted whatever he had and went away.

VIII. But our elders have said that we can understand this humility in the specific things we do; but as for the disposition itself, as it is when it has come to be in us, no one can relate it. When the abbas Agathon was about to die, the brothers standing around asked him if he was afraid. To whom he replied that he had labored with all his might, so far as he could, to observe and perform the commandments of God. ^C But since he was a man, he did not know whether his works had been pleasing to God; since God judges in one way, and man in another. Behold, by words of this kind he hints to us how we may understand this humility; he also shows the way by which we may apprehend it. But as to what it is like when it has come into the soul, as I have often said, no one can attain it by speech, unless the soul has perhaps been deemed worthy by its works to learn and understand it. But what those things are that produce humility in us, the Fathers have often taught. For an elder being asked by a brother what humility was, replied: That humility is a great work, and a divine something; but that the ways of humility are bodily labors, ^D which you perform with knowledge; and if you subject yourself entirely to everyone, and pray to God without ceasing, this, I say, is the true way of humility; but humility itself is divine and incomprehensible. But why does he say that bodily labors carry the soul into humility? And for what reason are bodily labors virtues of the soul? For to be subject to all (as we mentioned above) is contrary to the first pride. For how can one consider himself greater than his brother, or be proud in anything, or blame or despise anyone, if he places himself beneath everyone? Likewise, to pray without ceasing is clear because it is contrary to the second pride, for it is evident that the humble, modest man, recognizing that as a person he is invalid and inept for every good work without divine assistance, will not cease from constant and assiduous prayer, begging God that He might show mercy upon him.

lest he fall from such assistance, and his weakness and helplessness be revealed. And thus, through humility he prays, and through prayer he is humbled; and as he is always succeeding, he is always being humbled; and so much as he is humbled, he is helped and makes progress through humility. ^A

IX. But why does he say that physical labors bring the soul to humility? What does physical labor contribute to the disposition of the soul? I will tell you in a few words. When the soul, having transgressed, fell from the commandment, it was delivered, as the holy Gregory says, to sensuality and to the self-rule of error, and it became attached to and embraced the ways of the body. Thus, it was found to be one with the body and became entirely flesh, according to what the Lord says: *My spirit shall not remain in these men, for they are flesh* (Gen. vi, 3). And since the unhappy soul suffers with and is affected by the things that are done in the body, the elder therefore said that physical labor brings the soul to humility. ^B For the soul is disposed in one way when one is healthy, in another when one is ill, in another when one is hungry, and in another when one is sated. Likewise, the soul is disposed in one way when one sits on a horse, in another when one sits on a throne, in another when one sits on the ground; and in one way when one wears fine garments, and in another when one wears tattered and worn rags. Physical labor, therefore, humbles the body, and when the body is humbled, the soul is humbled along with it; thus the elder’s opinion concerning physical labor was most excellent. For this reason Evagrius, when assailed by blasphemy—knowing as he did that blasphemy arises from pride, and that when the body is humbled the soul is humbled with it—spent forty days under the open sky, until his body, as the writer says, gave off a sound like that of wild animals, and worms swarmed from it as often happens in the case of beasts, and it discharged pus from the labor. Nor was this done on account of the blasphemy, but for the sake of humility. It was therefore well said by the elder that we are led to humility by physical labors. May the good and holy God grant us this kind of humility, which delivers a person from the greatest dangers and protects him from countless temptations. ^C

DOCTRINE III. Of conscience.

I. When God created man, He implanted in him something divine, that is to say, a certain bright and fervent mind that would instruct him to distinguish the bad from the good; and this is called conscience, which is the natural law. The wells which Jacob dug (Gen. xxvi, 14, 15), as our fathers have asserted, were a figure of this, which were afterwards filled up by the Philistines. The patriarchs and all the saints adhered to this law before the written law, and ^D

^A pleased God. But this having been buried and trampled underfoot by men through the transgression of sin, we stood in need of the written law, we stood in need of the holy prophets, we stood in need of the very coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he might uncover and raise it up, that he might rekindle that spark which had been buried through the observance of his holy commandments. It is therefore in our power now, either to bury it again, or to allow it to shine and enlighten us, if we obey it. For when the conscience says to us, "Do this," and we despise it, and again it says it, and we do not do it, but we remain trampling upon it, we eventually bury it, and it can no longer speak clearly to us from the weight of that which is pressed upon it. But just as a lamp through glass, so it begins to show us things ^B more dimly, or rather more obscurely, and thus by the transgression, just as no one can behold his own face in water that has been made muddy by much earth, so we find ourselves not perceiving what our conscience says to us, to the point that we think we have almost none. Yet there is no one who does not have it; for it is something divine, as we said, and it never perishes; it always reminds us of our duty. But we do not perceive this, because, as I said, we despise and trample upon it. For this reason the prophet laments Ephraim, and says, "Ephraim prevailed against his adversary, and trampled upon judgment." ^C He calls the conscience an "adversary." Whence also in the Gospel it is said: "Be well-disposed to thy adversary, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time he deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to the officers, and they cast thee into prison. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou pay the last farthing." And why does He call the conscience an adversary? It is called an adversary because it always opposes our evil will, and accuses us when we do not do what we ought to do, and again, when we do what we ought not to do, it condemns us; and this is why it is our adversary, and why it encourages us, saying: "Be well-disposed to thy adversary, while thou art in the way with him." The "way," as Saint Basil says, is this world.

II. ^D Let us therefore endeavor, brethren, to keep our conscience, as long as we are in this world, not leaving it to rebuke us in any matter, not trampling upon it in anything at all, even if it be the least thing; that you may know that from these small and naturally trifling things, we come to despise great ones. For when someone begins to say, "What is it, if I say this word? What is it, if I eat this little thing? What is it, if I pay attention to this matter?"—from this "What is this, and what is that," one receives an evil and bitter diet, and begins to slip, step by step, into greater and more grievous matters; and thus, in succession,

^A one is in danger of falling into perfect insensibility. Therefore, take heed, brethren, do not neglect small things; take heed not to despise them as if they were of no account. They are not small; it is a creeping ulcer, it is an evil habit. Let us be sober; let us take care of small things while they are still small, lest they become grievous. Both the attainment of virtue and the commission of sin begin from small things, and lead to great things, whether good or evil. For this reason, the Lord commands us to keep our conscience, as if strictly testifying to each of us and saying, "See what you are doing, miserable one; be sober. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him." And He adds the terror and danger of the matter, saying, "Lest he deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officers, and you be cast into prison. And truly I say to you, you shall not go out from there until you have paid the very last farthing." For ^B this, as I said, rebukes us in both good and evil, and prescribes to us what must be done and what must be avoided. Nor will it cease to accuse us even in the world to come. Hence it is said: "Lest he deliver you to the judge," and so forth.

III. Regarding conscience, its diligence and keeping, there are many distinctions.

But conscience toward one's neighbor is maintained if one does nothing at all ^C that he knows will work the slightest trouble or affliction to his neighbor—not by deed, not by word, not by feeling, not by sign, or look. For there are certain signs, as I have often said, by which we harm our neighbor; there are looks by which we bind him and cause him no little trouble; and, to speak briefly, from everything that a man perceives might cause trouble to his neighbor, conscience commands him to abstain. If he acts otherwise, he is stained and guilty, well aware that he is acting deliberately to harm and to bind. This is what we mean by keeping conscience toward one's neighbor.

To have conscience toward material things means to treat no thing with abuse, that is to say, not to allow a thing to be ruined or thrown away; but if he sees something already cast aside, he should not overlook it, even if it is common/vile, but should gather it up and place it in its proper ^D place. Likewise, one should not abuse one's own clothing. For there is one, for example, who could wear his tunic one or two weeks more, but goes and washes it before the time, wearing it out, and instead of its being useful for five months or more, he makes it useless by washing it; and this is against conscience. Likewise, in the matter of bedding, often one could make use of it for a cushion, and he seeks

^A a very large mattress; he has a woolen one at times, and wishes to exchange it, and to take another, either new or more beautiful, out of vanity or listlessness. It is possible for one to be satisfied with a single small coverlet, and he seeks a secondary one, perhaps even contending if he does not receive it. And if someone also begins to pay attention to his brother, and to say, "Why does this one have that, and I do not have it?" such a one is not in progress. Again, he spreads out his garment or covering in the sun, and neglects to pick it up, and allows it to be ruined; and this is against conscience. Likewise, in food: it is possible for one to satisfy his need with a little vegetable or pulse, or a few olives, but he does not endure to do so, but seeks other food, tastier or more expensive; all these things are against conscience. The ^B Fathers say that a monk must never allow his conscience to harass him, not even in any matter. There is need, therefore, brethren, for us to be watchful always, and to guard ourselves from all these things, that we may not fall into danger. For the Lord Himself warned us, as we said above. May God grant us to hear and to observe these things, so that the words of our Fathers may not become a judgment against us.

DOCTRINE IV. Of divine fear.

^A I. The holy John says in the Catholic Epistles: "Perfect love casts out fear." What, then, does the saint wish to signify to us by this? What love, pray, does he say to us, and what fear? For the Prophet says in the Psalm: "Fear the Lord, all His saints;" and we find ten thousand other such things in the holy Scriptures. If, therefore, the saints, loving the Lord so much, fear Him, how does he say, "Love casts out fear"? ^C The saint wishes to show us that there are two kinds of fear: one is introductory, and one is perfect; and that the one is of those who are beginning, as one might say, the God-fearing, while the other is of the saints who have been perfected, who have attained to the measure of love. What do I mean? A person does the will of God because of the fear of torments; this one, as we said, is still a beginner; he does not do good for the sake of the good itself, but because of the fear of stripes. ^D Another, however, does the will of God, loving God Himself, loving Him specifically for the purpose of pleasing God. This one knows what the good itself is; this one has known what it is to be with God. Behold, this is the one who has the true love which the saint calls perfect, and this love leads him to perfect fear. For such a one fears and observes the will of God, no longer because of the stripes, no longer because of not being punished; but, as we said, having tasted of the very sweetness of being with God, he fears lest he fall away from it, he fears lest he be deprived of it. This, then, is the

^A perfect fear which is born of this love, and it casts out introductory fear. For this reason he says that perfect love casts out fear. But it is impossible to arrive at perfect fear except through introductory fear.

^B II. For there are three conditions and states, as divine Gregory says, by which we can be pleasing to God. For if we fear punishment, we are pleasing to Him and are in the state of a slave; or, if we pursue the gains of a reward and fulfill the commandments for the sake of our own benefit, we are likened to hirelings; but if we cleave to the good and honest for its own sake, we are in the state of a son. For when a son comes to understanding, he does the will of his father, not fearing that he might be beaten, nor for the sake of receiving a reward from him, but because he loves him, keeping for him specifically that very love and paternal honor, and he is convinced that all that belongs to the father is his own. Such a one is deemed worthy to hear: "You are no longer a slave, but a son and heir of God through Christ." Such a one no longer fears God, as we have said—that is, in that sense of introductory fear—but he loves Him, as the holy Anthony says: "I no longer fear God." And the Lord, when He said to Abraham, after the offering of his son: "Now I know that you fear God," signifies that perfect fear which is born of love. For how could He have said, "Now I know"? He had shown mercy, he had done so many things, he had obeyed God, and had left all his own possessions, and had resided as a stranger in a foreign land and among a nation of idolaters, where there was not even a trace of piety or religion. And, in addition to these things, he had endured that horrific temptation regarding the offering of his son, and after all these things it is said to him, "Now I know that you fear God"—it is evident that He meant the perfect fear which belongs to the saints. For they no longer do the will of God for fear of punishment or for the sake of receiving a reward, but because they love—as we have often said—and they fear to do anything contrary to the will of the Beloved. And for this reason he says, "Love casts out fear." For they no longer act out of fear, but they fear out of love.

^C III. This is the perfect fear, but it is impossible to arrive at the perfect, as we have said before, unless one first possesses the introductory fear. For Scripture says: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord" (Prov. I, 7); and again it says: "The beginning and the end is the fear of God" (Prov. IX, 10; XXII, 4). By "beginning" he means the introductory fear, after which is the perfect fear, which is given to the saints. The introductory fear, therefore, is of our state. The introductory fear protects the soul, just as knowledge protects it from every evil. ^D It says...

"By the fear of the Lord everyone declines from evil ^A." If, then, one declines from evil out of fear of punishment, just as a slave fears his master, he arrives gradually at the doing of good; and by degrees he begins to hope for some reward for the work of good, just like a hireling. When, therefore, he persists in fleeing from evil, as we said, through fear, just like a slave, and again in doing good through hope, just like a hireling, lingering ^B with God for the sake of the good, and in proportion being united to God, he then tastes and arrives at a certain perception of the truly good itself, and no longer wishes to be separated from it. For who can any longer separate him, as the Apostle said, from the love of Christ? Then he attains to the measure of the son, and he loves the good for its own sake, and fears because he loves. And this is the great and perfect fear. For this reason, the Prophet also, teaching us the difference, spoke of this fear: "Come, children, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Fix your mind on every word of the Prophet: how each of his utterances has power. First he says, "Come to me," inviting us to virtue. He adds also "children"; the saints call those who are transformed by their word from evil to virtue "children," as the Apostle says: "My little children, of whom I labor again until Christ be formed in you ^C." Then, after calling us and exhorting us to such a transformation, he says: "I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Behold the boldness of the saint. When we desire to speak about something good before you, we are always accustomed to say: "Is it agreeable to you that we discuss among ourselves concerning the fear of God or some other virtue?" But the saint was not so; rather, he said with boldness: "Come, children, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life, and loves to see good days?" Then, as if someone were answering that "I desire it, teach me how to live and to see good days," he teaches and says: "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile." Now he cuts off the working of evil through the fear of God. "Keep your tongue from evil" means not to wound the conscience of one's neighbor with anything, not to slander, not to provoke; and "your lips from speaking guile" means ^D not to deal deceitfully with one's neighbor. Then he adds: "Decline from evil." He first mentioned certain particular sins—slander, deceit—and thus he added, comprehensively regarding all evil, "Decline from evil"; as if to say, flee simply every evil, decline from every thing that brings sin upon itself. Nor did he remain silent when he had said this; but he added, "and do good": that is, it is not sufficient merely not to do evil, unless you also do good; it is not sufficient to harm no one, unless you also have mercy on someone; it is not

^A sufficient not to hate, unless we also love. Well, therefore, did the prophet say in conjunction: "Turn away from evil, and do good." For he shows us the sequence of those three states of which we spoke above—namely, how through the fear of God one arrives at the turning away from evil, and, after this conversion, ascends to the good. For when someone is deemed worthy to grow sluggish toward evil and to flee from it, he is necessarily assisted from above, and performs the good. Having said these things very well and consistently, he continues: "Seek peace, and pursue it." And he did not say only "seek," but "pursue it" with speed, so that you may overtake it.

IV. ^B I beg you, turn your attention to these words, and contemplate the zeal and diligence of the Prophet. When someone is found worthy to be able to turn away from evil and, God favoring him, to do good and to exercise virtue, immediately hostile wars are brought against him. Therefore, he struggles, he fights, he labors, he is crushed, fearing not only that he might fall back into evil (as we said above regarding the servant), but also, trusting in the reward and wages of the good, like a hireling. While, therefore, he is being attacked and resists, while he grapples, he does good, but with much anguish and with much labor. But when help from heaven comes to him from God, and he begins thereafter to be in a certain habit regarding the good, then he sees rest; then he perceives the approach of peace; then he feels what the affliction of war is, and what the joy and gladness of peace is. Then, therefore, he seeks it; then he exerts himself and runs, pursuing it, in order to overtake it perfectly, in order to possess it perfectly, in order that it may dwell within him entirely. What, therefore, is more blessed than such a soul, which is deemed worthy of this state? Who can say that such a soul does good for any other reason than to enjoy the good itself? No one knows the joy of this, ^C except he who has learned it by experience. Then he also recognizes the perfect fear, of which we have spoken often. We have heard, therefore, what the perfect fear of the holy men is, and what the introductory fear of our state is, and from where one flees, and to where one arrives on account of the fear of God. It remains, therefore, now to say how this divine fear comes to us, and what things those are which separate us from the fear of God.

V. The Fathers affirmed with a common opinion that a man acquires the fear of God from having the memory of death, and the memory of punishments, and from examining himself in the evening, as to how he passed the day, and in the morning again examining how he passed the night; ^D and from not presuming anything of himself, and from cleaving to a man who fears God. For they say that a brother once asked one of the elders, "What must I do, Father, in order to fear God?" And the elder says to him, "Go, cleave to a man who fears God, and by fearing him, he teaches you also to fear God." But we drive the fear of God away from ourselves by doing the opposite of these things that we have said.

by having no memory of death or of punishment, by not paying attention to ourselves, by not examining how we have lived, but by living carelessly and conducting ourselves with indifference, and by our ^A presumption. This is worse than all, this is total destruction. For what so drives the fear of God from the soul as presumption? When Abba Agathon was asked about presumption, he said that it is like a great scorching heat which, when it occurs, drives everyone away from its presence and also destroys the fruit of the trees. Do you see, brother, the power of this passion? Do you see its rage? And when he was asked again, "Is presumption so grievous?" he replied, "There is no passion more grievous than presumption." For it is the mother and parent of all passions, because it drives the fear of God from the soul. For if because of the fear of the Lord everyone turns away from evil, then certainly where there is no fear of God, every passion is present. May God deliver our souls from the deadly passion of ^B presumption.

3. Presumption is also multiform. A person is presumptive in speech, and in physical touch, and in their gaze. A person descends from presumption into idle chatter, into speaking about worldly things, into making jokes, and into provoking unseemly laughter. Presumption is also to touch someone without necessity, or to stretch out a hand against someone who is laughing, or to push someone, or to snatch something from him, or to look at someone impudently. All these things arise from the fact that there is no fear of God in the soul; and from these, a person comes little by little into total contempt. Therefore, when God was giving the commandments of the law, He said: "Reverence the children of Israel." For without reverence, no one honors God, nor does he pay attention ^C to any commandment whatsoever. For this reason, nothing is more terrible than presumption; and for this reason, it is the parent of all passions, because it casts out reverence, because it drives away the fear of God, because it gives birth to contempt, from the fact that we have presumption with one another and behave shamelessly toward one another; and you speak evil to one another and strike one another. And if one of you sees something useless, he goes away, gossips about it, and casts it into the heart of another brother of his; and not only is he harmed himself, but he also harms his brother by casting evil into his heart. And when often he had his mind set on prayer, or on some other good thing, that person comes along and provides him something to chatter about, and not only hinders his benefit, but also brings temptation upon him. ^D And there is nothing heavier, nor more destructive than this: not only to harm oneself, but also to harm one's neighbor.

7. Therefore it is good, brothers, that we have reverence, that we fear the harm of ourselves and of one another, that we honor one another, and that we strive to serve with mutual reverence, to fear our common losses, and to defer to one another. Let us strive

^A neither to turn our eyes about, nor to gaze too frequently at one another’s faces. For this too, as one of the elders said, is a kind of forwardness. And if it happens that you see your brother sinning, do not spit upon him, and do not remain silent and leave him to perish, nor, again, revile him or speak evil of him; but with compassion and the fear of God, tell someone who is able to correct him, or speak to him yourself with love and humility, saying: "Forgive me, my brother, for, as I unsteadily see it, perhaps we are not doing this matter well." And if he does not listen, tell another in whom you see that there is trust, or tell his superior, or the abbot, according to the magnitude of the fault, and be free of care; but, as we said, let it be with the aim that the brother may be corrected, and not out of mere chatter, not speaking evil, not despising him, not wishing—as he says—to make a public example of him, not condemning him, nor pretending to seek correction ^B while inwardly having any of these things that I have mentioned. For it is truly, to the abbot himself: if anyone says something, and does not say it for the correction of his neighbor, or because of his own harm, it is a sin; for it is backbiting. But he should examine his own heart to see if he has any passionate impulse, and he should not speak. If, however, he watches himself with strictness and sees that it is indeed out of compassion and benefit that he wishes to speak, yet a certain passionate thought is vexing him from within, he should report it to the abbot with humility, saying both his own state and that of his neighbor, saying: "My conscience bears me witness that I wish to speak for correction, but I feel that there is some mixed-in thought within me. Whether it is because I once had something against the brother, I do not know; or whether it is slander desiring to hinder me from speaking and from correction being achieved, I do not know." And then the abbot will tell him whether he ought to speak or not to speak. There are times, however, when one speaks neither for the benefit of his brother, nor because of his own harm, nor out of any malice, but just speaks it plainly, as out of mere idleness. And what is the use of this chatter? Often the brother learns that someone has spoken about him, and he becomes troubled, and from this arises distress, and another addition occurs—harm. For when one speaks for the sake of that benefit alone, as we said, God does not allow confusion to arise; He does not permit distress or harm ^C to follow.

VIII. ON GUARDING THE TONGUE

gains more profit by yielding than the one to whom he yields. For my part, I know that I have never done anything good, but that I have been kept void and empty of this vice, this indeed I know. For I have never preferred myself before any brother, but have always judged that everyone ought to be preferred before me. ^B

IX. Once, while I was still with those of Seridus, the servant of elder abbot John, who lived under abbot Barsanuphius, fell ill, and the abbot instructed me to serve the elder. And I used to salute the door of his cell from the outside as if one were worshipping the precious cross. How much more, then, by ministering to him? For who would not wish to be accounted worthy to serve such a holy man? He had also a wonderful way of speaking, and every day after I finished my service to him, I would bow down before him so that I might receive a recommendation from him and depart, and he would always speak to me. For the elder had four sayings, and as I said, every evening as I was about to depart, he would always say one of the four to me, and he would say it thus: "He says once"—for thus was the custom of the elder to say at each stage—"He says once, brother, may God preserve mutual love." The Fathers said, "To guard the conscience toward one's neighbor begets humility." On the following evening he would say to me, "He says once, brother, may God preserve mutual love." The Fathers said, "I have never set my will before my brother." ^C Another time he would say, "He says once, brother, may God preserve mutual love." The Fathers said, "Flee human things, and you shall be saved." Again he would say, "He says once, brother, may God preserve mutual love." The Fathers said, "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." The elder always had one of these four precepts to give me as I departed in the evening, as one might provide provisions for someone. And thus I held them for the preservation of my whole life. And yet, though I had such assurance in the holy man, and was so disposed regarding his service, I perceived only that some one of the brothers was troubled, seeking that he himself might serve him. I went therefore to the abbot and entreated him, saying, "This brother is more suitable for this, if you think so, my lord." But neither the abbot nor the elder himself would permit me. Nevertheless, for the time being, I fulfilled my strength in preferring the brother. ^D And though I spent nine years there, I do not know that I ever spoke a corrupt word to anyone; although I held a ministry, so that no one might say I had none.

X. And believe what I shall say: one brother frequently followed me from the infirmary to the church, insulting me with many revilings and contumelies, to whom I never answered back so much as one word. Nay, rather, when the abbot learned of it—I know not from whom—and had decided to rebuke him, I fell at the feet of the Father, beseeching him through Jesus Christ

^A that he would not do so; for it was surely my sin, not the brother's. Another, too, either from temptation or simplicity—God knows whence—observed the time of night and poured his urine on my head, so that my very bedding was soaked. Likewise, other brothers also used to come during the day to shake their mats in front of my cell; once this was done, such a multitude of bedbugs would flock into my cell that I could in no way kill enough of them; for they were infinite on account of the heat. Therefore, when I had gone to bed, they would all rush upon me in a swarm. And since I had fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion, being very tired during the day, I would eventually wake from sleep to find my whole body devoured; yet I never once said a word to any of them, either so that they would not do so ^B or because they were doing evil. Indeed, as I said, I do not remember ever speaking a word that caused annoyance or affliction to anyone.

Learn, therefore, you also, brothers, to bear one another's burdens (Gal. vi, 2); learn to show mutual respect. And when any of you hears a word at some time that is less than pleasant, let him not immediately be cast down or fail; let him not be irritated, lest in a time of struggle and gain he be found with a heavy, listless, or dull heart, unable to receive any attack; just as is wont to happen with a melon, which, if even a small vessel touches it, immediately suffers a wound and begins to rot. Rather, have a manly and intrepid heart; put on magnanimity, so that whatever happens among you, your mutual charity may endure and overcome it.

And if any of you has a charge ^C or if any of you happens to have any answer to give, whether to the gardener, or to the cellarer, or to the cook, or simply to any of those serving with you, let him be diligent—both he who is to give the answer and he who is to receive it—to preserve his own state in everything; so that he may never allow any distress, any disturbance, any affection, or any indignation to intervene, nor allow any of his own will to slip in, nor allow justice ever to wander from the divine commandments; but just as the matter is found to be, whether small or great, let him permit it and neglect it. For a bad kind of contempt for such things is to be condemned. Nor, again, let him honor the matter beyond its proper state, ^D especially if it brings harm to his soul, because he is being overcome by the thing itself. For in whatever business you may be engaged, even if it is very urgent and requires diligence and zeal, I do not want you ever to conduct it with contention. But be sure of this: every work you do, whether it be great, as we have said, or small, is an eighth part of the thing you are seeking. But to preserve one's own state, even if it happens that one is deprived of the charge on account of it, is an eighth part of a half. See, therefore, how great the difference is.

XI. When you perform any task, if you desire to keep it perfect and whole, strive to do that task just as I said concerning the eighth part: to preserve one's own state [index: entries preserved]

^A unharmed, which is the fourth half of the eighth part. If, however, there follows a necessity of being led astray and departing from the commandment, and one is forced either to receive or to inflict damage in order that the need for the service may be fulfilled, it is not proper that one should lose the fourth half of the eighth part in order to preserve the [rest of the] eighth part. For if you know that one does this, such a person is not performing his own service with true knowledge. For he persists in arguing, either out of vainglory or out of eye-service, afflicting both himself and his neighbor, so that after these things he might hear that no one was able to overcome him. Alas! What great prowess! This is not victory, brethren; this is loss, this is destruction. Behold, I say to you, that if I send any one of you for any need whatsoever, and he sees a disturbance arising, or any other harm, let him cut it off; and you should never harm yourselves, or one another; but let the need go, let it not be fulfilled, if only you do not disturb one another. For, as I said, you lose the fourth half of the eighth part; and this is manifest folly. I tell you these things, not that you should immediately lose heart and cut off the matters, or so that you might be indifferent and throw away tasks ^B and trample upon your conscience, wishing to be free of care; nor again that you should disobey, and each of you say: "I cannot do this, I am being harmed; it is not fitting for me." For by such an excuse, no one would ever perform any service, nor would you ever be able to fulfill the commandment of God. But I say this so that you may provide all your strength to perform each of your services with love, being subject to one another with humility, honoring and exhorting one another. For there is nothing more powerful than humility; if, however, you see your neighbor or yourself being afflicted for the moment, mourn and weep out of great sorrow, yield to one another, and do not wait until harm ensues. For it is better, as I have said a thousand times, that the need not be fulfilled as you desire, but rather as occurs according to the ^C necessity; and not out of mere stubbornness or for the sake of a right, even if it is reasonable, should you disturb yourselves or afflict one another, and lose the fourth half of the eighth part. For great is the difference of the loss. It happens, indeed, that often one loses the eighth part itself, and accomplishes nothing at all. For such are the things of contention; yet we do all the works that we do, at their very beginning, because we wish to be benefited by them; [what is the benefit if we are not humbled toward one another?] but on the contrary, we even disturb and afflict one another. And you know who says in the Gerontikon, that from one's neighbor is life and death; meditate on these things always by yourselves, brethren, so that you may practice the words of the holy Fathers, so that you may strive with love and the fear of God to seek the benefit of yourselves and of one another. Thus you will be able to be benefited from all that happens and to progress through the help of God. May God Himself, as He is ^D loving to mankind, grant us the

God our God grant us His fear. For it says: "Fear God, and keep His commandments, for this is required in every man." ^A

DOCTRINE V.

That no one should rely on his own prudence.

1. It is said in Proverbs: "Where there is no governance, they fall like leaves: but salvation is in much counsel." ^B Contemplate the power of this sentiment, brethren. Contemplate what Holy Scripture teaches us: it guarantees for our sake that we should not follow ourselves, that we should not consider ourselves prudent, that we should not believe that we are able to govern ourselves. We need help; we need those who, after God, govern us. There is nothing more miserable, nothing more easily captured, than those who have no one to lead them on the way of God. For what does it say? "Where there is no governance, they fall like leaves." A leaf is from the beginning always green, flourishing, and delightful; then, after a little while, it dries up and falls, and thereafter it is despised and trampled underfoot. Such also is the man who is governed by no one. From the beginning, he is always zealous for fasting, for vigils, for stillness, for obedience, and for other such goods. Then, a little later, that fervor having been extinguished and having no one to govern him, no one to nourish and rekindle the extinguished fire, he dries up and falls, and finally, deserted, he is dragged away captive by his enemies, who set upon him as they wish. ^C But concerning those who do nothing rashly, nothing heedlessly, but do all things with counsel, it says: "But salvation is in much counsel." It does not say "in much counsel" as if one should consult just anyone, but rather the one to whose good faith he has entirely entrusted himself. Nor does this mean that he should keep silent about one thing and speak of another, but that he should expose all things and consult on all matters: for in such counsel there is indeed salvation. For unless a man exposes all his affairs to an upright man, and lays them in his bosom—and especially he who has recently come from evil habits to the conversion of good ones—the devil immediately finds in him a single will, a single "righteousness," through which he demolishes and destroys him. For when the devil has recognized someone who has chosen in no way to sin, he is not so foolish and inept at doing evil as to immediately suggest or persuade him to do any of the most profane evils, such as adulteries and thefts (for he knows that we turn away from and flee such things). But finding that we have our own will and our own "righteousness," the crafty one seeks to deceive us with these under some pretext of reason. Wherefore it is said again: "The wicked one acts badly when he commingles righteousness." ^D The wicked one is the devil, and he acts badly then, when he commingles "righteousness," that is, with our own righteousness. For then he is stronger, then he harms more, then he works more effectively. For when we hold to our own views and follow our own "righteousnesses," then, as though doing a good thing, we plot against ourselves, and we do not know how we are perishing. For how are we able

^A to know the will of God, or even to seek it at all, while we believe in ourselves and hold fast to our own will?

II. For this reason, the abbot Poemen used to say that the will is a wall of bronze between man and God. Observe the power of the saying. And he added again, saying: "It is a rock that strikes back," that is, it opposes and resists the will of God. If, therefore, a man abandons it, he himself says: *In my God I shall leap over a wall. My God, his way is blameless.* He spoke most wonderfully. For then a person sees that the way of God has no blemish, when he abandons his own will; but when he sympathizes with his own will, he does not see the way of God as blameless. But if he hears anything about caution, he immediately finds fault, scorns, turns away, and resists it. For how can he endure anyone, or be persuaded by any counsel at all, if he holds fast to his own will? Further, the elder also speaks concerning "righteousness": "But if righteousness also cooperates with the will, a man is not well converted." Alas! What consequence the words of the Fathers have! It is a death, I say, for "righteousness" to be mixed with the will; it is a great danger, a great fear. Then the wretched man falls completely. For who can persuade such a person to believe that another man has seen what is more beneficial for him than he has himself? Then he gives himself over completely to following his own will and his own reasoning; and thereafter, just as the enemy wishes, he brings him to a fall. For this reason he says: "The wicked one does evil when he mixes in righteousness."

He hates the name of caution. He says that the wicked ^B one not only hates caution, but he cannot even listen to its name; rather, he hates the very sound of caution, that is, the mere speaking of something concerning caution; as I say, for example: Before someone performs something, he asks about the benefit of the thing he desires to undertake. Before the enemy understands ^C whether he who is listening is keeping or not keeping what he hears, he hates entirely the very act of asking someone and hearing something of what is beneficial; he hates the voice itself, the very sound of such words, and turns away from them. And I say why: because he knows that his malice is sensed in the meantime through the very act of asking and discussing a matter with regard to benefit; and he hates and fears nothing so much as being known, because he can no longer plot as he wishes. For if the soul is secured by reporting everything and hearing from someone who knows, "Do this, do not do that, this is good, this is not good, this is righteousness, this is will," again he hears, "It is not the time for this matter," or another time he hears, "Now is the time." The devil does not find the cause by which to harm him, nor how to cast him down, because, as I said, he is always guided and is secured from every side, and salvation comes about in him, ^D "He exists in great counsel." But the wicked one does not want this, but hates it. For he wishes to do evil, and he rejoices more in those who have no guidance. Why? Because they fall like leaves.

^A That brother whom the devil loved the most, concerning whom he said to Abba Macarius, "I have one among your brothers whom I turn around like a top whenever I wish," is one whom he loves, and in whom he always rejoices; namely, those who are without a guide, those who do not entrust themselves to one who, after God, is able to help them and reach out a hand. For that devil did not indeed have the power to approach all the brothers; when the holy father found him carrying about all those little jars, those little vessels, those little alabaster pots, he did not approach them all. For whoever sensed his snares ran immediately and revealed all his hidden thoughts to the father, and thus found help in the time of temptation, and for this reason the wicked deceiver could not prevail against them. But he found that one unhappy man who would guide and instruct himself, who had no coadjutor, whom he played with as he pleased, and when he departed, he acted out of sheer grace, while cursing all the others. Finally, when the devil revealed the matter to the blessed father and disclosed the name of the brother, the holy Father ran to him on the spot and found that this was the very cause of his destruction; he found him unwilling to confess, he found him unaccustomed to confessing his thoughts. For this reason the enemy turned him wherever he wished. For when he was asked by the holy man, "How are things with you, brother?" he said, "Through your prayers, it is well." And when he asked again, "Are you not being warred against by thoughts?" he replied, "I am doing well enough for now," and he was unwilling to confess anything, until the holy man with much art and labor persuaded him to tell everything that was against himself; and bringing forth the words of God, he finally protected him and converted him. The enemy therefore came again according to his custom, wishing to cast him down as before, but he acted in vain and shamefully. For he found him fortified, and not wandering and delirious as before. He departed, deluded. Wherefore, when the devil was afterwards questioned by the holy father as to how that brother, his friend, was faring, he no longer called him a friend, but his most bitter enemy, and he cursed him, saying, "For he has turned away, and he no longer obeys me; indeed, he has become more savage than all the rest."

^D VI. You can now understand why the devil hates the sound of caution: because he desires and seeks our destruction from every side. You understand why he loves those who set themselves up as their own teachers: because they are his collaborators, preparing snares for themselves. I know of no other fall of a monk than this. Many, however, say that almost no fall happens to a man except to him who has trusted in his own heart. Therefore, whenever you hear that one has fallen, know that no other more significant cause has intervened than that he trusted in his own heart, by which he set himself up as his own teacher. Nothing is graver, nothing is more ruinous. God has covered me, and I have always feared this danger. When I was

in the coenobium, I submitted everything to the elder, Abba John; for I never, as I have said, dared to do anything without his decision. And there were times when my thought said to me: “Is this not something that the speaker [the elder] can say? Why do you want to bother him?” And I would say to the thought: “Anathema to you, and to your discernment, and to your intelligence, and to your prudence, and to your knowledge, because whatever you know, you know from the demons.” I would then go and ask the elder, and it would happen that the elder would answer me with that very word that I had considered, and then my thought would say to me: “What of it? Look, this is what I said; have you not troubled the elder in vain?” And I would say to ^B the thought: “But now it is good, now it is from the Holy Spirit. For what is yours is evil, it is from the demons, it is from a passionate state.” And so I never allowed my thought to persuade me to act without asking; and believe me, brethren, that I was in great rest and great freedom from anxiety, so much so that I was even distressed by this, as I know I have told you at other times. For I heard that “through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God,” and I saw myself having no tribulation, and I was afraid, and I was in perplexity, not knowing the cause of such rest, until the elder revealed to me, saying: “Do not be distressed. For everyone who gives himself over to the obedience of the fathers has this rest and this freedom from anxiety.”

V.﴿ Endeavor also yourselves, brethren, to ask, and not to follow your own selves; learn what freedom from anxiety this matter brings, what joy, what rest. But since I said that I was never afflicted, hear also what happened to me then regarding this. While I was still there in the coenobium, once a great and unbearable sadness came upon me, and I was in such toil and constriction that I was almost on the point of giving up my very soul. That affliction was from the deceit of the demons, and such a temptation is brought on by the envy of the demons; it was most heavy, yet short in duration, heavy, dark, inconsolable, having no rest; but everywhere was constriction, everywhere was suffocation. Yet quickly the grace of God comes to the soul, since no one could bear it. I was, as I said, in such a temptation and in such constriction. In one of the days, therefore, while I am standing in the courtyard of the monastery, feeling despondent and beseeching God regarding this, I suddenly look in toward the church and I see someone dressed in the guise of a bishop, seemingly entering into the sanctuary. I never used to approach a stranger without necessity or without permission; but as if something were dragging me at that time, I enter behind him, and he remains standing for a long time, having his

^A hands stretched out to heaven, and I stood behind him, praying with great fear. For a great dread came upon me from the sight of him. But when he had finished his prayer, he turned and came toward me, and as he drew nearer to me, I felt both the sadness and the dread receding. Then, when he stood before me, he extended his hand, and touched my chest, and struck my chest with his fingers, saying: "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me, and heard my prayer. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God." And he says all these verses three times, striking, as I said, upon my chest; and thus he departs. And immediately there arises in my heart light, joy, consolation, sweetness, and I find myself changed from another to another. So when I went out running after him in order to find him, I did not find or see him, but he became invisible. From that hour, through the mercies of God, I no longer know myself to have been troubled, neither by sadness, nor by dread; but the Lord has covered me until now, through the prayers of those holy elders.

Doctrine VI

VI. I have said these things to you, brothers, wishing to show what security, what rest, and what tranquility it has, not to set oneself up in anything, but to refer all one's affairs to the Lord, and to those who, after God, can direct us. Learn, therefore, you also, brothers, to consult; learn not to govern yourselves—how good this is; for this is humility, this is rest, this is joy. For what is the point of pursuing certain idle things? But perhaps someone thinks that it is not possible to be saved otherwise than in this way, and meditates on how he might have someone to consult, as to what is necessary to do. Whoever sincerely wishes to do the will of God without pretense, God will never allow him to slip, but will always guide him into His will. ^C And whoever has directed his heart toward the divine will, he will find even a small child to be so wonderfully enlightened as to be able to learn the will of God from him. But if anyone seeks the will of God hypocritically and goes to a prophet to inquire, God will put into the heart of the prophet [an answer] corresponding to his wicked heart, as the Scripture says: "And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken anything, I the Lord have deceived that prophet." ^D Therefore, it is our duty, brothers, to direct ourselves with all our strength toward the will of God, and not to trust in our own heart; but even if it is a good thing, and we hear from some holy person that it is good, we ought indeed to believe that it is good, but not to trust in ourselves, that we are already doing it well, and as it ought rightly to be done. But we ought to do it with our strength, and again to commit it to God—both how we do it, and to learn if we have even done it well; and after all these things, not even then to be at rest, but also to await the judgment of God, just as that elder

^A Agathon said, when he was asked, "Do you also fear, Father?" He replied, "For a time I have labored to the best of my ability, but I do not know if my work has been pleasing to God. For the judgment of God is one thing, and that of men is another." May God deliver us from this peril of establishing ourselves, and make us worthy to follow and hold to the way of our fathers, who were pleasing to His name.

DOCTRINA VI. That we should not judge our neighbor.

^B I. If we remember, brethren, the words of the holy elders, if we meditate upon them always, we would not easily neglect ourselves. For if, as they said, we do not despise the "small" things, and those which seem to us to be of no consequence, we would not fall into great and grievous ones. I always tell you that from these minute things—from saying, "Why, what is this? What is that?"—an evil habit is formed in the soul, and one begins to despise the greater things. Do you know what a grievous sin it is to judge one's neighbor? For what is more grievous than this? For what does God so hate and turn away from, as the Fathers also said, as not to judge? And yet from these things, which seem trivial, one comes to such a great evil. For from receiving a small suspicion against a neighbor, from saying, "What is it if I, too, say this one word? What is it if I see what this brother is saying, or what that stranger is doing?" ^C The mind begins to let go of its own sins and to be busy about those of one's neighbor. And then, from this, comes judging, slandering, and despising; from this one also falls into the very things that one judges. For from not caring for one's own evils, nor weeping—as the Fathers said—for one's own corpse, one cannot correct oneself in anything, but always takes the neighbor as one’s work; and nothing so provokes God, and nothing so strips a man and brings him into uncertainty, as to slander, or to judge, or to despise the neighbor.

II. For it is one thing to slander, and another to condemn, and another to despise. To slander is to say against someone that, "So-and-so lied," or "He was angry," or "He committed fornication," or something of the sort. For he has already slandered him, as it were, spoke out of passion against his sin. But to condemn is to say that, "So-and-so is a liar, is an ^D irascible man, is a fornicator." Behold, indeed, he has condemned the very disposition of his soul, and has passed judgment upon his whole life, saying that he is such a person, and he has condemned him as such. And this is a heavy matter. For it is one thing to say, "He was angry," and another to say that "He is an irascible man," and to pass judgment, as I said, upon his whole life. And it is so grievous a thing to condemn—more than any individual sin—that Christ Himself said in the Gospel: "Hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye, and then..."

^A you shall see to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye. And He likened the sin of one's neighbor to a mote, but the act of judging to a beam; so grievous is it to judge, that it is almost worse than every other sin. And that Pharisee, indeed, while praying and giving thanks to God for his good deeds, did not lie, but spoke the truth, and was not condemned for this. For we are debtors to give thanks to God whenever we are deemed worthy to do some good, inasmuch as He has helped us and cooperated with us toward that good. Nor was he condemned by the Lord for this, as I have said, nor because he said, "as other men are"; but he was condemned in that he turned to the publican and said, "nor as this publican." For then he was condemned. He condemned the very person, the very disposition of his mind, and, to speak briefly, his whole life. Because of this, the publican went down justified above him.

^B III. For nothing is heavier, nor more grievous, as I often say, than to judge or despise one's neighbor. Why do we not rather judge ourselves, and know our own evils accurately, and that for which we shall have to render an account to God? Why do we usurp the judgment of God? Why do we meddle in what concerns God's creature and servant? Do we not tremble in our very bowels when we hear what happened to that great elder, who, when he heard that one of the brothers had fallen into fornication, responded with indignation at what he had done ill: "Ah! Have you not heard what a horrible thing is related about him in the book of the elders?" For they say that a holy angel brought the soul of that sinner, when he had already departed this life, to the elder, and said to him: ^C "Behold, he whom you judged has finished his life: where, therefore, do you command me to take his soul, to the heavenly kingdom or to hell?" And can there be anything more fearful than this burden? What else did the angel's speech to the elder imply, if not this: "Since you have now become the judge of the just and of the sinners, tell me, I pray, what sentence you pass upon this wretched soul; do you wish to have mercy on it, or to punish it?" So that the holy elder, struck with horror, remained for all the rest of his life in groans, with tears, and with ten thousand sorrows, begging God to forgive him for that sin. And this was after he had fallen on his face at the feet of the angel and received forgiveness. For even though the angel ^D had said: "Behold, God has shown you what a burden it is to judge; do not do it again," and surely granted him the matter, nevertheless the soul of the elder could not entirely be comforted from that mourning until he died.

IV. What then do we have to do with our neighbor? What do we have to do with another's burden? We have within ourselves, my brothers, that which we must attend to. Let each one look to himself and his own evils. For it is God's alone to justify and to judge; He who knows the condition of each one, and the strength, and the circumstances, and the gifts, and the constitution, and the aptitude of every individual, and is the only one who can discern them. For God judges bishops in one way, and in another way...

rulers, ^A in one way the superior, and in another the disciple, in one way the old man, and in another the young, in one way the sick, and in another the healthy. And who can know these judgments, unless it be He alone who made all things, and fashioned all things, and knows all things?

I remember hearing that once a thing such as this occurred. A ship of slaves had put in at a certain city. There was in that city one very holy virgin, who devoted herself to God, and when she learned that the ship had arrived, she rejoiced. For she desired to purchase for herself a very young girl. She reasoned that she would take and raise her up as she wished, so that she might know nothing of the wickedness of this world. Having sent for the captain of that ship, she found that he had with him two very young girls, such as the virgin desired, and she straightway with joy pays the price, and takes one girl for herself. When the captain had descended, and the holy virgin had walked but a small distance, she met a stage-player, a notorious character, who saw the other girl with [the captain], and, desiring to take her, [the player] took her; she agreed, paid the price, and departed. You see here the mystery of God, you see judgment. Who can give a reason for this? The holy virgin receives the first girl, and raises her in the fear of God, fashioning her for every good work, teaching her the whole monastic life, and simply all the fragrance of the holy commandments of God. ^B The stage-player also, having taken that poor girl, made her an instrument of the devil. For what else had that furious woman to teach her, but the perdition and ruin of her own soul? What, then, are we to say about this horrible judgment? Both were small, both were sold, both were ignorant of where they were going and what outcomes awaited them; and yet, behold, one fell into the hands of God, the other into the hands of the devil. Can we therefore say that God demands the same from her as He demands from the other? How is this possible? If both should fall into fornication, or into some other transgression, is it possible to say that they have the same judgment, even if the same fault occurs in both? How is it possible? This one learned about the judgment, learned about the kingdom of God, day and night [engaged] in the words of God; but that poor girl never saw or heard anything good, but rather the opposite—all things shameful, all things diabolical. ^C And how is it possible for the same strictness to be required of both?

V. ^D Is it not, then, most true what I said a while ago, that no man can know the judgments of God, but God alone is He who fathoms all things, and is able to judge each thing, as He alone understands? It happens truly that a brother does certain things in simplicity; yet there is one thing in him that pleases God more than your entire life, and you sit and judge him, and punish your own soul? If it should even happen that he falls, how do you know how much he struggled, and how much he shed his blood before he acted, and how his fault is found, as it were, righteousness

^A in the sight of God? For God sees his labor and the affliction he endured, as I said, before he acted, and He has mercy on him. But you know it; and while God has mercy on him, do you judge him and destroy your own soul? And how do you know how many tears he shed before God concerning this? You know of the sin, but you do not know of the repentance. At times, moreover, we not only judge, but we also despise. For it is one thing, as I said, to judge, and another to despise. Contempt comes after judgment; it is as if you should revile your neighbor, and treat him with contempt, and have hatred for him: this is indeed worse than judging, and far more destructive.

VI. Those, therefore, who wish to be saved are never curious about the smallest faults of their neighbors, but are always occupied with their own, and they cut these off. ^B How excellently did he act who, when he heard that his brother had sinned, sighed and said, "Woe is me, for he is so today, and I shall be so tomorrow!" Do you see the caution? Do you see the readiness of soul? How quickly he found a way to avoid judging his brother! For the saying, "I shall be so tomorrow," gave him fear and anxiety regarding the things in which he foresaw he might stumble; and thus he escaped judging his neighbor. Nor was this enough, but he even humbled himself, and added, saying: "He is doing penance for his sin, but I am not doing penance at all, nor am I taking care so that I may be able to repent." Do you see the light of a divine soul, which not only escaped judging its neighbor, but even humbled itself? But we, ^C wretched as we are, judge without any discernment, we have hatred, we despise whatever we have seen, heard, or suspected; and what is much graver, not content with our own ruin, we drag others into the common destruction: for immediately, upon meeting any of our brothers, we tell him that such and such a thing has happened; and we injure him likewise, while we instill wicked thoughts into his heart. Nor do we fear the one who threatens and says: "Woe to him who gives his neighbor a turbid cup of ruin!" This is truly the work of demons; when we do these things, we have no care. What else does a demon strive to do but to cause damage and disturbances? Therefore, we are shown to be little different ^D from the demons with whom we cooperate in our own ruin and that of our neighbors. For he who injures a soul cooperates with the demon and brings him aid. Likewise, he who benefits a soul is a cooperator with the holy angels.

VII. The cause of this matter is that there is either no charity in us, or very little. For charity suffers and is afflicted when it sees the sins of neighbors, as it is written: "For charity covers a multitude of sins." And again: "Charity does not think evil; it bears all things," and so forth. If, therefore, we had charity, as I said, we would cover over all things, we would dissimulate everything, as was done by our elders when they beheld the faults of men. But do we perhaps consider them to have been blind? God forbid!

^A Are the saints blind, or do they not see sins? And who hates sin as much as the saints do? And yet, they do not hate the one who sins, nor do they condemn or turn away from him; but rather they sympathize, admonish, encourage, and heal him like a weakening limb; they do everything to save him. Just as fishermen, when they cast a hook into the sea and catch a huge fish, and perceive that it is struggling and thrashing, do not drag it toward the shore suddenly and forcefully—otherwise the line would snap and it would escape entirely—but smartly play out the line to it, ^B and let it go, as they say, wherever it wants; and when they learn that it has grown weary and has ceased its struggling, then they begin to pull it in little by little. Just so, the saints also draw the brother with patience and charity, and do not kick against him, nor are they disgusted by him; but as a mother, if she has a deformed son, is not disgusted by him, nor does she turn away from him, but gladly adorns him and does whatever she knows will make him pleasing; thus do they always care for, adorn, and support him, so that they may both correct the offender in due ^C time, and ensure that no one else is harmed by him, and that they themselves may progress all the more in the love of Christ. What did the holy Ammon do, when those brothers came to him, full of anger and fury because they had found a woman in a monk’s cell? How much compassion did he show? How much love did that holy soul possess? For knowing that the brother had hidden the woman under a large storage jar, he went in, sat upon it, and told them to search the whole cell. And when they found nothing, he said to them: "May God forgive you." And, it is said, he shamed them, and also instructed them not to believe ^D easily against a neighbor. And he also brought that brother to his senses, not only by covering for him before God, but also by correcting him when he found the opportune time. For as soon as he grabbed his hand once he had sent everyone away, and said to him, "Take care of yourself, brother," the brother was immediately humbled and pricked in his conscience, and the philanthropy and sympathy of the elder immediately set to work upon his soul.

VIII.

suffer with it. What do we think the monasteries are? Do we not think they are one body and members of one another? Those who serve are the head; those who watch over and correct are the eyes; those who benefit through speech are the mouth; the ears are those who obey; the hands are those who work; the feet are those who give responses and those who hold administrative positions. Are you the head? Then direct. Are you an eye? Then watch and discern. Are you the mouth? Then speak and benefit. Are you an ear? Then obey. Are you a hand? Then work. Are you a foot? Then serve. Let each member minister to the body according to its strength, and strive always to help one another, whether by teaching and giving the word of God into the heart of a brother, or by comforting in a time of tribulation, or by giving a hand to some work and helping. In a word, as I said, let each one, according to his strength, strive to be united to one ^B another; for as much as one is united to his neighbor, so much is he united to God.

IX. I will set before you an example given of old by the Fathers, so that you may contemplate the force and power of my speech. Suppose for me a circle on the ground—a round mark, as it were, made from a compass point. The center is properly called the middle point of the circle, from which the lines are drawn to the circle. Fix your mind on what is being said. Consider this circle to be the world, and the very center of the circle to be God, and the straight lines drawn from the circle toward the center to be paths, or the ways of life of men. Therefore, in as much as the saints enter inward, longing to draw near to God, in proportion to their entry, they become nearer to God and to one another; and as much as they draw near to God, they draw near to one another; and as much as they draw near to one another, they draw near to God. ^C Understand separation in the same way. For when they withdraw themselves from God and turn toward the exterior, it is clear that as much as they go out and distance themselves from God, so much do they distance themselves from one another, and as much as they distance themselves from one another, so much do they distance themselves from God. Behold, such is the nature of love. In as much as we are outside and do not love God, to that extent we have distance from one another; but if we love God, as much as we draw near to God through love for Him, so much are we united in love to our neighbor, and as much as we are united to our neighbor, so much are we united to God. May God count us worthy to hear what is profitable for us, and to do it. For as much as we give thought and strive to put into practice what we hear, so much does God always enlighten us and teach us His will.

DOCTRINA VII.

On accusing oneself.

I. Let us inquire, brothers, for what reason it happens that when someone receives a troublesome word, he sometimes lets it pass with equanimity, as if he had hardly heard it, while at other times, immediately upon hearing it, he is troubled and distressed? ^D What, I pray,

is the cause of this variety? Is there one reason for this, or many? I see that it has many causes, but there is one principle that brings them forth, as one might say, which produces all those many causes. And I shall explain how: First, it happens that one is found in prayer or at holy meditation, and he is, so to speak, in a good state, and he bears with his brother and passes by ^A untroubled. Again, it happens that one has a special affection for another, and therefore he bears with great patience the things inflicted upon him by that person. There is also a time when one despises the person who wishes to harm him, as if he reckoned him of no account and did not even heed him, as a human being, nor gave any thought to the things being said by him. And I tell you something of this kind, so that you may marvel: There was a certain brother in the monastery before I departed from there, and I never saw him troubled or distressed by anyone, even though I saw many of the brothers abusing and mocking him in various ways. Yet that young man carried the things ^B from each of them just as if no one were troubling him at all. I, therefore, always marveled at the excess of his long-suffering, and I desired to learn from where he had acquired this virtue. And I took him aside once privately and made a prostration to him, begging him to tell me what thought he always kept in his heart when he was being insulted or suffering anything burdensome from someone, that he displayed such long-suffering. And he answers naturally, without hesitation, and says to me: "But I have to attend to these consequences, or to receive those things from them as if they were pleasant dogs from men." Having heard this, I hung my head, and I said to myself: "This brother has found the way," and having signed myself, I went away praying that God might protect both me and him. ^C

II. So it happens, as I said, that one might not be troubled because of contempt. But this is a manifest ruin. To be troubled and distressed by a brother who causes us affliction happens either because we are not found in a good state at that hour, or because we have some distaste for him. There are also many other causes of this, which have been stated in various ways. But the cause of all disturbance, if we investigate it with diligence, is that no one blames himself. From there we have all this fragmentation, from there we never find rest. For it is not to be wondered at that we hear from all the saints that there is no other way except this, and we see that no one has ever traveled any other way and found rest; yet we expect ^D to find rest or at all to keep to the straight way, while never enduring to blame ourselves. Truly, if a man should perform a myriad of virtues, but fails to keep this way, he will never cease from being afflicted and afflicting others, and he will cause all his labors to be lost. What—

^A rest, then, does such a person not have, where he goes—as the Abba Poemen also said—blaming himself? For if anything happens to him, whether loss, or dishonor, or any kind of affliction, he anticipates it by considering himself worthy of it, and he is never troubled. Is there anything more free from distraction than this?

III. But someone will say: “What if a brother troubles me, and I search myself and find that I gave him no cause whatsoever? How can I blame myself?” Truly, if anyone examines himself with the fear of God, he finds that he has by all means given cause, whether by deed, or by word, or by a gesture. And if he ^B sees himself—as he claims—having given absolutely no cause in any of these ways at the present time, it is likely that he troubled that same brother another time, either in this very matter or in another, or perhaps he troubled another brother, and he was owed this suffering for that reason, or often even because of another sin. So that if, as I said, one examines himself with the fear of God and probes his own conscience accurately, he finds himself in every way culpable. Again, there are times when one sees himself sitting in peace and quiet, and when a brother says to him a word that causes him pain, he is troubled, and for this reason he deems himself justly afflicted, saying against him: “If he had not come and spoken to me and troubled me, I would not have sinned.” And this is mockery, and this is a fallacy. For did the one who spoke the word cast the passion *into* him? Or did he show him the passion that was *in* him, in order that, if he wishes, he may repent for it? For this person is like pure wheat meal: ^C on the outside it is beautiful, but inside it has some impurities, and when someone breaks it, then its filth appears. Thus, he too was sitting at peace, as he thought; but he had the passion within him, and he did not know it. His brother said one word to him, and he cast out the filth that was hidden inside. If, therefore, he wishes to obtain mercy, he should repent, and cleanse himself, and progress, and he will see that he ought rather to have thanked the brother as one having become to him the cause of such a benefit. For temptations no longer weigh upon him in the same way; but the more he progresses, the lighter they are found to be for him. For the more the soul progresses, the stronger it becomes, and having the power to carry what is coming upon it. Just as if there is a strong animal, and one loads it with a burden, it carries it with ease; and if it happens to stumble, it immediately rises, and it barely even senses that it stumbled—but if it is a wretched animal, ^D even the lightest of burdens is heavy for it; and if it falls, it has need of much help to raise it up—so it is also with the soul: the more it works sin, the more it is wretched because of it. For if sin is what creates wretchedness and makes the one who possesses it fragile, thereafter whatever sins occur to him by way of transgression, those things become lighter than what formerly weighed him down. So that it benefits us highly, and leads us to much rest and progress, if we [consider] ourselves, and no one else, [as the sole] cause in the things that happen...

especially since nothing occurs to us without the will and providence of God.

IV. But perhaps someone will say: “How can I not be troubled when I have necessary need of a thing, and I do not receive it?” ^B But not even for this can you blame anyone, or be troubled with reason. For whoever has need of a thing and does not receive it, ought to say to himself: “Christ the Lord knows what I need; let him therefore be to me in place of this thing or this food.” For the sons of Israel ate manna in the desert for forty years. And though the manna was of one kind, it became for each person what he desired and needed. For to him who needed salt and bitterness, it became bitter and salt; to him who needed sweetness, it became sweet; matching whatever [need for] food one had. Thus, therefore, if someone is in need of an egg but receives only herbs, let him say to his reason: “If an egg were beneficial to me, the Lord ^C is able to send it, or rather convert the herbs into an egg”; and let him believe in God, for this will become a witness for him. And if anyone is truly worthy of rest, God will provide mercy for him according to his need; but if he is not worthy of rest, or if it is not profitable for him, even if God were to create a new heaven and a new earth, he would not find rest. Thus it happens that one person often has more than his need, while another lacks many things; for the merciful God bestows upon each what is necessary. And when He gives to one beyond his need, He shows him the greatness of His philanthropy and leads him to give thanks; but when He does not grant another what seems necessary, by this means He makes it clear that these things are not so necessary, and He teaches him to endure and to direct our gaze upward in all things. So that we may understand that if we are treated well or badly by anyone, it all comes from above; and in all things that occur to us, we ought always to give thanks, ^D always laying the accusation upon ourselves. For our elders said that whatever good has happened to us is a divine dispensation; but if any evil has come, it is [due to] our sins. For in truth, whatever we suffer, we suffer on account of our transgressions. For the all-holy ones, even if they suffer, suffer for the name of God, or to reveal their virtue for the benefit of many, or to increase their reward before God. But as for us unhappy ones, how can we say this? We who sin daily and obey our passions and vices, we have abandoned the straight path which the Fathers described as consisting in accusing oneself; and we walk the crooked path, blaming our neighbor, and each of us strives in every matter to cast the cause upon his brother, and to throw the burden upon him. Each of us is negligent and keeps nothing, and we demand that our neighbor keep the commandments.

^B [V.] Two brothers once came to me who had been in a state of mutual confusion. The elder said that he had commanded the younger to do something, as a result of which the latter was immediately troubled; upon seeing which, he himself could not restrain his own anger. "For," he said, "if he had faith and charity towards me, he would have accepted everything from me with confidence and meekness." The junior replied, "Forgive me, I beg you, father; he did not speak to me with the fear of God, but as one who aspires to command, which is why I believe my heart perhaps could not place any hope or faith in him." Observe, I pray, how both were accusing one another, and neither of them attributed the fault to himself. But even though these two had caused disturbances between themselves, although they showed each other reverence through the bowing of their bodies, they remained doubtful and uncertain. One said that he had not been shown reverence from the heart, and for that reason he could not trust; the other said that he was not perfect in charity until he himself had been shown reverence and honor, and therefore he could not trust him. Do you see the absurdity? Do you see the whirlpool of thoughts? I often grieve within myself, as the Lord knows, because we pervert the sentiments of our elders and fathers to suit our own iniquitous and crooked thoughts, and to the destruction of our souls. Each of them ought to have turned the accusation upon himself, and one should have said: "Because I did not offer peace to my brother from the heart, for that reason God did not grant him confidence"; and the other should have said: "Because I was not prepared for fraternal forgiveness, unless he had first done penance to me, for this reason God did not grant me confidence." ^C The same should also be done in the case of others, and those even before them. For the first ought to say: "I speak with presumption, and for that reason God does not bring confidence to my brother." And the other ought to reason thus: "My brother commands me with humility and charity, but I am disobedient and lack the fear of God." But neither of them found the way to accuse himself, but rather, each one always cast the cause upon his neighbor, and burdened his brother. [VI.] Hence it happens that we never progress, we never move forward; we waste all the time of our life, and wear ourselves out in our thoughts, and irritate one another with intestine war. For every one of us makes himself out to be just, and as I said before, everyone lets himself go, keeping nothing, and we extort the commandments from our neighbor. Hence it happens that we do not become accustomed to the good; for as soon as we are a little lit up with anger, we wish to extort everything from our neighbor. ^D And we accuse him immediately and say that he should have acted thus, and we cry out asking why he did not act so. But why do we not rather command ourselves? Why do we not rather accuse ourselves as being slothful and negligent in our own affairs? Where is that elder who, when asked what was the most excellent way to God he had found, replied: "This, above all: that a man should always accuse himself in all things"? The statement was praised, and confirmed all the more by the one who asked. And he said to him: "There is no other way but this." Likewise also the great shepherd said that with groaning all the

all virtues had migrated into this one, and that outside of it, a man labors and struggles in vain. Being asked what this was, he said: "That a man should blame himself." And the holy Anthony said that this is the great work of a man, that he should cast his own fault upon himself before God, and he shall expect temptation until his last breath. And we find everywhere that the Fathers, keeping this ^B and referring everything to God, even down to the smallest things, found rest. Such was that holy old man who, when he became ill, and the brother put into his food linseed oil instead of honey—which is very harmful—the old man said nothing; but he ate the first mouthful in silence, and the second, as he made use of it, not blaming the brother in his own mind, saying that he had despised him. And not only did he not say this, but he did not even grieve him with a word. And when the brother learned what he had done, and he began to be troubled, saying: "I have killed you, Father Abba, and you have put the sin on me because you were silent." And with what meekness did the old man answer him, saying: "Do not be troubled, my child; if God had willed me to eat honey, you would have provided honey." And he immediately directed the matter to God. What is this, "to God," O monk? The brother acted in error. What are you saying? "If God had willed me to eat honey, you would have provided honey;" this is surely to say that if God had willed me to eat honey, ^C He would have converted the harmful oil into honey. Behold the constancy of the old man, in that he was never disturbed toward his brother, even though he had been ill for many days and had been unable to take food. Behold how he directed the entire matter to God, and how he spoke well to his brother. But we, even in the easiest matter, rush against our neighbor, upbraiding and accusing him, as one who despises us and acts against conscience. And when we hear a word, we immediately distort it, saying: "If he had not wished to carp at me and bite me, he would not have said this." Where, I ask, is that most holy David, who said of Semei: "Let him alone to curse me, for the Lord has said to him to curse David"? Did the Lord speak to a murderer so that he might curse a Prophet? How, then, did ^D God say it to him? But the Prophet, as one possessing knowledge and knowing that nothing so brings the mercy of God upon the soul as temptations, and especially those offered and added in time of tribulation and turmoil, said: "Let him alone to curse David, because the Lord has said to him." And why this? "That the Lord may see," he says, "my humility, and may requite me with good things instead of his curse." Do you see how the prophet acted with knowledge? Whence he was also restrained by those who wished to punish the one cursing, saying: "What have I to do with you, O sons of Sarvia? Let him alone to curse; the Lord has said to him." We, however, cannot bear to say of our brother that the Lord has said to him; but if we hear a word

we hear, we imitate the dogs: for if anyone throws a stone at them, the dogs leave the one who threw it and go off after the stone. We do the same; we abandon God, who provides such trials for the purification of our sins, and we run after the stone—that is, after our neighbor—saying, "Why did he say this to me? Why did he do this to me?" While we could greatly benefit and earn merit from such things, through our negligence we lose it, being ignorant that all things happen by the providence of God for the benefit of each person. May God himself make us understand these things, through the prayers and merits of the saints. Amen.

DOCTRINA VIII. On Hostility.

I. Our elders have often said that nothing is so alien and foreign to monks as to be angry, or likewise to cause anyone distress. Again, he who has mastered anger has mastered the demons; but he who is mastered by this passion is entirely alien to the monastic life, and so on. What then must we say of ourselves, we who not only allow it to reach the level of thought and anger, but are even driven to the pursuit of vengeance? What else should we do but weep for this most miserable and unhappy state of ours? Let us therefore abstain, brothers, and help ourselves, so that by God’s favor we may be rescued from this bitter and ruinous passion. For this is what happens when someone, after having offered peace and respect to his brother, as a result of some—as most often happens—perturbation or affliction arising between them, continues gloomy and sad, and is agitated by various thoughts. No one among you should despise these, but should cut them off as quickly as possible. For this irascibility is a work requiring, as I said before, great restraint and sobriety, a work of penance, a work of struggle, lest by lingering in these things one be endangered and perish. For he who has given peace and shown respect according to the commandment has indeed fled from anger in the present, but has not yet struggled against the desire for vengeance; and for this reason he remains gloomy and sad toward his brother. For hostility is one thing, and anger is another, and wrath is another, and perturbation is another.

^{A B C D} II. I will present this example to you, to make it clearer. Someone lights a fire; at first he has a small coal, which is a single word from a brother who has caused distress. See, it is a small coal. What is the single word of your brother? If you bear it with an even mind, you have immediately extinguished the glowing coal. But if you continue to ponder it with yourself, saying, "Why did he say this to me? What business do I have with him? If he did not wish to distress me, he would not have spoken thus," and do not doubt that you yourself are equally to be bitten back by him—by words and thoughts of this kind you have added wood and tinder, as one who lights a fire, and you have begun to stir up smoke, which is perturbation itself. For perturbation is the very movement and clashing of thoughts, which stir up and render the heart more ferocious and arrogant. Arrogance, indeed, is the arousal of vengeance against the one who has distressed us, which is also called audacity, as the blessed Abbot Mark used to discourse. For malice, when it dwells in the mind, makes the heart bold; but when it is extinguished by prayer and hope, it crushes it. For if you had borne the small word of your brother, you would have been able, as I said, to extinguish even the small coal itself.

^A And yet, if you desire it, you can easily extinguish even this, while it is still fresh, by silence, by prayer, by a single repentance from the heart; but if you go on smoking, as it were, emboldening and stirring up your heart through reflection—saying to yourself, "Why did he speak this to me, and what have I to say to him?"—from this very clash and agitation of thoughts, the heart being, as it were, rubbed and warming up, a flaring up of wrath occurs. For wrath is the boiling of the blood around the heart, as the holy Basil says. Behold, wrath has come to be; this is what they call acrimony (ὀξυχολίαν). If, then, you wish, you can extinguish even it before it becomes anger. But if you keep on troubling and being troubled, you are found to be like one who throws wood into a hearth and makes the fire flare up more, and thus eventually hot coals are produced, which is anger. ^B

III.

not only that we may not fall, but that we may not fall in vain. ^B

IV. But what does it mean for one to fall in vain from his enemies? Let us say. To fall means to no longer have the power to rise, but to lie upon the ground. And to be "in vain" is to have no good in oneself, so that one might perhaps even be able to rise. For he who is standing can again compose himself and recover, and whenever the time comes, can again enter into conflict. Then we say: *Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it*; not only pursue, but also overtake, so that we may be his subjects, that we may be conquered in everything, in every single matter; and may he cast us down, if we have rendered evil to those who render evil to us. And not only do we pray for this, but also that he may trample our life into the ground. What is our life? Our virtues are our life, by which the soul lives rightly. We therefore pray for our life to be trampled into the earth, that is, that one may become altogether earthly, having his whole mind fixed down upon the earth. *And let him lay my glory in the dust.* And what is our glory, if not the knowledge coming to be in the soul through the observance of the holy commandments? This, then, is what we are saying, that he may cause our glory, as the Apostle says, *to be in confusion*, that he may lay it in the dust, and make our life and our glory earthly; so that we may think of nothing according to God, but all things bodily, all things carnal, just as those of whom God said: *My spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh*. Lo, therefore, while chanting all these things, we are cursing ourselves if we render evil for evil; and how many evils we render for evils, and we do not care, but are indifferent. ^C

V. It happens at times that one renders evil for evil, not only in deed, but also in word and in gesture. Another, however, not in deed, but either by tongue or by gesture: when, namely, by some gesture or movement or look he troubles his brother; for in this way one easily troubles his brother; and this indeed is rendering evil for evil. Another also, not by word, not by deed, not by gesture, strives not to render evil for evil; but he is afflicted in his heart and is crushed towards his brother. Observe, brothers, how much these states differ from one another. Another has no sadness toward his brother; but when he hears that someone has afflicted him, or muttered against him, or treated him with injury and insult, he takes pleasure in the hearing; and this man likewise renders evil for evil in his heart. Another neither retains hatred in his heart, nor does he rejoice when he hears him who afflicted him being treated with insult; but rather he grieves that he is in a bad state, yet he does not willingly hear that he is in a good state, nor does he greatly rejoice in his glory and rest: this also is a species ^D of malice, though a lighter one, however...

^A Yet one wishes to rejoice in the rest of his brother, and to do everything for his healing, and to practice each thing for his healing and rest. We said at the beginning of the discourse that there is one who offers repentance, yet still remains having sorrow against him, and we say that by offering repentance, he has healed his anger through it, but against malice he has not yet struggled.

There is another who, if it happens that someone grieves him, and they offer repentance and are reconciled with one another, lives in peace toward him, and has no evil remembrance in his heart concerning him; but if it happens that after some days he says something to him that grieves him, he begins to remember the former things, and to be troubled not only about the latter, but also about the former. This one is like a person having a wound, and placing a plaster, and for the time being has healed the wound through the plaster, and has scarred it over, but the place is still weaker and infirm; and if anyone throws a stone at him there, that place is much more easily struck than the whole body, and it begins immediately to bleed. ^B Thus he also has suffered: he had a wound, and he placed a plaster, which is repentance, and for a time he healed the wound, as the first one did—that is, anger—and he began to take care of malice, by struggling to ensure that no evil remembrance would hold fast in his heart; for this is what it means to scar over the wound. Yet he has not yet completely blotted it out, but still has a remnant of malice, which is the scar from which the whole wound easily breaks out again, whenever he receives a small injury. He ought, therefore, to struggle, so that he may also completely blot out the scar, so that the place might even grow hair, and neither any deformity be left, nor it be understood at all that a wound ever occurred in that place.

How then can he accomplish this? Through praying with all his heart for the one who grieved him, and saying: "Lord, help me and my brother through his prayers." And he is found praying exceptionally for his brother—which is a proof of compassion and love—and being humbled by seeking help through his prayers. But where there is compassion and love and humility, what is the power of anger or any other passion? ^C As the abba Zosimas said, that if the devil moves all his machines of malice with all his demons, all his stratagems are idle and are crushed by the humility of the commandment of Christ. Another elder also says: "He who prays for his enemies will be without malice."

Labor, and understand well what you hear. For truly, if you do not labor, you will not be able to receive these things by word alone. What person, wishing to learn a craft, receives it by word alone? In every case, he first remains doing and undoing, acting and erasing, and thus by degrees, laboring and persevering, he learns the craft, while God looks upon his labor and his intention, and cooperates with him. But we wish to receive the craft of crafts by word alone.

^A And how is it possible? Let us therefore take heed to ourselves, brethren, and let us work with diligence while we still have time. May God grant us to remember and to keep what we hear, that it may not become a condemnation to us on the day of judgment.

DOCTRINE IX.

1. I wish, brethren, to remind you of a few things concerning lying. I see that you are not very diligent in keeping your tongues, and from this you are easily dragged into many faults. Take heed, my brethren, that in every matter, as I always tell you, there is the power of habit, both for good and for evil. Therefore, there is need of great vigilance, so that we may not be robbed by the lie. For no one who lies is united to God; lying is entirely alien to God. For it is written that the lie is of the evil one; and again, that he is a liar and the father of it. Behold, he calls the devil the father of the lie; but the truth is God. For He Himself says: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." See from whom we separate ourselves, and to whom we attach ourselves through a lie; it is clear that it is to the evil one. If, therefore, we wish to be truly saved, we must with all diligence love the truth, and keep ourselves from every kind of lie, which separates us from the truth and the life. There are three kinds of lying: for there is one who lies in his mind, and there is one who lies in speech, and there is one who is a liar in his life itself. ^B He who lies in his mind is he who easily admits all kinds of suspicions; for if he sees any brothers talking together, he suspects that they are speaking against him; and if they break off their conversation, he suspects likewise that they broke it off because of him. Even if someone says any word simply, he suspects at once that it was said against him, so that he is afflicted with sorrow; and in short, in every matter he is most suspicious, thinking that all things are said and done because of him. Such a person is a liar in his mind, and in nothing does he speak the truth, because he speaks everything out of suspicion. From this, therefore, come curiosities, distractions, murmurs, factions, disturbances, and judgments. Sometimes, however, it happens that something is spoken truly out of suspicion; from which it comes about that he who once spoke truly, on this single occasion as if wanting to exalt himself, becomes always a busybody, saying that through his curiosity he recognizes his own service, of which he is accused, and thus he is amended and corrected. But the beginning itself is iniquitous; for it is from the evil one, and takes its origin from a lie: for he who does not know, suspects what he does not know. How, therefore, can an evil tree bring forth good fruits? But if he truly wishes to be corrected, as he says: ^C when he receives from a brother, out of love and charity, that he should not do something, and he is corrected in anything; let him not flare up, let him not become angry, but let him give thanks, let him give the brother peace, let him show honor by an inclination of the body, and thus let him be corrected. If God sees that his intention is such, ^D He will never allow him to be led astray; but He will certainly send someone who ought to correct him. But to say that "I believe these suspicions in order that I may be corrected" is

to refuse to obey, and to be curious—this is the right of the devil who wishes to set snares for us.

^B II. Once, when I was in the coenobium, I was tempted to think that I could grasp a person's state of mind from his outward movements. It happened to me, then, that one day, as I was standing there, a woman passed by carrying a water jar, and I do not know how I was snatched away, but I fixed my eyes upon her; and my thought immediately suggested to me that she was a harlot. As soon as that thought suggested this, I was greatly distressed, and I revealed it to the elder, the abba John, in this way: "Master, if I involuntarily see someone's movement, and my thought suggests to me their state of soul, what ought I to do?" And the elder answered me thus: "What then? Is it not the case that because someone always has a natural defect, and overcomes it through struggle, that one cannot learn a person's state from this? Never, therefore, believe your suspicions; for the rule is crooked, and it makes straight things crooked. Suspicions are false, and they cause harm. From that time on, if my thought told me about the sun that it is the sun, or about darkness that it is darkness, I would not believe it." Nothing is more burdensome than suspicions; they are so harmful that, by lingering in us, they begin to persuade us and to make us seem actively to see things that neither are nor have happened.

And I tell you a marvelous thing concerning this, which I witnessed while I was still in the coenobium. We had a certain brother there who was greatly troubled by this passion, and he believed his own suspicions to such an extent that he was fully convinced regarding each of his suspicions that it was absolutely so, as his thought painted it, and that it could not be otherwise. With time, therefore, as the evil grew, the demons so persuaded him to be led astray that he once entered the garden to keep watch. For he was indeed watching and listening; and he seemed to see one of the brothers stealing figs and eating them. It was Friday, and it was not yet the second hour. As soon as it persuaded him that he had truly, and not fancifully, seen the matter, he hid himself, he says, and went out silently, and watched again at the time of the collect to see what the brother who had supposedly stolen the figs and eaten them would do at the communion. And when he saw him washing his hands so that he might enter and receive communion, he ran and said to the abba, "Such-and-such a brother, who is about to enter to receive the holy communion with the brothers, do not allow it to be given to him. For I know that from early morning he has been stealing figs from the garden and eating them." Meanwhile, that pious and religious brother entered with great compunction to the holy oblation: for he was one of the pious and very religious ones. When the abba saw him, before he could approach the presbyter who was to administer the communion, he called him to himself, and speaking to him in secret, asked him what he had done that day. The simple man was struck by this sudden questioning, and he was especially horrified when he [heard] the whole matter from...

the abbot: "When you entered the garden in the morning, what were you doing there?" The brother says again, as if dumbfounded: "Master, I neither saw the garden today, nor was I here in the monastery this morning, but I have just now arrived from the road. For immediately after the conclusion of the vigil, the steward sent me to ^B the village." The reply was concerning that which he had mentioned, at a distance of many miles, and at that very hour of the synaxis, the brother had arrived. The abbot summons the steward and says to him: "Where did you send this brother?" The steward replies [confirming] what the brother had said, that "I sent him to such and such a village," and he prostrates himself, saying: "Forgive me, father, because I was resting from the vigil, and for this reason I did not bring him to receive your dismissal." As soon as the abbot was informed, he dismissed them to go and take communion. And he calls the brother who had the suspicions, and he rebukes him, and he cuts him off from the holy communion. And not only this, but also, having called all the monks ^C after the synaxis, he explained to them with tears what had happened and shamed the brother before everyone, intending three things by this one act: namely, that the devil be put to shame, and that the one who sows suspicions be made an example, and that the sin of the brother might be forgiven through that public humiliation, and that he might receive help from God for what comes next, and that he might make the brothers more secure so that we might never endure ourselves to be swayed by our own suspicions. And having admonished them much regarding this, both us and the brother, he said that there is nothing more harmful than suspicions, and he showed this through the example that had occurred.

III. And many other things of this sort have been said by the Fathers, which fortify us against the harm of suspicions.

fulfills his desire. For every sin arises either from pleasure, or from avarice, or from vainglory. Likewise, the lie also arises from these three: either someone lies so as not to be reproached and to be humbled, or to fulfill his own will, or to gain something. And he does not cease shifting here and there, using every artifice as to what to say until he accomplishes his purpose; such a man is never believed. And even if he speaks a true word, no one can believe him; rather, even his truth is found to be doubtful. There is, however, a time when a necessity of the situation arises, and if one does not hide the bitter truth, the matter leads to greater disturbance and affliction. Now when such a circumstance arises, and one sees himself compelled for this reason to change his words, so that there may not occur, as I said, greater disturbance and affliction, or danger—just as ^A Abba Alonius said to Abba Agathon: "Look, two men committed a murder in your presence, and one of them fled into your cell, and behold, the magistrate is seeking him and asks you, saying, 'Did a murder happen in your presence?'" If he does not manage the situation well, he hands the man over to death. When, therefore, such a great necessity occurs, one would wish not to be careless even in that, but to repent and weep before God, and to treat such an occasion as a time of temptation, and not even this constantly, but once in many instances. For just as with medicinal purgatives, because they cause harm when taken constantly, but if one happens to take them once in a long while because of a great necessity they benefit him, so one ought to use this matter; so that even if one wishes to change his words because of necessity, let it not be constantly, but perhaps once in many instances, if he sees, as I said, a great necessity; and showing this very thing from time to time with fear and trembling to God, both his intention and the necessity, he is protected; for otherwise he is harmed by it himself.

^B IV. We have said, therefore, who is a liar in mind, and who is a liar in speech; we wish now to say who is a liar in his very life. A man is a liar in his life when, being a profligate, he pretends to have self-control; or he is a covetous man, and he speaks about almsgiving and praises compassion and mercy; he is a proud man, and he admires humility, and he does not admire virtue as one who wishes to praise it. For if he intended for this purpose, he would first confess his own weakness with humility, saying: "Woe to me, the wretched one, that I am bereft of every good thing!" And after confessing his own weakness, thus he would be able to admire and praise virtue. But not even with the intention of not scandalizing someone does he praise virtue. For he ought rather to reason as follows: "Yes, I am wretched and impassioned; why should I also scandalize another? Why should I harm another soul, and bring ^C upon myself the burden of another, and even if I have sinned against myself, should I still touch upon what is good?" For it is characteristic of humility to reproach oneself, and of compassion,

to spare one's neighbor. But such a person as this, as I said, does not admire virtue for the sake of any of the things mentioned; rather, he assumes the name of virtue in order to cover his own indecency, and he speaks about it as if he himself were such a person; or, very often, it is to harm and ensnare someone. For no single wickedness, nor any heresy, nor the devil himself is able to deceive anyone unless he disguises himself with virtue, as the Apostle says, that the devil himself transforms himself into an angel of light. It is no wonder, then, if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness. Thus, therefore, the liar—whether out of fear of shame, so as not to be humbled, or as we said, wishing to allure and deceive someone—speaks about the virtues, and praises and admires them, as if he possessed them and had experienced ^B them. This person is the one who lies within his own very life; this is not a simple man, but a double one; he is one person inside, and another outside; he has also made his whole life double and ridiculous. Behold, we have spoken about the lie, that it is from the evil one; we have spoken also about the truth, that the truth is God. Let us therefore flee from the lie, brothers, that we may be rescued from the portion of the enemy, and let us struggle to acquire the truth, that we may be united to Him who said, "I am the truth." May God make us worthy of His truth.

DOCTRINA X

That we may be directed toward a certain goal and sobriety in the way of God.

I. Let us care for ourselves, beloved; let us be vigilant. Who will give us back this time, if we lose it? We shall be able to seek these days, but we shall not find them. They say that the Abbot Arsenius was accustomed always to say to himself: "Arsenius, for what did you come?" We, however, are in such perdition and negligence that we neither know why we have come, nor do we know what it is that we have desired; for this reason, not only do we not make progress, but we are also troubled ^C always. This comes about for us from not having attention in our heart; and indeed, if we were willing to struggle a little, we would not have to be so much troubled nor to labor so much. For he who at the beginning forces himself and resists, and gradually proceeds to fight, will surely make progress, and thereafter will attain peace and quiet. For when God observes that someone forces himself at the beginning, He immediately rushes to help. We, therefore, brothers, let us force ourselves, let us lay down at last foundations, let us at last desire what is good, even if we are not yet perfect. For to desire and to will this good is the beginning of salvation for us; and when we begin to will, we begin also, with the Lord helping, to fight. But to us who fight, there are not lacking those who bring aid.

DOCTRINE X.

^A When I was studying secular learning, I labored greatly from the very beginning, and when I would begin to take up a book, I was as one setting out to touch a wild beast. When, therefore, I continued forcing myself, God helped me, and I became so accustomed to the matter that I did not know what I was eating or drinking, or how I was sleeping, from the intensity of my reading; and I was never dragged off to lunch with any of my friends, nor would I even come to an encounter with one of them at the time of reading; although I was sociable and loved my companions. When, therefore, the sophist dismissed us and I would go to get cleaned—for I needed to be refreshed daily, since I was drying up from the excess of my reading—I would withdraw to where I was staying, not even knowing if I had anything to eat; for I could not be distracted, not even to order my meal. However, I had a certain faithful person, and he prepared for me whatever I wanted. I would take, therefore, whatever I found that he had prepared, having my book also beside me on my pallet, and little by little I would keep reading it, and when I went to sleep, I likewise had it beside me on my chair, and as I snatched a little sleep, I would immediately jump up to my reading; again in the evening, as I withdrew after the lamp-lighting, I would light the lamp and spend time until midnight reading, and I was in such a state that I did not perceive any sweetness whatsoever except from my reading. When, therefore, I came to the monastery, I said to myself: “If in the case of external discourse such a passion and such heat existed, from one’s devoting oneself to reading and becoming accustomed to it, how much more so in the case of virtue?” And I would receive great power from this consideration. Thus, if anyone wishes to acquire virtue, he ought not to be indifferent nor distracted; for just as someone wishing to learn carpentry does not pay attention to another craft, so it is also for those who wish to acquire a spiritual occupation. They ought not to pay attention to any other matter, but night and day meditate on it, how they may be able to acquire it. But those not approaching the matter in this way not only do not progress but are even broken, wandering about so aimlessly. For if one does not watch and struggle, he easily falls into the deviations of the virtues.

^D III. Virtues are intermediate, and it is the royal path, concerning which that holy old man said: “Walk in the royal way, and measure the stages.” ^B Virtues, therefore, as I said, are intermediate between excesses and defects. For this reason, it is written: “Decline not to the right, nor to the left, but walk in the royal way” (Deut. XVII, 11). And Saint Basil says: “That heart is straight which has a thought that does not incline toward excess nor toward defect, but is directed toward the middle of virtue.” For example: Malice in itself,—

^A its very being, is nothing; for it has no substance, nor does it have any hypostasis—far be it. But the soul, declining from virtue, becomes passible and produces malice; whence it is also punished by malice, finding in it no natural rest. Consider, by way of example, wood. Wood does not have worms within it, but it produces a slight rot, and from that rot the worm comes into being, and thus the worm itself devours the wood. Likewise, copper itself creates verdigris, and it is itself again consumed by that verdigris. And clothing itself produces the moth, and the moth that comes from it corrupts it. Thus then, the soul itself produces malice—which, as I said, is not anything and has no substance—and it is itself destroyed and annihilated by malice. Wherefore the holy Gregory said most magnificently: “Fire is born of matter and consumes the material, just as malice consumes the wicked.” This is also to be seen in the bodies of the sick. For when someone is disordered and intemperate, and has no care for his health, there immediately arises in him either a defect or an excess, and a certain inequality, from which follows a sudden sickness that is nothing at all. For when the body has recovered ^B and been restored to health, that sickness is found nowhere and is nothing. Thus, too, malice is a sickness of the soul, depriving it of its own natural health, which is virtue.

IV. We say, therefore, that the virtues are median states: such as fortitude, which is a mean between timorousness and audacity; humility, which is a mean between pride and human-pleasing; modesty, which is a mean between bashfulness and shamelessness; and in the same way all the other virtues. He, therefore, who is found adorned with virtues of this kind ^C will be most distinguished before God; and even though he eats, drinks, and sleeps as others do, yet because of these virtues he will be venerable among all. But if one is not diligent and circumspect regarding himself, he will easily decline to the right or to the left—that is, either into excess or defect—and will arrive at that sickness of the soul which we have called malice. This, then, is the royal road by which all the saints have progressed.

The stages are the various states which everyone ought to measure, always watching to see where he is, how many stages he has traveled, and to what state he has arrived; as, for example: whoever of us has ^D arrived at this goal, we strive for the same eternal homeland, having set out from almost the same city. And some have indeed traveled five stages and stopped; others ten; others have proceeded as far as the middle; others have not traversed them entirely, but upon leaving the city, have remained outside the gates in its stench. Others like travelers, having walked two stages, wander and turn back; or having traveled two stages, they turn back five. We are these travelers. For some of us, having renounced the world, have come to the monastery with a mind to acquire the virtues with all diligence. And some, indeed, when they have profited but little, desist immediately; others progress further; others, having obtained the middle of the way, grow sluggish with sloth; others, however, do not raise themselves up or profit at all,

but only imagine that they have gone out of the world, while they remain in the passions of the world and its stench; others perform a small good, and then destroy it again. If there are some who do not perform even more, they destroy it; others have reached the virtues, but have become proud, arrogant, and contemptuous of their neighbors and brothers, remaining outside the city; they have not entered inside, and yet they themselves have not attained their goal. For even if they reached the gate of the city, they remained outside; thus they too fell away from their own goal. ^B V. Let each one of us, therefore, brethren, consider where he is: if he has truly gone out from his own city, and if he remains outside the gate in the stench of that city; if he has progressed a little, or much, or has reached the middle of the way; if he covers two miles and then retreats by the same amount; if he progresses two miles and retreats five. If he has arrived as far as the city, if he is in Jerusalem, whether he has entered the holy [city], or if he has been led as far as the city but has not been admitted. Let each one learn his state, in which he is. For there are three states in a man: there is the one who puts the passion into action, there is the one who halts it, and there is the one who uproots it. He who puts the passion into action is the one who performs it, who executes it. He who halts the passion is the one who neither puts it into action, nor cuts it off, but philosophizes and suppresses it, yet keeps the passion within himself. But the one who uproots the passion is he who struggles and performs the things contrary to the passion. ^C These three states have a great breadth. Which, I ask, of the passions have you held in yourselves, and been eager to cut off? Do you wish us to speak of pride, of fornication, or would you rather we spoke of vainglory, by which, for the most part, we are all overcome and conquered? Vainglory is that which cannot endure to hear even a tiny word from a brother. This is when someone, at a single word, responds with five or ten words full of all tribulation, and contends and makes turmoil. And when he has quieted down from the contention, he does not cease even then to think about that which he heard; he grows angry with himself, and is pained that he did not retort with more and sharper words; and he disposes and prepares himself, if another occasion should arise, to stir up graver ones against him from whom he received that single word. And he is always in that thought: "I will say this and that to him, he will not escape unpunished," and thus, as if insane, he rages perpetually. ^D Behold one state; this is the one that possesses evil as a habit. May God deliver us from such a state; for such a state is entirely subject to hell, because every sin, when it has come to action, prepares hell. But even if such a one should wish to repent, he is not able to overcome the passion alone, unless he also obtains help from some holy ones, just as the Fathers have said. For this reason I always say to you: be eager to burn out the passions before they become a habit for you. There is another who hears a word and is troubled, and he himself speaks five or ten words instead of one, and he is distressed that he did not speak others three times worse, and he is pained and bears a grudge. And he does [alt-version omitted]

this for a few days, and he changes; another does so for a week, and changes; another does so for one day, and changes; another insults, fights, is troubled, and troubles others, and immediately changes. See how many differences there are in these states, and yet they are all under the shadow of hell as long as they act upon them. ^B

VI. Let us also speak of those who arrest their passion. Someone hears a word and is troubled within himself, and is immediately distressed, not because he was insulted, but because he was unable to endure it. This person is in the state of those who struggle, in the state of those who arrest their passion. Another struggles and labors for a long time, and at last is overcome and defeated by the force of the passion. Another does not wish to respond maliciously, but is snatched away by habit. Another struggles not to speak anything evil at all, but is distressed that he was insulted; yet he condemns himself for being distressed and repents of this. Another is not distressed that he was insulted, but neither does he rejoice. See, all these are those who arrest their passion; but they have a difference among them, the two compared to the rest: he who is defeated in the struggle, and he who is snatched away by habit, and he who condemns himself because he did not bear the insult with thanksgiving. The rest are in fear of the danger of those who engage in the act; and I have said that they are among those who arrest the passion, for in their disposition they have halted the passion, and they do not wish to act upon it, but are also distressed while they struggle. And the Fathers said that everything which the soul does not wish cannot be long-lasting. They ought to examine themselves carefully, lest, even if they do not act on the passion itself, they are nevertheless defending one of the causes of the passion, and for this reason are defeated or snatched away. There are some, he says, who struggle to arrest the passion, but by means of another passion. For one keeps silent out of vainglory, another out of a desire to please men, or out of some other passion. These cure evil with evil. And Abba Poemen said that malice in no way removes malice. These are among those who act upon their passions and might be mocked. ^C

VII. We must also speak of those who root out their passions. Someone rejoices when he is insulted, but he does so with the intention of receiving a reward. This person is among the number of those who indeed root out their passions, but not with knowledge. Another rejoices when he is insulted, and he recognizes that he deserves to be insulted, because he himself gave the cause. This person roots out the passion with knowledge and consideration; for to be insulted, and to transfer the cause to oneself, and to receive all things coming to him as his own, is of the greatest knowledge. For everyone praying to God, "Lord, give me humility," ought to know that he is asking for this: that He should send someone to insult him. When he is insulted by someone, he ought also to insult himself, and despise himself in his own ^D conscience, so that the other man might humble him from the outside, while he himself humbles himself from within. There is...

another who, when insulted, not only does not rejoice and blame himself, but is actually grieved at the disturbance caused to the person who insulted him. May God bring us to such a state. See what a great breadth there is to these three states!

Therefore, as I said, let each of us learn in what state he is: whether he still wants to act upon the passion and defend it; or whether he does not want to do it, but is overcome, or swept away by habit and acts upon it, and after acting, is grieved and repents that he did so; or whether he struggles to restrain the passion with knowledge, or is struggling against it by means of another passion, as we have said. Sometimes a person remains silent either out of vainglory, or to please men, or simply speaking, from some human thought, and has begun to root out the passion. If he is rooting it out with knowledge, and does the opposite of the passion, let each one learn where he is and at what mile he stands. For we ought not only to examine ourselves daily, but also from time to time—by the month and by the week—and to say: "In the first week, I was burdened with such-and-such a passion; how am I now?" Likewise, let him say from time to time: "Last year I was overcome by this passion; how am I now?" And in this way let us exercise ourselves each day to see if we have progressed a little, or if we remain in the same state, or if we have grown worse.

May God give us the strength so that, even if we do not yet root out the passion, we may at least not act upon it, but restrain it. For truly, it is a heavy thing to act upon and not to restrain the passion. And I give you an example of what it means to act upon and defend the passion: he is like a man shot by his enemy, who takes the arrows with his own hands and drives them into his own heart. But he who restrains the passion is like one shot by his enemy, but who is wearing a breastplate, and so does not receive the arrow. ^C And he who roots out the passion ^D (Ps. XXXVI, 15) is like one who is shot and receives the arrows, but breaks them or turns them back into the heart of the enemy, as is said in the Psalm: "Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and their bows be broken." Let us also, therefore, brothers, even if we are not yet able to turn their sword back into their hearts, at least not receive the arrows and drive them into our own hearts; rather, let us arm ourselves with a breastplate, so that we may not be struck by them. May the good God protect us from them, grant us sobriety, and guide us into His way.

DOCTRINE XI.

^A of your own salvation, and take heed that you neglect not yourselves; since even a small negligence often leads us into great dangers. I once happened upon a brother—not so much sick as weak—and learned from him that he had suffered a tertian fever for only seven days, and yet had already spent forty days since his release from the fever, and was still unable to regain his former strength. See then, brothers, what a wretched thing it is to fall into such a grievous condition. We are always accustomed to despise minor disorders, and we do not perceive that whatever evil befalls our body when it is at its weakest, this is the greatest [evil of all]; nor can former strength be recovered without much exertion, labor, sweat, and time. That unhappy man had suffered a fever for only seven days, and yet he could not be restored even after so many days and so much time. The same thing holds true for the soul as for the body. A person sins in a small way. But how much time passes, how much "blood" does he bleed ^B before he can raise himself up again? And in the body, indeed, we find various causes for sickness and disease: either that the medicines have grown stale and lost their power, or that the physician is inexperienced and unskilled, and provides one medicine instead of another, or that the patient acts without discipline and observes nothing of what the physician has ordered. But it is not the same to say this regarding the soul. For we cannot say that the physician is inexperienced and has not given suitable medicines. For Christ is the physician of our souls, and He knows all things, and has provided the suitable antidote for every sickness and disease. For example: to vainglory He has opposed the precepts of humility; to lust, continence; to avarice, almsgiving; and, to conclude briefly, He has given a medicine and a most suitable remedy for every single passion; so that it is impossible for the physician to be judged inexperienced. Nor, again, do the medicines fail to work because they are old. For the commandments of Christ ^C never grow old; rather, the more they are practiced, the more they are renewed. Therefore, nothing hinders the health of the soul except only its own lack of discipline.

II. Let us therefore take heed to ourselves, brothers; let us be vigilant while we have the time. Why do we neglect ourselves? Let us always do some good, so that we may find help in the time of temptation. Why do we lose our lives? We hear so many things, and yet we do not care; rather, we despise them. We see our brothers being snatched away from our midst, and we are not vigilant, knowing that, little by little, we too are drawing nearer to death. Behold, from the time we sat down to speak until now, we have spent two or three hours of our time and have drawn nearer to death; and we see that we are losing the time, and yet we do not fear. How do we not remember the saying ^D of that elder who used to say: "If a man loses gold or silver, he can find more, or at least recover what was lost; but if time perishes, neither the time itself that was lost, nor anything else, can ever be restored." This is clearly very true. For who can seek a lost day or a lost hour of time? Many desire to hear the word of God, but cannot; and yet we hear so much and despise it, and are not aroused? God knows, I am struck with amazement at the...

insensibility of our souls, that we are able to be saved and will not. For we are able, while our passions are in their infancy, to root them out, and we do not care; but we allow them to harden against us, that they may work in us a final, ultimate evil. For it is one thing, as I have often told you, to root out a seedling, for it is pulled up at once, and it is quite another to root out a great tree. ^A

III. A certain great elder was once at leisure with his disciples in some gardens, in which various cypress trees had grown, both small and great. The elder said to one of his disciples: "Pull up this cypress." It was very small, and the brother pulled it up at once with one hand. Then the elder pointed out to him another, larger than the first, and said to him: "Pull up this one also." He shook it, and pulled it up with both hands. Again, the elder pointed out to him another, even larger; and he pulled that one up with more effort. Then he pointed out to him one even greater; and he, with more effort, shaking it a great deal, and laboring and sweating, pulled it up too. Then the elder pointed out to him one still greater; and he, having labored a great deal and sweated, could not lift it up. So, when the elder saw that he was unable to do it, he permitted another brother to rise and help him, and thus both of them were ^B able to pull it up. Then the elder said to those brothers: "Behold, thus also are the passions, my brothers; as long as they are small, if we wish, we can pull them out with ease. But if we neglect them, as they are small, they harden, and the more they harden, the more effort they require. If they grow stronger against us to a greater degree, we are no longer able to root them out, even with labor, by ourselves, unless we also have the help of certain holy men who take hold with us after God." ^C See how much power the words of the holy elders possess! The Prophet also teaches us about this in the Psalm where he says: "O daughter of Babylon, thou miserable one; happy shall he be that rewardeth thee thy reward which thou hast rewarded us; happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock!" (Ps. CXXXVI, 8, 9).

IV. But let us examine the saying in its logical order. He calls Babylon "confusion"—for so it is interpreted from "Babel," which is "Shechem"—and the "daughter of Babylon" he calls "enmity." For, first, the soul is confused, and thus it performs the sin; and he calls it "miserable" because—as I have told you at other times—evil has no existence or substance, being formed out of nothing by our own negligence and iniquity, and, conversely, destroyed and returning to non-existence through our own improvement. ^D He says, therefore, to it, as the saint David does: "Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee thy reward which thou hast rewarded us." Let us learn what we have given, and what we have received, and what we wish to reward it with. We gave our own will, and...

retribuendum. We have given it our will, and we have received sin from it. Therefore, this saying makes those blessed who have rendered back their retribution to it, who have not done it from now on: for this is what it means to render back to it. He then adds: *Blessed is he who shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock* (Ps. 136:9; cf. 1 Cor. 10:4). ^A As if to say: Blessed is he who, concerning those things which have arisen from you—that is, evil thoughts—has not even in the beginning given space for them to be increased and for evil to be worked in him; but quickly, while they are still little ones, before they are nourished and grow against him, he has taken hold of them and dashed them against the rock, which is Christ, and has destroyed them by taking refuge in Christ.

V. Behold then how both our elders and the holy Scripture ^B all agree and call blessed those who strive to cut off the passions while they are still fresh, before we have experienced their pain and bitterness. Let us therefore strive, brothers, that we may obtain mercy; for if we labor a little, we shall find much rest. The Fathers have spoken as to how one ought to purify himself part by part, so that each evening he may examine himself as to how he has spent the day, and again in the morning, how he has spent the night, and repent to God for those things wherein he finds that he has sinned. ^C Truly, since we sin much, we have need, because of our forgetfulness, to examine ourselves even every six hours, as to how we have passed the time and in what we have sinned; and let each of us say to himself: "Did I perchance speak words that wounded my brother? Did I see him doing something and judge him, or despise him, or speak against him? Did I ask the cellarer for something, and when he did not give it to me, did I murmur against him? Did I rebuke the cook, or put him to shame? Did I—most imprudent that I am—murmur against him because the food was not well cooked and prepared with care? ^D Did the master of ceremonies or any other of the brothers say a word to me, and I was unable to bear it? And did I immediately set myself against him?" And thus we ought to act, examining and discerning each day how we have walked. A man ought also to require of himself how he has passed the night, whether he rose for the vigil with diligence and readiness, whether he neglected to answer the one who awakened him, or whether he murmured against him—for one ought to know that the one who awakens him for the vigil bestows great benefits upon him, and becomes the cause of great goods for him; for by awakening him, he enables him to pray to God for his sins and to be enlightened—how then ought one not to be thankful to such a person? Truly, he ought to account that his salvation is almost through him. It is the cause of many good things for us. It rouses us to converse [index: entries preserved]

with God, to pray for our own sins and those of others, that we may be illuminated by divine grace. For this many thanks should truly be given to him, from whom in a certain way our salvation depends. ^B

VI. I will tell you, for this purpose, a wonderful thing which I remember having heard from a certain great Father, gifted with the power of spiritual discernment. He said that one night, while he was keeping vigil in the church, at the beginning of the psalmody he saw someone coming out of the sanctuary in brilliant vesture, holding in his hand a vessel full of libation and sanctification, and also a spoon, with which, having dipped it into that vessel, he went around to all the brothers, sealing each one of them. Of those who were not found in their places, he touched the seats of some, but others he passed by. And he found him doing the same thing again at the end of the psalmody, coming out of the sanctuary just as before. The old man, greatly wondering at this, as he passed by him, fell at his knees and begged him to deign to reveal what this mystery was. He answered that he was an angel of God, who had been delegated to this task, to seal with such a sign those whom he found in the church, diligent and prompt from the beginning of the psalmody right until the end. The old man then asked him again why he had sealed the places and seats of some whom he had not found in the church. The holy angel replied again that he had sealed the places of those who were most prompt and ready, as far as was in them, to arise for the vigils, but who were hindered by some necessity, being absent with the obedience and blessing of the father, or even occupied by his command. It was just ^C that these should receive his sign, since in spirit and purpose they were absent with those who were chanting. But for those who could have been present at the psalmody, but had desisted through sloth and negligence, by order of the most high God he had refused to seal their seats and places, since they had made themselves unworthy of this heavenly sign. Contemplate, therefore, what a gift is ministered to us by him who rouses us to the vigils and praises of God. Take care, brothers, not to lose the angelic sign; but if it happens that any of you fall asleep, and are awakened by another, do not be annoyed, but rather, by reason of such a great good, give thanks, whoever that person may be.

VII. When I was in the monastery, the abbot appointed me, by the counsel of his seniors, to receive guests. I had, however, arisen from a great sickness, so that I could scarcely stand on my feet. Guests would come, and for the most part I would keep vigil with them through much of the night. Camel-drivers would also come, and I ministered to them what was necessary, and from there I would go to get some rest, and another necessity would very often occur which would immediately wake me up. In the meantime, the hour of the vigil would arrive at a short interval, and when I had fallen asleep for a little while, I would be awakened by our canonarch. I was ^D

^A as if beside myself. I answered him, therefore, overcome with sleep: "Very well, brother; may God, who is mindful of your charity, grant you your reward; you have given the order, I am coming, brother." Then, as he went away, I fell asleep again; yet I was exceedingly distressed that I was late in rising for the church. And since I could not always keep him waiting, I asked for two of the brothers, one that he might wake me, and the other that he might not permit me to doze off during the night vigil. And believe me, brothers, I so cherished them, as if my salvation depended upon them, and I almost revered them. You yourselves, therefore, ought to be so disposed toward those who rouse you for the canon of the church and for every other good work. And so, as we have said, we must render an account of the time, and examine how we have passed the day and the night: whether, with sobriety, we stood for the psalmody and the prayer; whether we were led captive by sinful thoughts, or whether we listened attentively to the divine readings; or whether we did not leave the choir ^B and go outside the church, distracted. If anyone examines himself thus each day, and strives to repent for what he has sinned, and to correct himself, he begins to diminish his wickedness; and if he used to do it nine times, he does it eight, and so, with God, by advancing little by little, he does not permit his passions to be strengthened against him. For it is a great danger for someone to fall into a habit of passion. Because, as we have said, even if such a one wishes, he is not able by himself to overcome the passion, unless he also has help from certain saints.

VIII. Concerning a brother who had fallen into a habit of passion.

I would like to tell you about a certain brother of ours, who was miserable and unhappy, for he had fallen into a habit of passion. Receive a tearful account. When I was in the cenoby, all the brothers were accustomed to bring their thoughts to me, whether out of banter or some simplicity; so much so that even the abbot, with the counsel of the seniors, imposed this care upon me. One day, therefore, ^C one of the brothers came to me and said to me: "Pardon me, I beseech you, and pray for me, because I am stealing and eating." When he was asked by me why he did this, he replied that he was tormented by hunger and could not be satisfied at the table with the others, nor could he be brought to ask for something else. I urged him to bring this to the attention of the abbot, but he said that he was held back by shame. Therefore, with his consent, I approached the abbot and disclosed the brother's frailty; he entrusted his entire care to me, to manage as seemed best to me. I went immediately to the steward and commanded him that, at whatever hour the brother wished to eat, he should deny him nothing, but provide everything. And he acted just as I had commanded. A few days passed and the brother abstained from theft: but not long after, he came to me with tears, saying: "Forgive me, master, because I have returned again to my former ^D theft." Turning to him, I asked why he was doing this, or if he was suffering any rejection from the stewardship of the monastery.

^A I said to him, "Are you ashamed before me?" He said, "No." I said to him, "Then, if you want something, come and take it from me, and do not steal," for I was at that time tasked with the stewardship of the infirmary. So he would come to me and take what he wanted. After some days, however, he began to steal again, and he came to me in distress, saying, "Behold, I am stealing again." I said to him, "Why, my brother? Do I not provide whatever you want?" He said, "Yes." I said to him, "And why do you steal?" He said to me, "Forgive me, I do not know why, but I simply happen to steal." Then I said to him, "Tell me the truth, what do you do with the things you steal?" He said to me, I provide them for the donkey." And it was discovered that that brother was stealing ^B *boucchia*, dates, figs, onions—whatever he could simply find—and he would hide them, some underneath his bedding and others elsewhere. Finally, when he could not think what to do with them, seeing them go bad, he would go off and throw them away, or give them to the beasts of burden.

IX. Behold, brothers, do you see what it is like for a passion to become a habit? Do you see what misery, what wretchedness it is? He knew that it was a sin, he knew that he was doing wrong, he was distressed, he wept, and yet the wretch was dragged along by the evil habit he had grafted onto himself through his previous negligence. Well did Abbot Nisteron say that if anyone is carried away by a passion, he has become a slave to that passion. May God the good deliver us from an evil habit, so that He may not say to us: "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to corruption?" (Ps. XXIX, 10). I have told you in various ways how a person falls into a habit. For he who is angry once is not yet called wrathful, nor is he who commits fornication once called a fornicator, nor he who shows mercy once called ^C merciful; but both virtue and malice, when one exercises them repeatedly, produce a certain habit in the soul, and thereafter this habit either punishes it or gives it rest. How virtue gives rest to the soul and how malice punishes it, we have discussed in various ways. For virtue is natural and exists within us; the seeds of virtue are indeed indelible. I have said, therefore, that when we perform good deeds, we enter into the habit of virtue; that is to say, we recover our own proper habit and return to our natural health, just as one returning from blindness to his proper sight, or from any other infirmity to his proper and natural health. In the case of malice, however, it is not so; rather, we acquire a foreign habit and one contrary to nature ^D through the practice of evil. We become, as it were, in the habit of some pestilential disease, so that we do not even know that we are healthy, without many tears that are able to move toward us the mercies of Christ. Just as we also find in physical matters...

For example, there is a certain type of food that produces melancholic humor, such as cabbage and lentils and many other things of this kind which are melancholic. It is not, therefore, because someone eats cabbage or lentils once or twice that a melancholic humor is generated in him; but if he uses them continually, there typically occurs in him such an abundance of melancholic humor that it induces a most severe fever, which devours and burns the one who has it, and sometimes adds other countless molestations. It is the same in the soul, which continues to do evil and to sin: a bad habit is generated in it, by which the unhappy and miserable soul is tormented. ^B

X. But attend also to this point which I make. Because when the soul is prone to some passion and vice, if it falls even once into the act of that vice, it is in danger of slipping into a habit as well. The same thing happens in these physical matters. For many are of such melancholic constitution, from prior carelessness and negligence regarding themselves, that a single eating of melancholic substances is sufficient to provoke and kindle the humor and fever within them. Wherefore we need much diligence, study, and fear, lest anyone let a habit of evil form within himself. Believe me, brothers, every vice turned into a habit is subject to Gehenna; if it happens to someone to do good ten times, but only once to do evil out of habit, that one evil which proceeds from the habit will corrupt and destroy all those good things. For even an eagle, which is completely free from a snare with the rest of its body, if it is caught by a single talon, loses all its strength because of that small part by which it is hindered. Is it not loose and free in its whole body, and held only by the claw? Is it not the case that the hunter will capture it at whatever hour he wishes? The same is true of the soul, which, if it has even one habitually ingrained passion, is thereby subjected to the enemy, and will be led into captivity ^C even for a small thing. For this reason I often admonish you, brothers, not to let ourselves slip into a habit of passion, but to be vigilant around ourselves day and night, and to beseech the Lord that we may not enter into temptation. And if, as men, we are overcome and slip occasionally into a sin, let us strive to rise immediately through penitence and profuse tears in the sight of the divine goodness and mercy, not failing to fight with all our might. Thus, when God looks upon our intention, our humility, ^D and our contrition, He will reach out His hand to us, and will show mercy to us. Amen.

DOCTRINA XII. Concerning the fear of the punishments of hell; and that it does not befit him who wishes to be saved to live without care for his own salvation.

1. When I was suffering from gout, so that I was bedridden from its pain, many of the brothers came to visit me, and they asked me to make known to them the cause of my pain and sickness; and two of them, I think, imagining...

^A that they would console me in my pain and restore my strength, would also provide me with an occasion and subject to expound to them some things profitable and edifying, as is my custom. But since my pain did not allow me to say what I wished at that time, it is necessary to speak of this now; for the recounting of affliction after the affliction has passed is also pleasant. And at sea, when a storm arises, all who are in the ship are distressed; but after the storm has passed, they all joyfully recount to one another the things that happened, finding it pleasant. And it is good, brothers, as I always say to you, to refer every matter to God, and to say that nothing happens apart from God; but that God entirely knows that it is good and profitable, and so He has brought it to pass, even if the matter has some external cause. What do I mean? I could have said that because I ate with guests, and forced myself a little with them in order to give them rest, my stomach became heavy, and a flux occurred in my foot, and from that I became filled with rheum; or I could have offered other various causes, for they are never lacking to one who wants them. ^B But the more accurate and profitable way is rather to say that God knows that this is profitable for my soul, and so it came to pass; for there is nothing that God does that is not good, but all things are very good. One ought not, therefore, to be despondent regarding what happens, but as I said, to refer all things to the providence of God and find rest. There are some who are so greatly burdened by the afflictions that befall them that they even renounce life itself, and desire to die in order to be released from them; but a person suffers this from pusillanimity and great ignorance, not knowing the terrible necessity that awaits the soul after its departure from the body.

II. Great is the philanthropy of God, brothers, in that we are in this world; but we, being ignorant of the things beyond, focus our eyes only on the things here, yet this is not how it is. Do you not know what the Gerontikon says? That a brother who labored much asked a certain Elder, saying, "My soul desires death." And the Elder says to him, "Because you flee from tribulation, and you do not know that the coming tribulation is much worse than the one here." And another likewise asked an Elder, saying, "Why do I feel despondency sitting in my cell?" And the Elder says to him, "Because you have not yet seen the rest that is hoped for, nor the punishment that is to come. For if you were to see these things clearly, even if your cell were filled with worms up to your neck, you would have endured it without despondency." ^D But we want to be saved even while sleeping, and for this reason we lose heart in our afflictions; whereas we ought rather to give thanks to God and call ourselves blessed, that we are deemed worthy to suffer a little here, so that we might find a little rest there. Evagrius also used to say that one who is gripped by passion and praying for his...

departure [from this life] is like a man asking a carpenter to break up the bed of a sick person quickly. For through this body, the soul is drawn away from its passions, and it is refreshed; it eats, it drinks, it sleeps, it converses, it keeps company with its friends. But when it departs from the body, it is left alone, and its passions with it; and thereafter it is tormented always by them, dwelling upon them, and burning from the persistence of them, and being torn asunder by them, so that it cannot even remember God. For the very memory of God refreshes the soul, as it says in the Psalm: "I remembered God and was delighted" (Ps. LXXVI, 4). Yet the passions do not allow it even this. Do you wish to learn what I mean by way of an example? Let one of you take himself and shut himself into a dark cell, and not eat for three days, and not drink, and let him not sleep, let him not converse with anyone, let him not chant, let him not pray, and let him not recall God at all; and let him learn what the passions do to him. And this is when he is still here; how much more so after the soul has ^A departed from the body and is handed over to them and left alone with them? ^B There is surely no doubt that it will suffer most grievously at their hands.

III. We can also consider from the things that are here now, what the future tribulations are. For when someone burns his finger even a little here, how much it stings! And what kind of fire, what kind of flame, what kind of conflagration do those materials of sin create there? For as a melancholic and intemperate body is continually burned and afflicted by that very melancholy and intemperance, so also the soul that is subject to vices is always tormented by its own wicked disposition, having always the bitter memory and the painful preoccupation of the passions, which burn and set it on fire. And beyond these, brothers, who can describe those terrible places? The ^C terrifying tormentors torturing the wretched souls with dire, perpetual agony; that inexplicable fire, the darkness, the harsh and rigid avengers and punishers, and the other dire and innumerable torments, as are mentioned in many places in the Holy Scriptures. All of which are adapted in due proportion to the sins of the souls and to their own wicked wills. For just as the saints receive places that are glorious and bright and full of angelic delight, corresponding to their goodness; so the sinners have places that are dark and gloomy, full of horror and amazement. For what can be more horrendous than those places to which the demons are thrust down? What can be more cruel and harsh than that punishment to which they are condemned? Yet the demons themselves are also tormented along with the sinners, as it is written: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matth. XXV, 41). But what is more terrible than every horror is what Chrysostom says: "If there were not, specifically, rivers of fire there, nor horrendous demons, but only that these were denied the glory and triumph of heaven, and left inglorious and dishonored, not to see the glo^Dry...

of God. Was not the punishment of shame and that disgrace and the pain of being cast out from such goods far more bitter than all of Gehenna? For then the very reproof of conscience, and the memory itself of things done, as we said above, is worse than a thousand ineffable torments. For souls remember everything here, as the Fathers say, and words, and deeds, and thoughts, and they are able to forget none of these. ^A What the Psalmist says: *"In that day all their thoughts shall perish"* (Ps. CXLV, 4), he means the thoughts of this world: for instance, building projects, estates, parents, children, and all business dealings. These, as soon as the soul departs from the body, perish, and it neither remembers nor cares for any of them. But whatever it did according to virtue or passion, it remembers these, and loses none of them. Moreover, if someone benefited another, or was himself benefited by someone, he always remembers both the one he benefited and the one who benefited him; likewise, if he was harmed by someone, or he himself harmed someone, he always remembers both the one who harmed him and the one who was harmed by him. And nothing, as I said, does the soul lose of what it did in this world, but it remembers everything after its departure from the body—and even more clearly and brightly, since it has been freed from this earthen body.

^B IV. I was once speaking with a certain great elder about this, and the elder said that the soul, after its departure from the body, remembers the passion it practiced, and the sin, and the person with whom it practiced it. But I said to him, "Perhaps it is not so, but rather it will have only the habit generated within it from the practice of sin, and this it will remember." And we remained for a long time contending over this matter, wishing to learn. And the elder was not persuaded, saying that it remembers the very form of the sin itself, and the place, and the very person who sinned along with it. And truly, if this is so, our latter state will be even more grievous than I was saying, ^C unless we attend to ourselves. For this reason, I always tell you, brothers, strive to cultivate good thoughts, so that you may find them there. For whatever someone possesses here, it goes forth with him, and he will have it there. Let us take care to be delivered from such necessity, brothers, let us strive, and God will show us His mercy. For He is the hope of all those who are in the ends of the earth and in the sea afar off. Those who are at the ends of the earth are those in perfect wickedness; those in the sea afar off are those in extreme ignorance; and yet Christ ^D is the hope of such as these. There is need of a little labor; let us labor so that we may be shown mercy. If someone has a field and neglects it and it becomes overgrown, does it not become filled with brambles and thorns just to the extent that one neglects it? And when the time comes to clear it, do his hands not bleed, according to the extent that it is filled, when he wishes to root out that evil weed,

and the other unfruitful and sterile herbs which his negligence allowed to proliferate there? For it is impossible for anyone to reap anything other than what he has sown. Yet it behooves a husbandman who desires to cleanse his field thoroughly to pull up the herbs by the roots first. For unless he does so, and merely scrapes the surface, they will sprout again. It is necessary, therefore, as I said, first to root them out; and when he has done this and rendered it purified of the unfruitful and evil herbs, only then will he begin to turn and break up the clods, and finally plow it and sow good seed in it. For if, after he has cultivated it so assiduously, he leaves it idle, will not the sterile herbs sprout again in it; and finding the ground soft and excellent from his diligent cultivation, will they not send forth even deeper and more powerful roots? ^B

V. It is the same with the soul. We must amputate from ourselves every affection of the old man and the evil customs and habits of the world. For there is nothing worse than depraved morals and an evil habit. Hence, holy Basil used to say that it is no small struggle to overcome one’s own habit. For a habit, established over a long time, usually takes on the strength of nature. Therefore, let the first struggle be against evil habits and the vices and their causes, which are their roots. And unless one roots these out, the thorns will inevitably break forth and grow again. For there are certain vices that have no power if you amputate their causes: for instance, envy in itself is nothing, but it has as its cause vainglory. For whoever desires to be glorified must necessarily envy someone more worthy and honorable than himself. Anger also proceeds from other causes, and especially from pleasure. Evagrius recalls this, telling of a certain most holy man who said: For this reason I remove pleasures from myself, that I may cut off the occasions for anger. And all the Elders have affirmed that every vice has its origin in these three passions: avarice, namely, vainglory, and luxury. Therefore, let each one amputate from himself not only the vices, but also the causes of those vices, and let him adorn his character through penitence, ^C through tears, through groaning; and thus, little by little, let him begin to scatter the good seed—that is, good works—throughout his field. For as we said concerning the field, if, once it has been purified and tilled by the husbandman, the best seeds are not immediately cast into it, the evil weeds forthwith rise up, and finding the ground soft and cultivated, they become more deeply rooted in it. The same is true of man. For when he has cultivated his character, and through penitence has desisted from his former deeds, if he neglects to do good works and to acquire virtues, that which is spoken in the Gospel comes to pass in him: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through waterless places ^D seeking rest, and finding none, then he says, "I will return to my house from which I came." And coming, he finds it unoccupied, clearly from all...

virtue, then swept and adorned. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering they dwell there, and the last state of that man ^A becomes worse than the first. For it is impossible for the soul to remain in the same state; rather, it moves to progress, whether toward the better or toward the worse. For this reason, everyone wishing to be saved has need not only to refrain from doing evil, but also to perform what is good, as he says in the Psalm: "Turn away from evil, and do good." He did not say, "Turn away from evil" only, but also, "Do good." What I mean is like this: one is accustomed to act unjustly; he should desire not only not to act unjustly, but also to act righteously. If he was licentious, he wishes not only not to be licentious, but also to be self-controlled. If he was irascible, he wishes not only not to be angry, but also to acquire gentleness. If one was insolent, he wishes not only not to be insolent, but also to be humble. And this is to turn away from evil and do good. For every passion has its opposite virtue. Pride has humility; ^B avarice has mercy; licentiousness has self-control; sloth has patience; anger has gentleness; hatred has love. Simply put, every passion, as I said, has its opposite virtue.

VI. These things I have often said to you. Just as we have cast out the virtues and brought in the passions in their stead, so we wish to labor not only to cast out the passions, but also to bring in the virtues and establish them in their own place. For we possess the virtues naturally, having been given to us by God. For when God created man, He sowed virtues in him, as He says: "Let us make man according to our image and likeness." He said "according to image," because God made the soul immortal and possessed of free will; but "according to likeness," he says, refers to virtue. For He says: "Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful." "Be holy, for I am holy." And again the Apostle says: "Be kind to one another." And the Psalm says: "The Lord is good ^C to those who wait for Him," and other things like these. This is what is "according to likeness." So that God gave us the virtues naturally; we do not possess the passions naturally; for they do not have any substance or hypostasis, but just as darkness does not exist by nature as a substance, but is a passion concerning the air, as the great Basil says, occurring by the privation of light; so it is with the passions. The soul, having turned aside through the love of pleasure from the virtues, fashioned the passions and established them against itself. So we have need, as I said, as with the field, after having done all the cultivation, to immediately sow the good seed, so that it may produce the fruit of good. The sower also wishes, upon throwing the seed, to hide and bury it into the earth, for birds come and snatch it away, and

it is destroyed. ^A And after he hides it, he awaits the mercy of God, until He sends the rain and the seed increases. For however much the farmer may labor in cleaning and cultivating, and then sowing, if God does not rain upon his seed, his entire labor becomes in vain. Thus do we also wish; even if we do perform some good, we should cover it through humility and cast our weakness before God, begging Him to grant success to our labor, since otherwise it is in vain. There is also, again, a time when, even after the rain has fallen and the seed has sprouted, the rain does not come down again at the proper time, and the plant withers and is destroyed. For the seed needs rain, and the plant likewise needs it throughout its growth, until it is strengthened. And not even then can a man be without care. For sometimes, even after it has grown and formed an ear, a locust or hail or something similar comes, and destroys the fruit. ^B It is the same with the soul. For when it has labored and purified itself from all the passions we have spoken of, and is eager for all the virtues, it must always look toward the mercy of God and His protection, so that He may not abandon it and it be destroyed. For just as we said regarding the seed, that even after it has sprouted, grown, and produced fruit, if the rain does not come down again in due time, it withers and is destroyed; so it is also with man. If, after having done so many things, God withdraws His protection a little and abandons him, he is destroyed. But this abandonment happens to a man when he does something contrary to his state. What do I mean? If someone is devout and comes into indifference, or is humble and comes into boldness. And God does not abandon the indifferent person as much if he is indifferent, nor the bold person if he is bold, as He abandons the devout person if he becomes indifferent, and the humble person if he becomes bold. This is what it means to sin contrary to one's state; from this, abandonment occurs. ^C VII. Hence the holy Basil judges the sin of a holy man differently, and that of a sinner differently. And when one has guarded oneself from all these things, one must also diligently take heed, lest even if one does some small good, one does it with vainglory, or for human approval, or according to some human reasoning, and thus lose that small thing one was doing, as we said regarding the locust, the hail, and such things. ^D Again, even if the crop suffers no harm in the field and is kept safe until harvest, not even then can the farmer be entirely without care; for there is a time when, even after one has harvested the field and performed all the labor, a wicked man comes with hatred and casts fire into that crop, and destroys the entire harvest and that labor of the man. Until he sees that he has cleaned it well and put it into the granary, he cannot be without care; likewise, when a man is able to be delivered from all these things we have mentioned, he still should not be without care. It happens

^A that after all these things, the devil finds a way to lead him astray, either through self-justification, or through pride, or by casting in thoughts of unbelief or of a wicked heresy; and not only does he destroy all his labors, but he also separates him from God. And if he was not able to overcome him through deeds, he accomplishes it via a single thought. For there are times when even a thought can separate a man from God, if he welcomes it and consents to it. Therefore, he who desires to be saved in truth must not be free from care until his very last breath. There is need, therefore, of great labor and concern, and of beseeching God at all times, that He Himself may shelter and save us by His goodness, to the glory of His holy name.

DOCTRINE XIII.

That we should endure temptations with stillness and thanksgiving.

^B I. Well did Abba Poemen say that the sign of the monk is revealed in times of temptation. For the monk who truly approaches to serve the Lord must, according to Wisdom, prepare his heart for temptations, so that he may never be taken by surprise or troubled by what befalls him; believing that nothing happens without the providence of God. And where there is the providence of God, it is altogether good, and is to the benefit of the soul; for all things that God does with us, He does for our profit, both loving us and sparing us. And we ought, as the Apostle said, in everything to give thanks to His goodness, and never to be disheartened or faint-hearted at the things that happen to us, but to receive ^C what comes with stillness, with humility and the hope that is in God; being persuaded, as I have said, that everything that God does with us, He does out of goodness, and does it loving us, and does it well. And it is not possible for these things to be brought about well in any other way than the way in which God has willed it mercifully. If a man has a friend and is certain that he loves him, even if he should suffer something from him that is grievous, he believes that he did it out of love, and can never be persuaded that his friend had an intention to harm him; how much more, then, ought we to believe this of God, who fashioned us, and brought us into being when we were not, and became incarnate and died for us, that He does all things with us out of goodness and ^D loving us?

II. And indeed, concerning a friend, one might think that he acted out of love and care for me; yet he does not possess this wisdom in all points, so as to manage my affairs, and for this reason, as is likely, he might even unintentionally do me harm; but regarding God, we cannot say this. For He Himself is the source of wisdom, and knows all things that are to our benefit, and manages our affairs even down to the most trivial matters. And again, one might say of a friend that he loves, and spares, and is wise enough to manage the things concerning...

^A us, yet he lacks the power to help in matters where he thinks I might be benefited. But we cannot say even this of God. For all things are possible for Him, and nothing is impossible in His sight. Since, therefore, we know regarding God that He loves and spares His own creation, and that He is the very fountain of wisdom and knows how to manage our affairs, and that nothing is impossible for Him—but rather, all things serve His will—we ought to know that everything He does, He does for our benefit; and we should accept these things with thanksgiving, as we said before, as coming from a benefactor and a good Master, even if they are grievous. For all things happen by a just judgment, and God, who is so merciful, does not overlook even our affliction. Yet often a person doubts within himself, saying: if one sins during trials because of affliction, how can he believe that they are for his benefit?

III. We do not sin during trials unless it is due to our being faint-hearted and unwilling to bear a small affliction, or to suffer something contrary to our wishes, since God does not allow an event to be brought upon us beyond our strength, as the Apostle said: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able" (I Cor. x, 13). But we are the ones who lack endurance, not wishing to labor even a little, nor willing to accept anything with humility; hence we are crushed, and the more we strive to avoid ^B temptations, the more we fall into them, are weighed down by them, and fail in them, and are unable to be rescued and liberated from them. There are some who swim in the sea out of necessity, and if they know the art of swimming, when the wave comes against them, they bow down ^C and submit themselves beneath it until it passes, and thus they remain swimming unharmed. But if they wish to set themselves against the wave, it pushes them out and throws them a great distance. Again, as they begin to swim, another wave comes over them; if they oppose it again, it pushes them out again, and they are only crushed, accomplishing nothing. But if, as I said, they bow down to the wave and humbly go beneath it, it passes over without harming them, and they continue swimming as long as they wish, doing their work. So also with temptations: if someone bears a temptation with patience and humility, it passes by unharmed; but if he remains afflicted, troubled, and blaming everyone, he punishes himself, rendering the temptation heavier against himself, from which he gains no profit, but rather is harmed. For temptations are extremely ^D useful to one who bears them without disturbance.

IV. Therefore, if a passion troubles us, we ought not to be disturbed by this either; for for one who is harassed by a passion to be troubled is a mark of ignorance and pride, for we do not know our own state.

^A And because we avoid labor, just as the Fathers have said. For this reason we make no progress, because we do not know our own limitations, nor do we have perseverance in the work we begin, but we wish to acquire virtue without effort. For why is the passionate man surprised when he is troubled by a passion? And why is he troubled when he has performed it? You possess it, and yet you are troubled? You hold its pledges, and you say: "Why does it trouble me?" Rather, endure, struggle, call upon God. For it is impossible for one who has fallen into the actualization of passions not to have the affliction of passions and vices. Its vessels, as Abba Sisoes said, are within you; give them their pledge, and they will depart. He calls the "vessels" the causes, which, when we love and engage in them, it is impossible for us not to be taken captive by passionate thoughts—thoughts which afterwards force us, even when we do not wish, to perform the passions, since we willingly gave ourselves into their hands. This is what the prophet says ^B concerning Ephraim, who prevailed against his adversary—that is, against his own conscience—and trampled judgment, because he sought Egypt, and was seized by force by the Assyrians. The Fathers call "Egypt" the carnal will, which inclines us toward bodily comfort and teaches the mind to be more delicate; and they call "Assyrians" the passionate thoughts, which cloud and confuse the mind and fill it with unclean idols, dragging it by force, even when it is unwilling, into the actualization of sin.

V. If, therefore, anyone willingly surrenders himself to the indulgence of the body, he is forced, even when unwilling, to be dragged to the Assyrians to serve Nebuchadnezzar. Knowing this, the prophet was greatly distressed and said to them: "Do not go down to Egypt. Why do you do this, O miserable ones? Be humbled for a little while; bow your shoulder and work for the king of Babylon, and sit in the land of your fathers." ^C Again he stirs them up, saying: "Do not fear his face, for God is with us, capable of delivering us from his hands." Then he predicts the affliction that will come upon them if they disobey God. "For if," he says, "you go into Egypt, you will be in a wilderness, and subject to others, and a curse, and a reproach." And they, the wretched and miserable, answer him: "We will not stay in this land, for we will enter Egypt, and we shall see no war, nor shall we hear the sound of the trumpet, nor shall we hunger for bread." Therefore, they went down and served Pharaoh willingly. Then, later, they were dragged by force into the Assyrians ^D and served them against their will.

^A VI. Direct your mind, I beseech you, to what has been said. Before anyone has brought sin to the act, even if thoughts have warred against him, he is nevertheless still free in his own city, and he has God as his helper. If, therefore, he humbles himself before God and bears the yoke of temptation and tribulation with thanksgiving, and struggles a little, and does not yield immediately to the war, he is delivered by the help of the Lord. But if he has shirked the war and the labor and reclined himself into bodily pleasures, then he is dragged by force and necessity into the land of the Assyrians, and he serves them even though he does not wish to. For this reason, the prophet cries out to them: "Pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor, for in his life is your salvation." Nabuchodonosor is not to fail in the face of any tribulation, nor immediately to kick against any temptation that comes upon him, but to bear and endure it with humility as debtors, and to consider us ourselves unworthy to be delivered from such a temptation, and rather to pray to God that the temptation be prolonged, flourish, and be strengthened in us, whether we know or do not know the cause of the temptation itself, holding this one thing to be certain: that there is nothing unrighteous with God, nothing unjust. This is what that brother, sorrowful and weeping, said when the Lord had removed a temptation from him: "Lord, am I not worthy of some small tribulation?" It is also written of a disciple of a great Father, who was greatly vexed by the spirit of fornication, that when he was asked by the Father if he would like God to be prayed to for the removal of such a temptation from him, he replied: "Even if I labor, as you see, father abba, and am afflicted not a little, I do not fail to know, however, how much fruit and utility comes to me from this. Wherefore rather pray to God that He may grant me constancy and patience." ^{B C D} VII. Behold those who are diligent and anxious about their own salvation: for this is what it means to bear the yoke with humility. Hence the prophet says: "Pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor, for in his life is your salvation." It is almost the same as saying: "I see the fruit that comes to me from labor and temptation," and saying, "for in his life is your salvation." That this is so, the aforementioned elder showed when he answered his disciple, saying: "Today I knew, my son, that you are progressing, and you are already surpassing me." For when someone is attacked so that he may fall into the act of sin, but he fights back with a manly spirit and resists evil thoughts, he is humbled, he is afflicted, he struggles, and through the labors and afflictions of the struggle he is gradually purified, and as it were returns to that which is innate to him by nature. As we also said, he who is troubled by a passion is afflicted by his own ignorance and pride, when he ought rather to know his own measure with humility and endure while praying until God shows mercy upon him. For unless a man is tempted and sees the affliction of his passions, he will never struggle to be purified. And the Psalm says, concerning...

this: ^A “When the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity appear, that they may be destroyed for ever and ever” (Ps. XCI, 8). The wicked who spring up like grass are the unclean thoughts. For grass is a weak and infirm thing, having no power. When, therefore, unclean thoughts arise in the soul, then all those who work iniquity appear—that is, the passions themselves—that they may be destroyed for ever and ever. For when the passions have appeared before the combatants and athletes, they are immediately destroyed by them.

^B VIII. Consider the sequence of the discourse. First, the unclean thoughts arise; then the passions appear; then they are destroyed. All these things pertain to those who are struggling. But we, by committing the sin in act and constantly fulfilling the passions, neither know when the unclean thoughts arise nor when the passions appear so that we might struggle against them; rather, we are still down below, in Egypt, practicing the miserable brick-making of Pharaoh. And who will give us the ability to come even to the perception of our bitter slavery, that we may be humbled and strive to obtain mercy? When the sons of Israel were in Egypt and served Pharaoh, they used to make bricks; and those working the bricks were always down below, with their eyes fixed upon the ground. ^C So too, when the soul has been brought under the dominion of the devil and performs the sin in act, it tramples its own mind and does nothing to think or do anything spiritual, but always thinks and does earthly things. And then they built for him, from the bricks they had made, three fortified cities: Pithom and Rameses and On, which is Heliopolis (Exod. I, 11). These are love of pleasure, love of glory, and love of money, from which every sin is constituted. But when God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt and from the slavery of Pharaoh, he made the works heavier upon them and says to them: “You are idle, you are idle; therefore you say, Let us go, let us sacrifice to the Lord our God” (Exod. V, 17). ^D Likewise, also, the devil, when he sees that God has already inclined to have mercy on a soul and to relieve it from the passions through His Word or through some of His servants, then he himself makes the passions heavier upon it and combats it more fiercely.

IX. And when the Fathers knew this, they would strengthen the man through their teaching and would exhort him not to fear. The one says: “Have you fallen? Arise. And if you fall again, arise again.” And another again says: “The strength of those who desire to acquire the virtues is this, that if they fall, they should not become discouraged, but take heart again, and each of them simply and differently—one offers a hand to those who are struggling and being afflicted by the enemy.” For they themselves received this from the divine Scripture which says—

are as they are taught by the Holy Scripture, which says: *Shall he who falls not rise again? Or he who turns away, does he not turn back? Turn to me, O children, and I will heal your contusions, says the Lord*; and many other things of this kind. But when the hand of the Lord became heavy upon Pharaoh and upon his servants, and having willed to let the sons of Israel go, he said to Moses: ^A *Go, sacrifice to the Lord your God; nevertheless, leave your sheep and your herds*: which signify the cogitations of our mind, over which Pharaoh wished to rule, hoping by them to be able to draw the sons of Israel back to himself. And Moses ^B replied to him: *By no means shall this be; but you shall also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings that we may offer them to the Lord our God; and our cattle also shall go with us, nor shall we leave behind a single hoof*. But when Moses had led the sons of Israel out of Egypt, and had crossed them over the Red Sea, God, wishing to bring them to the seventy palm trees and the twelve springs of water, led them first to Marah, where the ^C people are afflicted and tormented, finding nothing to drink, since the water was bitter; and from Marah He led them to the place of the seventy palm trees and twelve fountains. This is a likeness of the soul, which, when it rests without any sin and passes through the spiritual sea, at first wishes to struggle with anguish and afflictions, and through these to arrive at the holy rest. *For through many tribulations it behoves us to enter into the kingdom of heaven*. For our tribulations move the mercy of God toward the soul, just as winds move for rain. And ^D just as excessive rain, arriving when the sprout is still tender, makes it rot and perish along with its fruit; but if winds have blown between, they dry and strengthen it: so it is also with the soul. Remissness, negligence, sloth, and idleness weary and dissipate it. But temptations bind it and join it to God, as the prophet says: *Lord, in tribulation we have remembered Thee*. Therefore, as we have said, it does not become us to be troubled or to despair under tribulations; but we ought to bear them patiently, and give thanks to God when we are tempted, and always pray to Him that He may add His mercy to our infirmity, and protect us from every temptation unto His glory. Amen.

DOCTRINE XIV. On the edifice and harmony of the virtues of the soul.

1. The Scripture tells of those midwives who preserved the male children of the Israelites, because, since they feared God, they built houses for themselves. Is this to be understood of material houses? For what reason, then, is it said: *When they had feared God, they built houses for themselves*? And we, I say, [to do] the contrary...

we are taught to leave behind the houses we have in time of need out of fear of God. Thus it is evident that it is not about a sensible house, but about the dwelling place of the soul, ^A which each one builds for himself when he guards the commandments of God. Through this, Holy Scripture teaches us that the fear of God prepares the soul to keep His precepts, and through the precepts of God the house of the soul is built. Let us, brethren, keep watch over ourselves, let us fear God, and let us build ourselves houses, in order that we may find shelter for ourselves in the time of winter, in the time of rains, lightnings, and thunders; for the winter is a great necessity for him who has not a house.

And how is the house of the soul built? We can learn the accuracy of the matter from the material house. For he who wishes to build this house needs ^B to secure it from every side, and to raise up the building on all four sides, and not to care for one part while neglecting the others—since he gains nothing, but rather wastes both the design, the expenses, and the labor, all in vain. It is the same with the soul. For a man needs to neglect no part of his building, but to raise it up equally and fittingly. This is what the venerable elder, Abba John, says: "I wish a man to take a little from each virtue, and not, as many do, to hold to one virtue and persist in that alone, while neglecting the rest." For they, while perhaps holding the primacy in that very virtue upon which they insist, and not being opposed by any contrary passion of that virtue, are nevertheless enticed ^C and attacked by other passions, and they are weighed down by them, and they do not care; rather, they think they possess something great.

But these men seem to me like one who wishes to build a wall, and raises it as high as he can, and keeps an eye on the height of that wall, and thinks he has accomplished something great, not seeing that if any wind blows, it can cast him down to the ground; for it stands alone, without the bond of the other walls. And neither can one make a roof for himself from one wall; for it is stripped of all other parts. But it is not right to do this; rather, he who wishes to build his house and make for it a roof, ought to provide for it from every part, and to secure it from every side.

^D II. And I say how: First, one ought to lay the foundation, which is faith; for *without faith*, as the Apostle says, *it is impossible to please God*; and thus to build upon this foundation the edifice according to proportion. Does obedience present itself? He ought to lay one stone of obedience. Does a provocation by a brother occur? He ought to lay one stone of patience. Does continence present itself? He ought to lay one stone of continence. Thus, from every virtue that presents itself, one must lay a stone into the building, and thus raise it up in a circle: with one stone of compassion, one stone of cutting off one's own will, one stone of meekness, and the like. And he ought to take care in all of these...

^A of patience and fortitude; for these are the corners, and by them the building is held together and one wall is joined to another, and the walls do not lean or break away from one another. For without these, no one is able to achieve any virtue perfectly. For if someone does not have fortitude in his soul, he does not endure; and if there is no patience, no one can achieve anything at all. For this reason he says: "In your patience you shall possess your souls" (Luke xxi, 19).

Likewise, the builder wishes for each stone to be laid against mortar; for if one places a stone upon a stone without mortar, the stones crumble and the house falls. The mortar is humility; for it is from the earth and is under the feet of everyone. For every virtue done without humility is not a virtue, as the Gerontikon also says: "Just as it is impossible for a ship to be constructed without nails, so it is impossible to be saved without humility." Therefore, one ought to perform whatever good one does with humility, so that through humility what has been done may be preserved.

But the house also needs to have those things called "straps" [beams], which are the discernment that strengthens the house and joins stone to stone, and binds the structure together, while also providing great beauty to the house. The roof is charity, which is the perfection of all virtues, just as the roof is of the house. Then after the roof, the parapet of the roof. What is the parapet of the roof? And it is written in the Law: "If you build a house for yourselves, and make a roof for it, make a parapet for the roof, so that your children may not fall from the roof" (Deut. xxii, 8). The crown is humility. For this is what crowns and guards all the virtues. And just as each virtue must be done with humility, in the manner we have said—that each stone is laid against mortar—so also the completion of virtue needs humility, ^B and that, as the saints naturally progress, they come to humility; as I always say to you, the more someone draws near to God, the more he sees himself a sinner.

And what are the children spoken of by the Law, so that they may not fall from the roof? The children are the thoughts conceived in our soul, which must be guarded through humility, so that they might not fall even from the house itself. It is completed; it has the straps, it has the roof—here is the completion—and behold, also the crown, and thus, simply put, the house is perfected.

III. Is there anything lacking for it? There is certainly something else we have not yet mentioned. The builder, that is, the skilled craftsman; for if there is no craftsman, he will distort the whole building, and perhaps the house will fall. The craftsman is he who acts with knowledge. For it often happens that when someone pursues a virtue without knowledge, he easily dissolves it, and does not perform it properly at all, nor does he find a way to perfect the virtue itself; but he is like one who places one stone on the house and takes another one away. ^C There are also others who, while they place one stone, take away two; for instance, as I say: "Behold, the... [the text continues to the next page].

a brother of yours is present, and he says a word to you, afflicting you or striking you, and you are silent, and you offer repentance [metanoia]; behold, you have placed one stone." Then you go away and say to another brother, "So-and-so disparaged me; he said such-and-such to me; and not only was I silent, but I even offered him repentance." Behold, you have placed one stone, and you took away two. Again, someone offers repentance desiring to be glorified, and he is found to be in humility coupled with vainglory. This is to place a stone and to take it away. But he who does repentance with knowledge [gnosis] convinces himself absolutely that he himself was at fault, and he assures himself that he is the cause of it. This is what it means to do repentance with knowledge. Another practices silence, but not with knowledge; for such a person holds that he is doing a virtue, but he is doing nothing at all. But he who is silent with knowledge holds that he is unworthy to speak, as the Fathers said, and this is silence with knowledge. Again, one does not measure himself, and he thinks he is doing something great, and that he is humbling himself, and he does not know that he has nothing, since he does not do it with knowledge. But not to measure oneself with knowledge—this is to hold that one is nothing, and that one is not even worthy to be counted among men, just as Abbot Moses said to himself: ^B "O blackened dung-skin, not a man, why do you come into the midst of men?" Again, someone ministers to an invalid, but he ministers for the sake of obtaining a reward, and neither is this done with knowledge. And thereafter, if any painful thing happens to him, he easily cuts himself off from his good work, and does not manage to fulfill it, because he does not do it with knowledge. But he who ministers with knowledge ministers for the sake of acquiring sympathy, for the sake of acquiring bowels of mercy; for he who has this goal—if anything happens to him, even if there is affliction from without, even if the invalid himself slights him—he bears it untroubled, keeping his eye on his own goal, and knowing that the invalid is benefiting him more than he is benefiting the invalid. For believe that he who ministers to an invalid with knowledge is relieved even of passions and wars. For I know a brother who was being warred against by foul desire, and through ministering to an invalid suffering from dysentery, with knowledge, he was delivered from the war. And Evagrius says regarding a certain great elder, that he delivered one of the brothers who was being disturbed by such things at night by commanding him to minister to the sick with fasting. And when asked the reason for this, he said that nothing so extinguishes such passions as mercy. Again, if someone practices asceticism, either out of vainglory or holding that he is doing a virtue, such a person does not practice with knowledge; thereafter, ^C from this he begins to despise his brother, holding himself as something; and he is found not only placing one stone and taking away two, but also endangering the casting down of the whole wall through the judging of his neighbor. But he who exercises self-control ^D with knowledge does not hold that he is doing a virtue, nor does he wish to be praised as an ascetic; but he holds that through self-control he is acquiring prudence, and that through this he comes to humility.

VARIE LECTIONES. * Forte περὶ.

περὶ. ^A As the Fathers say, the way to humility is bodily labors performed with knowledge, and so forth. In a word, one ought to perform every virtue in such a way as to possess it and come to a habit of it. And thus, as we have said, one is found to be a good skilled builder, able to build his own house with safety. ^B IV. Let anyone, therefore, who by God's help wishes to arrive at such a state of perfection beware of saying or even thinking that the virtues are great and cannot be reached by us. For this is either to hope for nothing from divine aid, or to be sluggish and drowsy in soul toward doing good. Tell me, if you desire any virtue, is it not to be practiced by us, whatever it may be? For the virtues are within us, and when we wish to do well, we are able. Behold, it is written in the Law: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself.* Do not look at how far you are from virtue, lest you begin to be afraid and say: "How can I love my neighbor as myself? How can I be concerned for his afflictions and distresses, especially those he hides in his heart, when I neither see nor recognize them as my own?" Do not dwell on these things; for by doing so, you will think virtue to be something arduous and very difficult. But lay whatever foundations you can, trusting in the Lord. Show Him your zeal and your longing, and you will immediately feel that help from heaven is present for you to do well. For example, imagine two ladders, one that is raised up to heaven, and another that reaches down even to the abyss, and imagine yourself standing in the middle of the two ladders. Do not wish to ponder and say: "How can I fly up from this earth and find myself all at once at the top of the ladders that lead to heaven?" For that is neither possible, nor does God require such things of you. He requires only that you guard against sliding downward and falling; that you do not injure your neighbor, do not strike, do not slander, do not revile, do not disdain; and thus, little by little, you begin to do good, while you care for your brother with sweet speech, while you suffer with him; and when he is in need of anything, you provide it. ^D And thus, ascending by steps, you will at last arrive at the summit of the ladders with the Lord’s assistance. For from this small assistance rendered to your neighbor, you ascend to the point where you desire his benefit and advantage just as your own; and this is, *You shall love your neighbor as yourself.* If we seek, we find; and if we ask God, He illuminates us. For He says in the Gospel: *Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.* Ask, He says, that by praying...

we may become worthy of his illumination. ^A And the *seek* means that we must track down how this virtue comes to us, what it is that brings it, and what we must do to acquire it. To search like this every day is the *seek and you shall find.* And to *knock* is to put the commandments into action; for everyone who knocks, knocks with their hands, and hands are taken to signify practical action. We want, therefore, not only to ask, but also to seek, being diligent and striving to be, as the Apostle said: *Prepared for every good work.*

What does *prepared* mean? When someone wants to build a ship, he first prepares everything the ship needs, down to small nails, and a little pitch, and a little oakum; likewise, if a woman wishes to set up a loom or weave a fabric, she prepares first everything necessary, even the smallest thread. This is what is called "prepared"—to have all the requirements of the thing ready.

^B V. So then, that we also may be prepared for every good work, let us have all our care, diligence, and readiness to perform the divine will with knowledge, in whatever matter it may be pleasing to Him. What is it that the Apostle says: *The will of God is good and acceptable and perfect?* Everything that happens occurs either by the permission of God or by His good pleasure, as He says in the prophet: *I am the Lord, who makes light and creates darkness.* And again: *Is there evil in a city which the Lord has not done?* By "evil" He means all things that cause pain—that is, the afflictive things that happen for our instruction because of our wickedness: such as famine, earthquakes, drought, diseases, wars. These things do not happen by the good pleasure of God, but by permission, God permitting them to be brought upon us for our benefit. ^C God does not want us to desire these things, nor to cooperate with them. For example, I say: it is the will of God, as we have said, by way of permission, that a city be overthrown. Does He therefore want us—since it is the will of God that it be overthrown—to throw fire ourselves and burn it, or to take axes and destroy it? Again, it is found to be a permission of God that someone is afflicted or falls ill. Does this mean that, because it is His will that he be afflicted, we should also want to afflict him? Or that, because we say it is by the divine will that he falls ill, we should not have mercy on him in any way? God does not want this; He does not want us to be ministers to such a will of His. He wants us to be good, so that exactly what He does, He does not want us to desire. But what does He want? He wants us to desire His will, the good one, which happens by His good pleasure, as I said. This is everything that is done according to the commandment: to love one another, to sympathize, to perform almsgiving, and whatever is similar. Behold, the good will of God. But what is meant by *acceptable*? For nothing, even if someone does a good deed, is certainly ^D done in a way that is acceptable. And I say how: it happens that he finds

^A a beautiful and poor orphan girl, and he is pleased by her beauty and he takes her in and raises her, thinking of himself as one doing this for a poor and beautiful orphan. Behold, this is indeed the will of God and it is good, yet it is not *acceptable*. That which is acceptable is when someone performs an act of mercy not for any human consideration, but for the sake of the good itself, for the sake of compassion—this is acceptable to God. And that which is *perfect* is when someone performs an act of mercy, not with stinginess, not with procrastination, not with negligence, but with all his strength and with all his heart, providing in such a way that he appears to be the one receiving, and doing kindness in such a way that he appears to be the one being treated kindly; and then it becomes perfect. And thus one is found doing the will of God, as the Apostle says: the good, the acceptable, and the perfect. Behold, this is what it means to act with knowledge.

VI. But some of you might wish to know how great a good, how great a grace, almsgiving is—how truly great is that which can even remit sins, as the prophet says: *The ransom of a man is his own wealth* (Prov. XIII, 8). And again he says elsewhere: *Redeem your sins with alms* (Tob. IV, 9). And the Lord Himself said: *Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful* (Luc. VI, 36). He did not say: *Fast, as your heavenly Father fasts.* Nor did he say: *Be poor, as your heavenly Father is poor.* But what does He say? *Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful.* For this virtue alone imitates God; it characterizes Him. We have need, therefore, as we have said, to always attend to this purpose, and to act with knowledge. For there is a great difference ^C in the scope of almsgiving. For there is someone who does alms so that his lands might be blessed, and God blesses his lands; another does alms for the sake of his ship, and God surely guides his ship into port safe and sound; another does it for his children, and God saves and guards his children; another does it so as to be glorified, and God glorifies him, and God deprives no one. But whatever each one desires, He gives to him, provided that it is not something that harms his soul. But all these have received their reward; for they have deposited nothing for themselves with God, since the purpose that they set for themselves was not for the benefit of their soul. Because you wanted your lands to be blessed, you acted, and God blessed your lands; because of your children you acted, and God guarded your children; because you wanted to be glorified you acted, and God glorified you. ^D What, then, does God owe you? He has rendered to you the reward of what you did, the grace you wanted. But there is also another who performs alms so that he may be rescued from the punishment to come. Behold, this one does it for the sake of his own soul; this one does it according to God; yet it is still not as God wills. For he is still in a servile state. A slave does not do the will of his master because he wants to, but fearing that he might be beaten. Similarly, this one acts so that he might be rescued from punishment, and the

^A Lord delivers him from it. Another performs almsgiving so that he might receive a reward. This is indeed higher than the first; but it is not yet the state as God wills it. For he is not yet in the state of a son; but just as a hired worker does the will of his master, so that he might receive the master's reward and gain, likewise this one also acts in order to gain and have a reward.

444 VII. There are, however, three states and dispositions according to which, after the opinion of St. Basil, we ought to do good and exercise virtue, of which I remember having spoken to you at another time. For if we do good fearing punishment, we are in the servile state; or in order to receive a reward, we are in the disposition of a hireling; or for the sake of the good itself, and we are in the disposition of a son. ^B For a son does not do the will of his father out of fear, nor as wanting to receive a reward from him, but wanting to serve him, wanting to honor and give rest to him. Likewise, we too ought to do almsgiving for the sake of the good, suffering with one another as if with our own members; but serving someone as if we ourselves are being served through him; and in this way giving, as if we are the ones receiving. And this is the almsgiving in knowledge; thus we are found also in the state of the son, as we said. No one can say: "I am poor, and I have nothing with which to show mercy." For if you cannot give, like those rich men who give their gifts into the treasury, give two copper coins, as did the poor widow; and God ^C accepts them from you above those other gifts. Do you not even have that? But you have strength and can show mercy to the sick through service. You cannot even do this? You can comfort and exhort your brother with a word. Show him mercy, therefore, through a word, and hear Him who says: "A good word is above the best gift." Suppose you cannot even benefit him with a word; you can, if your brother is provoked against you, show mercy to him and bear with him at the time of his disturbance, seeing him being harassed by the common enemy; and instead of saying a word to him and disturbing him more, you remain silent, and show mercy to him and his soul, snatching him away from the enemy. You can ^D again, if your brother sins against you, show mercy to him and forgive him his sin, so that you too might receive forgiveness from God. For He says: "Forgive, and it will be forgiven to you"; and thus you show mercy to the soul of your brother, forgiving him what he sinned against you. For God has given us the authority, if we wish, to forgive one another the trespasses committed even against us; and if you do not have the means to show mercy to the body, you show mercy to his soul; and what kind of mercy is as great as the mercy of the soul? For just as the soul is more precious than the body, so also the mercy that is done for the soul is greater than

^A that which is done to the body; so that no one can say: "I cannot show mercy." Each person can show mercy according to his own ability and the condition of his soul, if only each one exerts himself to do that which is good with knowledge, as we have said concerning every virtue. For we have said that whoever acts with knowledge, this is the approved and skilled craftsman, who builds his own house with security. Of such people the Gospel also speaks: "For a wise man builds his house upon the rock," so that no incursion of enemies may be able to shake or move it. May God, who is kind and merciful, grant us to hear and to do what we have said, that these words may not become a judgment against us on the day of judgment, for to Him is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

DOCTRINE XV. On the holy fast.

1. In the Law, God commanded the children of Israel to tithe everything they possessed each year, and by doing so, ^B they were blessed in all their works. The holy apostles, knowing this, took counsel for the benefit and utility of our souls, that we might render this tithing more excellently and magnificently: namely, by tithing the days of our life, and so sacrificing them to our God, that we might thus be blessed in our works, and every year purge the sins which had been committed by us throughout the entire year. And having calculated, they consecrated for us, out of the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, these seven weeks of fasting; for thus they set apart seven weeks. But the Fathers in time saw fit to add to them another week, at once for the sake of ^C preliminary exercise, as it were, and to make plain the path for those who were to enter into the labor of the fasts, and at the same time to honor these fasts with the number of the holy Forty Days which our Lord fasted in their entirety. For the seven weeks, with the Sabbaths and Sundays subtracted, make forty days, with the fast of Holy Saturday honored in itself, because it is the most sacred and the only fast among all the Sabbaths of the year. But the seven weeks, excluding the Sabbaths and Sundays, complete thirty-five days, to which, with the addition of Holy Saturday and ^D half of that most glorious and light-bringing night, thirty-six days and a half are computed; which is the tenth part, if you count correctly, of the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. For the tenth part of three hundred is thirty; and the tenth of sixty is six; and the half of five is a half. Behold, thirty-six days and a half, as we said; this is the tithe, just as

^A a person might say, of the whole year, which the holy apostles have given us for repentance, being a purification from sins, as I said, for the whole year. Therefore, whoever guards himself well and as he ought during these holy days, is blessed, my brothers; for even if it happened that he, as a human being, sinned, whether out of weakness or negligence, behold, God has given these holy days so that, if someone strives with sobriety and humility to take care of himself and to repent during them, he may be cleansed from the sins of the whole year, and henceforth his soul finds rest from the burden, and thus he approaches the holy day of the resurrection in purity, and participates blamelessly in the holy mysteries, having become a new man through the repentance of these holy fasts, and remains with spiritual joy and gladness, celebrating with God the whole holy Pentecost. For Pentecost is the resurrection of the soul, as one of the elders used to say; for this is also the symbol of our not bending the knee in the holy church throughout all of Pentecost.

^B II. Whoever, therefore, wishes to be cleansed from the sins of his whole year through these days, must first wish to guard himself against indifference regarding food. For indifference regarding food, as the Fathers say, begets every evil in man. Then he must likewise wish to guard against breaking the fast without great necessity, against seeking delicious foods, against burdening himself with the gluttony of foods or drinks. For there are two differences of gluttony. There is a time when someone is attacked by the desire for pleasure, and he does not always wish to eat a lot; but he wishes for what is delicious. And it happens that such a person eats food that is pleasing to him, and he is so overcome by its pleasure that he remains holding that food in his mouth, chewing it for a considerable time, and not having the heart to swallow it because of the pleasure. This is called *laimargia* (throat-gluttony). Another is attacked by the urge for satiety, and he does not desire fine foods, nor does he care about flavor; but even if they are good, even if they are bad, he does not wish for anything except to eat, whatever it may be; he does not care about anything except to fill his stomach. This is called *gastrimargia* (belly-gluttony). And I tell you also the reason for these names. *Margainein* is said by those outside to mean "to be mad," and *margos* is said to be the one who is mad. ^C When, therefore, that disease and madness happens to someone regarding filling the stomach, then it is called *gastrimargia*, from *margainein*, which is for the stomach to be mad. When it happens regarding the throat only, and the pleasure is there, it is called *laimargia*, from *margainein* regarding the throat. These things, therefore, one who wishes to be cleansed from his sins must guard against and flee from with all sobriety. For they are not according to the need of the body, but according to passion; and if he gives in to them, they become for him a sin. Just as living lawfully is one thing, and committing fornication is another; for the act itself is the same, but the purpose is what makes the difference of the act. ^D the belly's insatiability or madness: for *margainein*, which is "for the stomach to be mad" is what is meant, it is called *laimargia* from *margainein* the throat, that is, that the throat is mad. Therefore, it is the work of him who wishes to be cleansed from his sins to decline these species of gluttony. For they are not for the necessity of the body, but for the vice of it, and they become sin...

For just as one unites ^A for the sake of procreation, while another does so to satisfy his own lust—so it is possible to see this in the matter of eating as well, that it is one thing to eat according to necessity, and another to eat for the sake of pleasure; and it is the intention that makes it a sin. To eat according to necessity is when one defines for himself how much he needs for the day, and observes whether what he has defined weighs him down; and if it does, he needs to take a little away from it, and he takes it away. Or if it did not weigh him down, but his body was not sustained by it, and he needs to add a little more, he adds a little; and in this way he tests his need well, and henceforth adheres to what he has defined, not for the sake of pleasure, but with the aim of maintaining the strength of his body. And furthermore, whatever one takes, he should take with thanksgiving, and condemn himself in his thoughts, as being unworthy of any comfort whatsoever; and he should not pay heed if some are being treated according to some need, as is natural, or necessity, lest he also seek relief, or think that it is a light thing for the soul to be relieved.

^B III. While I was at one time in the monastery, I went to visit one of the elders (for there were many great elders there), and I found the brother who was serving him eating with him. I called the adolescent aside and said to him, "Do you understand, brother, that these elders whom you see eating and having a small measure of care are like those who possess a purse, and remain working and putting into that purse until they have filled it, and after sealing it, they work again and gather for themselves another thousand coins, so that in a time of necessity they may find from whence to draw, while keeping safe what is in the purse? So also these men remained working, and storing up for themselves, and after sealing their treasures, they worked a little more, and they have those for a time of sickness, or old age, so that they may draw from them; and those others they keep stored away. But we, have we even acquired the purse, so that we have anything to spend?" Therefore, as I said, we ought, even when we take what is for our need, to condemn ourselves and account ourselves unworthy of any care, ^C and even of the monastic life itself, and not take it with license. And thus it does not become a cause of condemnation for us. And these things are concerning the continence of the belly.

IV. But we must have regard not only for our diet, but we must also abstain from every other kind of sin, so that just as we fast with our belly, so we may also fast with our tongue, abstaining from backbiting, from lying, from idle talk, from abuse, from anger, from every sin whatsoever that proceeds from the tongue. We must also fast with our eyes, that is, to not look at vain things, to not be distracted about, wandering and curious, and not to turn our eyes to ^D any unseemly or shameful things. Likewise, we must restrain our hands and feet from every evil.

^A And thus, while fasting—as Saint Basil says, a fast that is acceptable—by abstaining from every evil which acts through all our senses, let us approach the holy day of the resurrection, as we said before, new and pure, and worthy of the participation in the holy mysteries, having gone out first to meet our Lord, and having received Him with palms and branches of olives, sitting upon a foal, and entering into the holy city. What does it mean for Him to have sat upon a foal? He sat upon a foal, that He might turn back our soul, which has become irrational—as the Prophet says, and made like unto the senseless beasts—to the reason of God, and might subject it to His own divinity. And what is it to meet Him with palms and branches of olives? When anyone goes out to war against an adversary, and returns having conquered, ^B each of his own people meets him with palms as a victor; for the palm is a symbol of victory. Again, when someone is wronged by another, and wishes to approach one who is able to provide his defense, he carries branches of olives, crying out and asking to be shown mercy and to receive aid; for olives are a symbol of mercy. For this reason we too meet our Master Christ with palms, as a victor—for He Himself conquered the enemy for our sake—and with branches of olives, asking mercy from Him; so that we too may conquer through Him and be found bearing His trophies of victory, not only on account of the victory which He won for us, but also that which we have won through Him, by the prayers of all the saints. Amen.

DOCTRINA XVI. To certain cell-dwellers who asked him about visiting.

1. The Fathers say that to sit in the cell is one half, and to visit the elders is the other half. The meaning of this statement is that both in the cell and outside the cell, there is need of watchfulness, and for a man to know why he ought to keep silence by himself, and why he ought to visit the Fathers and brothers. For if anyone is watchful concerning this purpose, he will strive to do as the Fathers have said. And when he sits in the cell, he prays, he meditates, he performs a little manual labor, and he takes thought according to the strength of his thoughts. But when he visits ^D again, he observes and looks at his own state, to see if he is being profited by the meeting with the brothers, or not. And if he can, without harm, he returns to his cell; but if he sees that he has been harmed in anything, he learns his own infirmity; he learns that as yet he has acquired nothing from silence, and he returns humbled to his own cell, and weeping, repenting, and calling upon God for his infirmity, and thus he sits for the rest of the time giving heed to himself. Then again he comes to 448 people, and sees if he has remained less

^A in the first respects or in others, and thus he again returns to his cell, doing likewise, weeping, and repenting, and praying to God for his state. For the cell lifts a man up, while people put him to the test. Thus the Fathers have well said that to sit in the cell is one half, and to visit the elders is the other half.

^B II. And we, therefore, when we go out from our cell, must observe why we are going out, so that it does not happen in vain and without cause. For he who undertakes a journey without cause, as the Fathers say, labors in vain. Whoever is about to do anything, therefore, must observe, foresee, and consider why he is doing it and to what end. For in all things, as I have very often said, our goal and intention must be set forth first, and all our actions must be directed toward it. If we meet sometimes, let us first meet for the sake of mutual charity. For it says: “You have seen your brother; you have seen your Lord your ^C God.” Second, [let us meet] to hear the word of God; for in an assembly the word of God is very often stirred up, since, as many are ignorant, by questioning those who are wiser, they learn their own state. The hour of refreshment calls us, and we must eat: let each one consider himself, and see if, when welcome and excellent food is set before him, he can restrain his appetite and not take more, or desire a larger and more delicate portion, when all things are, as you know, divided into shares for each. There are some who are not ashamed to stretch out their hand, and place the smaller portion before their brother, while they pull the larger one toward themselves. For why do we distinguish the larger from the smaller part? How much is that which exceeds between the two parts, that ^D anyone should be found so avaricious toward his brother for such a vile and trifling thing? Let him observe, again, if he can restrain himself from an excess of food, and not, as is fitting, seek different dishes, and stuff himself to the point of vomiting. Let him also guard himself from insolence and presumption. Seeing his brother honored, let him bear it with an equable mind. Seeing another acting insolently, shouting, backbiting, reviling, or stirring up disturbances, let him not attend to him, nor judge him, but let him turn his mind and eyes toward another who is more venerable and better; and let him strive to do what is read of the blessed Anthony, who, when he visited many brothers for the sake of seeing them, and saw this one or that one doing something good, would immediately gather it like a flower and store it in his breast, receiving from one manliness, from another humility, from another quietness, and thus he established himself as an exemplar of all virtues.

III. Thus we must also do, and apply our mind to individual things, and (as I have said) when we return to our cells, let us examine ourselves and learn what gain we have made whether we have been helped or whether we have been harmed; and immediately we find that we were shielded, let us give thanks...

to God who shielded us so that we might pass through without harm. But as for those things in which we have stumbled, let us repent, let us weep, let us mourn our own condition. For each person is harmed or helped by his own condition; since no one harms anyone. But if we are harmed, it is from our own condition, as I said, that we are harmed. For we are able, as I always tell you, to be both helped and harmed by every thing, if we so wish. And I give you an example, so that you may learn that it is so. It happens that someone is standing in the night in a certain place—I do not say a monk, but anyone at all in the city—and three men pass by him. And the one thinks to himself that he is waiting for someone so that they may go off and commit fornication; but another thinks that he is a thief; the other thinks that he called a friend of his from the nearby house, and might be expecting him so that they might go down together to prayer. Behold, all three saw the same man, and in the same place, and yet the three did not have the same thought about him. But one thought this, another that, and the third the other thing—each one clearly in accordance with his own condition. For just as with bodies that are melancholic and have bad humors, whatever food they receive they turn into bad humors, even if the food is beneficial—and the cause is not from the food, but the body itself, as I said, is poorly tempered, and therefore it works by necessity according to its own temperament and alters the foods—so too does the soul that has a bad habit, for it is harmed by every thing; even if the thing is beneficial to it, it is harmed. Suppose for me that there is a vessel of honey, and someone casts a little wormwood into it; does not that little bit spoil the whole vessel and make all the honey bitter? So too do we act: we cast a little from our own bitterness and we destroy the good in our neighbor, seeing it according to the bad disposition that is in us. But those who have a good habit are found, just like one who has a body with good juices, in that even if he eats something harmful, he turns it into good juices according to the temperament of the body; and that bad food does not harm him, because, as I said, his body has good juices and works the food according to its own temperament. And as we said concerning the first, that it changes even good food into bad humors according to its own dyscrasia, likewise this one, according to his well-tempered body, changes even bad food into good juices. And I give you an example, so that you may do this. The pig has a very well-juiced body. Its food is carob, and palm pits, and mire, and yet because it has a well-juiced body, it turns such food into good juices. So too, if we have a good habit and good condition, we are able, as I said before, to be helped by every thing, even if the thing is not beneficial. And the Proverb says well: "He who looks gently shall receive mercy" ^B. And elsewhere it says: "All things are contrary to the foolish man" ^C.

IV.

^A to one of the brothers, if he saw his cell to be unarranged, unadorned, he would say to himself: "Blessed is this brother; how he has cast aside care for many things, or rather for all earthly things, and in this way has taken his whole mind upward, so that he does not even have time to arrange his cell." Again, if he went to another and saw his cell arranged, clean, and decorated, he would say again to himself: "Just as the soul of this brother is clean, so also is his cell clean; and the state of his cell corresponds to the state of his soul." And he would never say of anyone that this one is slovenly or that one is a vain show-off; but out of his own good state, he profited from each one. May God the Good grant us a good state, that we too may be able to profit from each one, and never perceive the wickedness of our neighbor. But if we do perceive it, or even suspect it because of our own wickedness, let us immediately turn our thought toward good understanding. For not knowing the wickedness of one's neighbor produces, with God, a goodness through which God is well pleased, for to Him be glory unto the ages. Amen.

DOCTRINE XVII.

On the institution of brothers in monasteries, how superiors ought to preside over brothers, and how these ought to be subject to them.

1. If you are an overseer of brothers, care for them ^C with strictness of heart and bowels of mercy, instructing them in word and deed in the things that must be done, but more so by deed; since examples are more effective. If you are able, train them even in bodily matters; but if you are infirm and weak, instruct them in the good state of the soul, and in the fruits of the Spirit which are numbered by the Apostle: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against all passions. ^D But if faults happen to occur, do not be overly indignant, but calmly show also the damage that comes from the fault, and if there is need for rebuke, observe the person, the manner, and the appropriate time. Do not be overly meticulous even about small faults, as if you yourself were a rigid judge, nor rebuke them constantly; for this is burdensome and, through the habit of rebuking, it leads to insensitivity and contempt. Do not command in a lordly manner, but counsel the brother with humility; for this becomes a persuasive word, and it both convinces more and gives rest to one's neighbor. And in the time of a brother’s disturbance, if he resists you, guard your tongue so as not to speak anything at all in anger, and do not allow your heart to be lifted up against him; but remember that your brother is also a member in Christ

and an image of God, being harassed by our common enemy; and have compassion on him, lest the devil, having taken him captive by the wound of anger, put him to death in bitterness of heart, and that soul perish through our negligence for whom Christ died. Remember also that you too are subject to the same judgment of anger, and out of your own infirmity have compassion on your brother, and give thanks that you have found an occasion to forgive, so that you too may have greater and more things forgiven and remitted by God. "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you." Or do you think that you are harming your brother by your forbearance? But the Apostle commands: "Overcome evil with good, and not good with evil."

^B II. And the Fathers also say: If, when rebuking another, you are moved to anger, you have fulfilled your own passion, and no sensible man pulls down his own house so as to build up his neighbor's. But if the disturbance persists, force your heart and pray, saying thus: "O God, lover of mankind and lover of souls, who in your ineffable goodness made us from non-existence for the participation of your good things, and who, when we had fallen away from your commandments, called us back through the blood of your only-begotten Son, our Savior; and now, be present to assist our infirmity, and rebuke, as once you did the raging sea, so now the turbulence of our heart, and do not let us be made childless in one hour, both of us having been put to death by sin; and do not say to us: 'What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to corruption?' Nor: 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you,' because your lamps have been extinguished for lack of oil." And after this prayer, when your heart has been calmed, you may then with an understanding heart, according to the apostolic command, rebuke and admonish, and with compassion heal and correct him as a weak member. For then the brother will also accept the correction with full assurance, having condemned himself for his hardness; and through peace, you will bring peace to his heart. Do not, therefore, let anything separate you from the holy instruction of Christ: "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart." For one must first attend to a peaceful state, so that not even for just reasons, or for the sake of an alleged commandment, should you muddy the heart, being convinced that we pursue all the commandments for the sake of love and the purity of the heart; thus, in directing your brother, you will hear the voice that says: "If you bring forth [precious from the worthless, you shall be as my mouth]."

...inducaris; sed impera omnia effectu charitatis, amoris, benevolentiæ et munditiæ animi causa. Sic fratrem ædificabis et instrues, et audies postmodum eam vocem quæ ait: "Si extraxeris pretiosum ab immundo, ut os meum eris."

^B 3. If, however, you are under the obedience of another, never trust your own heart, for it is blinded by former affections. Do not at any time guide yourself according to your own judgment or knowledge, and do not decide anything by yourself without the consultation and opinion of your superiors. Do not imagine or think that what you reason is more rational or just than what your governor and director thinks. Do not become a censor and judge of his works and actions; for you will usually be deceived by your own testing, and it is a trick of the devil to set traps for those who have submitted themselves in all things, with every faith and sure hope of salvation, to their elders. Be subject in all things, and thus you will walk the way of our Fathers in peace and without danger or error. Force yourself in all things and conquer; and above all, cut off your own will. For if you become accustomed to amputating your own will, by the grace and mercy of Christ you will acquire such a habit that you will do everything without trouble or controversy, and you will become entirely master of yourself. Do not hope that things will turn out according to your wishes, but wish and hope for them as they turn out; and thus you will have peace in all things. I say this, however, concerning those matters in which there is no transgression of the commandments of God or the Fathers. Strive among all people to always blame yourself, and hold fast to that which is uncalculating in knowledge; and believe that all things that happen to us, even the smallest and most vile, happen by the Divine Providence, and bear all things most steadfastly: persuade yourself that whatever insults, abuse, and reproach befall you ^C are antidotes and medicines against the pride of your soul; and pray for those who insult you as if they were true physicians. For he who hates reproaches and abuse hates humility, and he who avoids and flees from those who provoke him, flees from gentleness. For just as one who is insulted becomes humble, so he who is irritated, if he bears it patiently, becomes gentle. Do not seek to know the wickedness of your neighbor, and do not entertain suspicions against him. But if anything is spread about by the malice of others, strive to interpret it in a better sense. In all things give thanks, and possess goodness and holy charity. Above all, let us all guard our conscience in all things—in those that pertain to God, to our neighbor, and to material things. And before we say or do anything, let us examine whether it is according to the will of God; and thus praying, let us speak or act, and cast our weakness before the sight of God: and His goodness and mercy will be with us in all things and will bring us aid. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

DOCTRINE XVIII

^A without anxiety if it is broken or lost. You must do this, not as one who despises the vessels of the monastery—for you are bound to care for them with all your strength and all your diligence—but as one who wishes to keep himself tranquil and free from noise, showing always to God your best endeavor. You will be able to succeed in this if you do not regard things as your own, but as dedicated to God, and that you have only been entrusted with their care. For the one part—not to be passionately attached, as I said—is what prevents you from being affected by these things, while the other—not to be contemptuous—is what you must prepare to avoid. If you do not have this objective, take courage: you will not cease to be troubled and to trouble others.

Question.

Answer.

Question.

Answer. You cannot always be in the same state while the ^D

brethren remain; but for the time being, make an effort not to be scandalized by anyone, nor to judge anyone, nor to speak against anyone, nor to pay attention to any word, or work, or movement of the brethren that does not edify you; but rather, make an effort in all things to edify yourself, and do not wish to appear to be something in word or work, and to seek vainglory. Possess freedom in your conduct and in your speech, even in the smallest and most minute matter. For when anyone is attacked or afflicted by some passionate thought, and confesses it, he himself strengthens it against himself—as if providing it with power to fight and afflict him even more. But if, on the other hand, he struggles and opposes his thought, and performs the actions contrary to it, as we have often said, the passion is weakened and becomes powerless to fight and afflict him. And thus, by struggling little by little and being helped by God, he overcomes the passion itself. May God protect us through the prayers of all the saints. Amen.

Interrogatio. Why did Abba Pastor say: "There are three principles: to fear the Lord, to supplicate God, and to show mercy to one’s neighbor"?

Responsio. The old man said that the Lord must be feared, for the fear of God precedes every virtue. "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord;" ^B and no one directs virtue or any good thing without the fear of God: with the fear of God, everyone turns away from evil. He said that the Lord must be supplicated, because a man can neither possess virtue nor do any other good thing (as I said), even if he wishes and desires it through the fear of God, without divine help and assistance. For even our own zeal and study require divine assistance. Therefore, it is necessary in every matter, even the smallest, to supplicate and pray to the Lord, that He may be present at and bring help to our every action. To do good to one’s neighbor, however, belongs to charity and love. Since, therefore, he who fears God and supplicates the Lord benefits only himself, and all virtue is perfected through charity toward one’s neighbor, the old man therefore said that one must also do good to one’s neighbor. For he who fears God and supplicates Him must also certainly benefit and do good to his neighbor. For this is (as I said) the characteristic of charity and love. This is the perfection of virtues, as the holy Apostle says. Glory be to our God, now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

DOCTRINE XIX

Abba Dorotheus used to say that it is impossible for a man who has his own judgment and will to ever obey or cleave to the utility of his neighbor. He also said that, since we are all sinners, we ought not always and in all things to trust our own mind: for a crooked rule bends and twists what is straight. He said again, that it is no great thing not to judge, or to sympathize with one who is afflicted and subject to you; but it is a great thing not to be angry, or to be shaken by one who, because of his own vice, has contradicted you in some matter, nor to agree with the one who has judged him, nor to congratulate the one who has preferred himself before you; this indeed is great. ^D He said again, that he who does not despise all worldly glory and bodily rest, and indeed all self-justifications, can never cast off his own will.

nor be delivered from anger and sadness, nor give rest to his neighbor.

He said again, Do not demand love from your neighbor. For he who demands it is troubled if he does not meet with it; but rather do you show love to your neighbor, and it gives him rest, and thus you also bring your neighbor into love.

He said again, that if anyone does a work according to God, a temptation always comes to him; for every good is either preceded or followed by a temptation; nor is that which is done according to God secure, unless it is tested by temptation.

He said again, Nothing brings about concord and unity so much as to rejoice in the same things and to think the same things.

He said again, Not to despise any grace of one’s neighbor is a mark of humility; for one ought to receive it with thanksgiving, even if it is small and very insignificant.

And he said again, I, if a matter should happen, am glad to be of the mind of my neighbor and to confer with his opinion, if it happens, or even to proceed according to my own opinion and confer.

He said again, It is good in every matter to strive for a little less than what is needed. For it is not profitable for anyone to satisfy himself in all things.

He said again, In every matter that happened to me, I have never wanted to run to human judgment for myself; but I always make my own ability small, in whatever it may be, and leave the whole to God.

He said again, He ^B who has no own will always does his own; for he has no other will than his own; and whatever happens, it gives him rest, and he is always found doing his own will. For he does not want things to happen as he wants, but he wants them as they happen.

He said again, One must not, at the very hour in which a brother sins, correct him, and certainly not at any other time for the sake of one's own vengeance.

He said again, that love according to God is stronger even than natural love.

He said again, Do not do evil even in jest. It happens that, from the beginning, one does evil with laughter; but later, even when one does not want it, one is stuck in it.

He said again, that one should not wish to be delivered from a passion as if one wishes to flee its torment; but by strictly hating it, as it is written, "Perfect hatred I hated them, they became enemies to me." ^C

He said again, that it is impossible for anyone to be angry at his neighbor unless his heart is first lifted up against him, and he despises him, and considers himself better than him.

He said again, It is a sign that one acts upon a passion willingly, when, being reproved or corrected, one is troubled about it. But to bear ^D

^A with it, or rather, to seek correction, is a sign that one acted either because he was overcome or in ignorance.

DOCTRINA XX

A letter of the same [Abba] to a brother who asked him about the insensibility of the soul and the cooling of charity.

For the insensibility of the soul, brother, the frequent reading of the divine Scriptures is beneficial, ^B along with the nightly teachings of the God-bearing Fathers, and the remembrance of the terrible judgements of God, and of the departure of the soul from the body, and of the terrible powers that will meet it, with whom it committed iniquity during this brief and miserable life. Think also of how one must tremble in the future before the tribunal of Christ, and how an account must be rendered, not only of deeds, but also of words and thoughts, in the sight of God and all his angels, and, to speak briefly, of all creation. Remember also continually that voice which the terrible and just Judge will say to those who will be on the left: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels." It is also good to remember human afflictions, for thus the hard and insensible soul will be softened, and will come to a sense of its own evil state. But the cause of being listless concerning brotherly charity, and that this comes from suspicious thoughts admitted into the mind and from trusting in one's own judgement, is that we do not wish to suffer anything unexpectedly. Do you wish, therefore, to be helped by God? First and before all things, do not trust your own suspicions at all, and with all care take pains to be subject and submissive to your brothers, and cut off your own will. And if one of them insults you or otherwise afflicts you, pray for him, as the Fathers said, as for one who has benefited you greatly, as a physician for your love of pleasure; for from this your anger is diminished, the bridle of which is charity, according to the Fathers. But before all things, ask God to give you soberness and understanding to know what is his will, the good, acceptable, and perfect, and also to grant you strength to be equipped for every good work.

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES OF THE SAME ABBA DOROTHEUS.

INTERROGATION I.

DOCTRINE XXI. Question 1.

^A Answer. Through mourning.

Interrogatio 2. How can I, while having daily intercourse with people of the world and attending to domestic business, maintain mourning? And is there mourning without tears?

Answer. Mourning does not come through tears, but tears come through mourning. He who moves among men, if he cuts off his own will and does not pay attention to the faults of others, obtains this mourning. For from this his thoughts are gathered together, and being gathered they beget the sorrow according to God in the heart, and that sorrow begets tears.

Interrogatio 3. What does the enduring of dishonor contribute to quietude?

Answer. ^B He who is a debtor to someone, until he has paid the debt, wherever he goes, he is a debtor, and he has no freedom to sit with repose. But if he first labors under the reproaches of men, he feels shame, and then he pays the debt. And when he is freed, then with confidence and great boldness he can act publicly, and sit where he wishes. Thus, if a man makes it his power to bear insults, dishonors, and losses on account of the sins he has committed, he learns humility and labor, and his sins are forgiven through these things, ^C according to what is written: "Look upon my humility and my labor; and forgive all my sins" (Ps. xxiv, 18). Consider, however, before the cross, how many insults and reproaches our Master, Christ, endured, and after all these things came to the cross. Thus, no one can come to a perfect and fruitful quietude, and to the holy rest of perfection, unless he first suffers with Christ and bears all his passions, remembering the Apostle who says: "If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him" (Rom. viii, 17). Do not therefore be deceived; for there is no other way of salvation except this. May the Lord come to your aid according to his will, that he may well establish your building upon the rock, which is Christ.

Interrogatio 4. Which way is more saving, that through labors or that through humility? ^D Tell me, master; and also about forgetfulness, and about habit, and about the guarding of the eyes?

Answer. True labor is not apart from humility. Labor

^A which is self-willed is in vain, and is accounted for nothing. For it says: "Look upon my humility and my labor, and forgive all my sins." Therefore, he who possesses this, arrives at salvation quickly; and likewise, he who has humility together with contempt; for contempt takes the place of labor. But he who has humility within himself alone, indeed enters into salvation, yet more slowly. But if anyone wishes to attain true humility, let him not esteem himself in any matter at all, and this is true humility. ^B He who receives the fire which the Lord came to cast upon the earth, does not receive forgetfulness and captivity, because he has the sense of the fire. Take then an example: If a man is found, even to the point of dying, and fire approaches him, he immediately feels it from the pain; and into whatever thing a man is taken captive, if a coal of fire falls upon him—but, brother, the fire does not remain in the captivity, but is extinguished, since it is no longer even fire. If you wish to be freed also from captivity, you cannot do so otherwise than by procuring for yourself this special fire; for by its heat, those things disappear and vanish. A man possesses this fire when he desires God. It is good not to be overly attached to a contemporary; for such a habit and excessive familiarity hinders weeping. Neither have affection for any other person who takes away your weeping from you; for he does not profit you, but rather harms you. No one can ascend to virtue without great labor. Accustom yourself not to cast your eyes around toward things alien and vain; for these make all monastic labors to perish. Wherefore, my brother, unless a man has labored day and night, he will never be able to attain to these things. But if seeking the Lord with your whole heart, you exercise yourself diligently, you will arrive quickly. For he says: "Be still," and what follows. May the Lord grant you to understand these things.

Question 5

Answer

outside. ^A But to be commanded and not to contradict, but to act with obedience—this becomes [a means to] progress, and to acquire self-contempt. Contrition of heart is to not allow it to wander with foreign thoughts. Humility is to not judge oneself in any matter at all, and to cut off one's own will in all things; so that by being subject to all, and bearing without disturbance what is brought upon one by others, this is true humility, in which vainglory finds no place.

To speak humbly brings vainglory, and is more of an evil than a benefit; but it suffices to say, "Forgive me, and pray for me." ^B

Interrogation 6

Whether in good things, or in middle things, ought one to cut off the will, or also in those where a transgression of the commandment occurs? And if a command is found which is beyond my capacity, must I decline it, so as not to bring upon myself grief and disturbance later? Furthermore, if someone is found having need of the abbot, so that he may ask him for something, and tells me to help him in the matter, do I endure it, or do I not bear the honor, because I am wholly pleased with myself? Add to this: if someone asks me to perform a prayer, should I lift up my hands and help him? Or to what point ought one to decline or contend where there is a transgression of the commandment?

Responsio

Brother, he who wishes to be ^C does not at all need to have a will in any matter; and the Lord, teaching this, said: "I have come into the world not to do my own will," and the rest. For he who wishes to do this and that, because of which he is asked [to do so], either declares himself more prudent than him who enjoins him, or is mocked by the demons; both of which are evil and diabolical. Wherefore you must obey in all things. For the abbot who commands you bears your judgment, as one required to give an account for you. If that which is imposed seems burdensome to you, ask him, and leave the matter to his discernment. ^D But if the ones who enjoin you are brothers, and you see or think that the matter has some harm in it, or is beyond your strength, ask the abbot again, and do what he tells you; for if you wish to judge not only things, but also men, you will draw tribulation upon yourself. But where the matter seems to be good, there show obedience to your brothers; but where your thought is distracted, or it is beyond your strength, or it brings harm, communicate it to your abbot, and what he judges, do. For he himself knows what he is doing, and how he cares for your

^A soul, my child; therefore, be at rest. Believe then that whatever he says to you is according to God; and everything which is according to God is profitable, and brings neither grief nor disturbance. For from the good, nothing evil proceeds: "For every good tree bringeth forth good fruit" (Matt. VII, 17). And concerning your asking the abbot for something, do as fulfilling the command which you heard from the abbot to carry out. For if he sets you at the doorway, saying, "Signify to me every man who comes," you either make much of yourself, or you fulfill the command. If the abbot says to tell him, or not to tell him, you have no issue. But concerning the matter of entering a brother's cell, or if he himself says to you to pray, say up to the third time, "Forgive me." And if he insists a third time, then do it with humility; and you on your part speak to someone else ^B; and if he is unwilling, desist in peace, and do not trouble him. And this is the true way of God, in which see that you conduct yourself without hypocrisy, in a pure heart, with God extending His hand to you and helping you through His grace.

Interrogation 7

Response

Interrogation 8

Response

unable to remain seated without eating, rise. But to sit and not eat is greater than that. Yet to dip your morsel ^A into all the side-dishes is better than both.

Question 9. What shall I do, since I fear the shame of contempt? And if at any time I have joined others in conversation, I am completely drawn into it, and I become captive to it, to the point that I almost forget myself; and yet I am afraid to dismiss them.

Response. If it contributes to edification, and a more necessary task is not hindered, remain as long as the conversation continues; but if the conversation is imprudent, say: "Dismiss me, I am weak for the moment." Regarding that shame, ^B consider the common shame before the Lord that will be upon sinners, and count this temporal shame as nothing.

DOCTRINA XXII

1. I gladly spoke a few words to you about the psalms which we chant, so that you might not be ^C distracted by the melody, but that your own mind might proportionably be set afire by the power of the words. What were we just chanting? "It is the day of Resurrection; let us offer ourselves as firstfruits." Since in the old days the sons of Israel, at their feasts or festive gatherings, used to offer gifts to the Lord according to the Law, such as sacrifices, burnt offerings, firstfruits, and things of that kind, the holy Gregory exhorts you to keep the feast to the Lord just as they did, and commands you, saying: "It is the day of Resurrection"—meaning the day of the holy feast, the day of the divine gathering, the day of Christ's Pascha. What is Christ's Pascha? The sons of Israel performed the Phase when they went out from Egypt; but the Pascha which the holy Gregory urges us to celebrate now, the soul celebrates and accomplishes when it goes out from the Egypt of the mind—that is to say, from sin. For when the soul crosses ^D from sin to virtue, then it performs the Phase to the Lord, as Evagrius said: "Pascha of the Lord is the crossing over from evil." Therefore, today is the Pascha of the Lord, a day of brilliant feast, the day of Christ’s resurrection, who crucified our sin and died for us and rose again. Let us therefore offer to the Lord gifts of sacrifices, of burnt offerings, not of irrational animals—which Christ does not desire, for He did not want sacrifice and offering of irrational animals, nor did He take pleasure in burnt offerings of calves and sheep. And Isaiah says: "What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?" says the Lord, and so forth. But since the Lamb of God was sacrificed for us, according to the Apostle who says: "For our Pascha was sacrificed"

^A Christ, that He might take away the sin of the world, and He became a curse for us, according to that which is written: "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," that He might redeem us from the curse of the law, and that we might receive the adoption of sons: we also have an obligation to offer Him some gift that is pleasing.

II. But since He spurns the sacrifices of brute animals, what gift, what offering will be able to please Him? The divine Gregory teaches us what kind of gift we should offer, and says: "On the day of the resurrection, let us offer our very selves to the Lord as first-fruits." The Apostle confirms this when he says: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, your reasonable service." How, then, ought we to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy unto God? By no longer doing the will of the flesh and our own thoughts, but by walking in the Spirit, and not fulfilling the desire of the flesh. For this is what it means to "mortify your members which are upon the earth." This is called a living sacrifice, because a victim led to sacrifice is straight-way slaughtered and dies. But holy men, while offering themselves as living first-fruits, sacrifice themselves to the Lord daily. Whence David says: "For because of Thee we are put to death all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for the slaughter." And this divine Gregory says: "Let us offer ourselves to God as first-fruits; that is, let us offer ourselves in sacrifice all the day long ^B to our Christ, who died for us, as holy men invite and provoke us by their own example." But in what way did they give themselves over to death? By not loving the world, nor the things that are in the world, as is said in the Catholic Epistles, but by renouncing the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life; that is, luxury, avarice, and vainglory, taking up the cross and imitating Christ, crucifying the world to themselves and themselves to the world. Of whom the Apostle says: "But those who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Behold, in this way holy men mortified themselves. ^{C D}

III. How, then, did they offer themselves as first-fruits to God? By not living for themselves, but by serving the commandments of God, enslaving themselves, and abandoning their own vows and desires through love and charity for the commandments of God and of one's neighbor; as that holy apostle Peter said: "Behold, we have left all and followed Thee." What had that good old man left? He did not possess fields or money, he had no gold or silver; he had only a net, and that quite old and torn, as the holy Chrysostom says; but he had left all his own wills, every attachment

^A and love of the present age. It is certain, however, that even if he had possessed money like other goods, he would have despised all things and, taking up his cross, would have followed Christ; according to that which is said: "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). Thus did the saints offer themselves as first-fruits to God, mortifying, as I have said, themselves to every attachment and personal will, and living for Christ alone and His commandments. Thus, therefore, let us also offer ourselves as first-fruits to God, as the holy Gregory teaches and admonishes, namely ourselves: for the Lord wishes us to be the most precious of all possessions. And truly, of all seen creatures, man is the most precious. For the Creator brought those things forth by a word, saying: "Let this be," and it was; and again: "Let the earth bring forth this," and it brought it forth: "Let the waters bring forth," and so for other things. But He fashioned man with His own hands and adorned him, and while He ordained all those things for the service and rest of man, He made man himself the king and prince of them all, and willed that he should enjoy the delights of paradise. And more wondrous still, that even when he had fallen thence through his own sin, He redeemed and recalled him again through the blood of His only-begotten Son; so that beyond doubt, man is the most precious possession to God of all things that are seen. And not only the most precious, but also, beyond all others, a domestic and familiar creature. "Let us make," He says, "man to our image and likeness" (Gen. 1:26). And again: "God made man; to the image of God He made him, and He breathed into his face the breath of life" (Gen. 1:27). And our Lord Himself, coming to us as an exile, assumed the form and mind of man, the flesh of a new man, and, to speak briefly, ^C all that was in man except sin.

IV. Wherefore we have rightly said that there is no animal that is more fitting to God, more domestic, more familiar, than man himself. And the holy man said that no creature was more precious: wherefore he manifestly subjoins, that we should restore to the image that which is according to the image. And what this is, let us learn from the Apostle, who says: "Let us cleanse ourselves from all pollution of the flesh and spirit" (II Cor. 7:1). Let us purify our image, that we may restore it as we received it. Let us wipe away the filth of sin, so that all its beauty may appear through virtues. Of this beauty David gives thanks, saying: "Lord, in Thy will Thou hast given strength to my beauty" (Ps. 29:8). Let us therefore cleanse our image; for God wishes it to be from us without spot or wrinkle, or any such filth. Let us render to the image that which is according to the image. Let us know our dignity. Let us learn how great are the good things of which we are held worthy. Let us learn to whose image we have been created. Let us not be ignorant of the gifts [bestowed upon us by Him, solely on account of His own goodness, and not on account of our merit.] ^D

^A Let us acknowledge that we were made in the image of God who created us. Let us honor the archetype. Let us not insult the image of God in which we were made. For who, wishing to paint a royal image, would dare to apply a faded and ugly color to the image, and thereby dishonor the king and be subject to punishment? Rather, one will apply all colors, precious and bright, worthy of the king’s image. ^B Sometimes, thin sheets of gold are laid upon images of kings; the artist strives to fashion all the sensible attributes of the king, as far as possible, into the image, so that whoever looks upon the image sees the entire royal character and thinks he is looking at the king himself, that is, the archetype. For the image is glorious and bright. So let us, too, not dishonor our archetype—God, in whose image we have been created—but let us render our own image pure, clean, and honorable, and worthy of the archetype. For if he who dishonors the image of a sensible king, who is of our own nature, is punished, what are we to suffer if we spurn the divine image within us and do not render it pure, as the saint said?

^C V. Let us honor, therefore, the archetype; let us know the power of the mystery and for whose sake Christ died. The power of the mystery of the death of Christ is this: because we had erased the image in us through sin, and for this reason we were dead, as the Apostle says, in trespasses and sins. God, who made us in His own image, having had mercy on His own creature and His own image, became man for our sake and accepted death for all, that He might lead back us who were dead to the life from which we fell through disobedience. For He Himself, having ascended His holy cross and crucified sin—by which we had been cast out of paradise—led captivity captive, as it is written. ^D What is "He led captivity captive"? It means that from the transgression of Adam, the enemy had taken us captive and held us under his hand. Hence, as souls departed from the bodies of men, they went down into Hades; for paradise was closed. ^D Christ, therefore, having ascended the height of the holy and life-giving cross, ransomed us by His own blood from the captivity into which the enemy had led us because of the transgression; that is, He snatched us back from the hand of the enemy, and, as it were, took the captor captive, having conquered and cast down him who had taken us captive. For this reason, it is said that He "led captivity captive." This is the power of the mystery; for this reason Christ died for us, that He might lead us who were dead, as the saint said, back to life. We were delivered, then, from Hades through the philanthropy of Christ, and it is in our power to return to paradise. For the enemy no longer exercises tyranny as before, nor does he hold us in that servitude which he held at first.

VI. It remains, therefore, brothers, that we take heed and guard

^A ourselves from sin according to its operation. For I have told you often ^B that every sin according to its operation makes us subservient again, because we willingly cast ourselves down and betray ourselves. For is it not a shame and a great misery, after He redeemed us from Hades by His own blood, and after we hear these things, if we return and cast ourselves into Hades? Are we not then worthy of an even worse and more pitiable punishment? May God, who is philanthropist, have mercy on us and give us the sobriety to understand and to help ourselves, so that we may find a little mercy.

DOCTRINA XXIII. Exposition of the words of holy Gregory chanted for the holy martyrs.

I. It is good to chant from the words of the holy God-bearers, because they always and everywhere ^B strive to teach us all things that contribute to the illumination of our souls; in which it is set before us out of their very profitable words, to learn always the power of the memorial being celebrated, whether it is a Feast of the Master, or of holy martyrs, or simply of fathers, or any holy and illustrious day whatsoever. We ought therefore also to chant with sobriety, and to set our mind upon the power of the words of the saints, so that not only the mouth, as it says in the Gerontikon, but also our heart may chant along with the mouth. We learned therefore from the previous psalm, according to our capacity, a little about holy Pascha; let us see again what the holy Gregory desires to teach us also about the holy martyrs. For the psalm which we just recited about them says out of his words: 'Living sacrifices, rational burnt offerings,' and so forth. What is 'living sacrifices'? 'Sacrifice' is anything ^C consecrated for an offering to God; suppose a sheep, or an ox, or anything of the kind. Why then does he say concerning the holy martyrs, 'living sacrifices'? Because the sheep being brought to sacrifice is first slaughtered and dies; then in this way it is divided and cut up for God. But the holy martyrs, while still living, had their flesh cut, being scraped, tortured, and dismembered. For there were times when the executioners cut off their hands, and feet ^D and tongues, and gouged out their eyes, and tore open their sides, so that even the very construction and harmony of their entrails could be seen. And all these things, as I said, the saints suffered while still alive, still having their own souls, and for this reason they are called 'living sacrifices,' and 'rational burnt offerings.' Why? Because a sacrifice is something else. There are times when they do not offer the whole sheep, but only the first-fruits of it, as it says in the Law: 'The right shoulder, and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and things similar to these'; those who offered these were said to offer a sacrifice; that is to say, they were offering the first-fruits, and this is called

a sacrifice. But burnt offerings are when they burn ^A the whole ram, or ox, or whatever is offered, entirely, as it says there, ‘the head along with the feet and the entrails’; and sometimes even the hide, and the dung, and, in a word, they burn the whole from the whole. This is called a whole burnt offering. Thus the children of Israel performed both the sacrifices and the whole burnt offerings according to the law.

II. Those sacrifices and whole burnt offerings were symbols of the souls that desire to be saved and to offer themselves to God. And I shall reveal to you here also a few things about these, from what the Fathers have said, so that when you read them, you may lift up your thoughts a little, and your soul may be nourished. They say the arm represents the practical ^B virtue; and the hands are taken for this, as we have also said in various ways: 'The arm is the power of the hand.' They offered, then, the power of the right hand, that is, of good works; for they take the right hand for the good—and all the other things we have mentioned, such as the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and the suet from them, and the loin, and the suet on the thighs, and the heart, and the breast, and things like these. These, too, are likewise symbols. For all these things, as the Apostle says, happened to them as a figure, and they were written for our instruction.

And I tell you how the soul, as Saint Gregory says, is tripartite. For it has the appetitive, the irascible, ^C and the rational part. They offered, therefore, the lobe of the liver. The Fathers take the liver to refer to the appetite; and the lobe of the liver is its furthest tip. They offered, therefore, symbolically the tip of the appetitive part, that is, its first-fruits, its finest and most precious part, which signifies that nothing should be loved before God, and that nothing among all desirable things should be preferred to the desire for God. For we said that they offered the most precious parts to Him; and the kidneys, and the suet from them, and the loin, and the suet on the thighs, signify the same thing according to some analogy, for they say the appetite is located there. Behold, these are the ^D symbols of the appetitive part. The heart is the symbol of the irascible part, for they say that anger is located there; and this is what Saint Basil confirms, saying: 'Anger is the boiling of the blood around the heart.' The breast is the symbol of the rational part, for they take the chest for this. For this reason they also say that when Moses clothed Aaron, his brother, in the priestly garment, he placed the oracle upon his breast, according to the commandment of the Lord. These things, then, are all, as we have said, symbols of the soul which, through practical virtue, purifies itself with God and returns to its proper nature. For, as Evagrius says, the rational soul acts according to nature when its appetitive part desires virtue, its irascible part fights to acquire it, and its rational part applies itself to the contemplation of things that have been done.

^A III. When, therefore, a sheep or an ox or some other such thing was offered for sacrifice, the sons of Israel would take it from the hands of the one offering it and place it upon the altar in the sight of the Lord, and it was called a sacrifice. ^B A whole burnt-offering, however, is when they offered the entire victim from top to bottom and burned it up completely in such a way, as we said, that it was safe, whole, and perfect—a sign for those who are perfect, who have said: "Behold, we have left everything and followed you." The Lord was exhorting to this measure of perfection the one who said to Him that he had kept all these things from his youth. For He answered him, saying: "One thing is lacking to you," namely, "take up your cross and follow me." ^C Hence, the holy martyrs offered themselves entirely to God, not only themselves, but also what was theirs and what concerns them. For we are one thing, as Saint Basil says, our own things are another, and the things that concern us are another; I have said these things to you at other times. We are the mind and the soul; our body is our own; and the things that concern us are possessions and other things of this kind. The saints, therefore, offered themselves first to God with all their heart, all their soul, and all their might, according to what is written: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." ^D For they despised not only children, wives, glory, money, and all the rest of their worldly substance, but they even surrendered their own bodies. And for this reason, they are called reasonable whole burnt-offerings, since man is a reasonable animal, and they are perfect sacrifices to God.

There follows: *"Knowing God, and sheep known by God."* In what way "knowing God"? As the Lord Himself showed and taught, saying: *"My sheep hear my voice, and I know my own, and am known by my own."* Why did He say: *"My sheep hear my voice"*? As if to say, they obey My word, and they keep My commandments, and for this reason they know Me; for through the keeping of the commandments the saints draw near to God, and as much as they draw near to Him, so much do they know Him, and are known by Him, since God knows all things—the hidden, the deep, and even the things that are not. Why then does He speak of the saints being known by God? Because, as I said, by drawing near to Him through the commandments, they know Him and are known by Him. For when someone turns away and distances himself from someone, he is said to be ignorant of him, and when drawing near, he is said to know and be known; according to this, then, God is also said to be ignorant of sinners, inasmuch as they distance themselves from Him. For this reason, the Lord Himself says to such people: *"Amen, I say to you, I do not know you."* The saints, therefore, as I have often said, the more they acquire the virtues through the commandments, the more they are rendered intimate to God; and the more they are rendered intimate to Him, the more they know Him and are known by Him.

There follows: *"Whose fold is impassable to wolves."* A fold is called a place enclosed around: here the shepherd gathers the sheep and keeps watch over them, so that they may not be snatched away by wolves or driven off by thieves. But if the fold is frail and weak in any part, it is easily passable to the snares of both wolves and thieves. A fold

therefore the fold of the saints ^A is fortified on every side, and guarded, as the Lord said, where thieves do not break in, nor can anything harmful offer injury. Let us pray, therefore, brothers, that we too may be deemed worthy to be shepherded together with them, and to be found in the place of that blessed delight and their rest; and even if we have not reached the stature of the saints, and even if we are not worthy to be in their glory, yet we can avoid falling from paradise, if we keep watch and strive with ourselves a little, as the holy Clement also says, that even if one is not crowned, he should still strive not to be found far from those who are crowned. For just as in the palace there are great and splendid ranks, imagine the senate, the patricians, the commanders, the prefects, the silentiaries; for these are highly honored ranks. And there are also others in the same palace who serve for a small fee; yet they too are said to be serving the King, and they are inside the palace, even if they do not possess the glory of the great ones; yet meanwhile they are inside. But it happens that by progressing little by little, they too attain to those great and splendid ranks, and obtain the same glory. Thus let us also strive that we may be entirely free from sin, so that with Gehenna repelled, we may have free access into paradise by the clemency and mercy of Christ, and by the prayers of all the saints. Amen.

DOCTRINA XXIV. On the composure of the monk.

This is the modest composure that is pleasing to God: ^C First, not to cast one's eyes here and there, but to look only at what is before you: and not to speak vain and idle words, but only what is necessary. To use such modest clothing as is for the necessity of the body, and foods that strengthen the body and do not provoke gluttony. To distinguish nothing, but to taste of all things indifferently. Not to reject these foods as common, while choosing others as delicate, and gorging oneself on these to the point of vomiting. Discretion is greater than any virtue. Do not use wine beyond the established measure, except for the sake of bodily weakness or infirmity. Do not interrupt the speech while another is speaking, nor answer like a boorish and unlearned man, but as one who is wise. Be stable and firm; and wherever you may be, consider yourself a minister and servant of your brethren. Do not uncover any of your members while anyone is present, nor approach the body of another without manifest and supreme necessity, nor allow another to approach you without a reasonable cause. Flee presumption as death. Be sober and modest. In sleep, do not let the virtue that keeps watch around you depart far. When you lie down, let no one (if it can be avoided) either know or see. Do not spit or hawk before anyone. But if a cough has seized you while sitting at the table, turn your face backward, and spit with all modesty. Eat and drink as befits servants of God. Do not extend your hand impudently to take what is before your brother. If a guest sits with you, invite him once and again to eat. Sit ^D modestly and composedly at a set table, not confusedly. Do not uncover any of your members when you are warm or hot. When you yawn, take care that no one sees your mouth; but if you restrain your spirit, it will pass through immediately. When you enter the cell of your superior, or of a friend, or of your disciple, take care not to inspect too curiously the things that are in it. For he who behaves impudently in these matters belies the monastic habit, and Christ, who has graced us with a habit of this kind. Open and close doors, whether your own or your friend's, with modesty and without noise. Do not enter in a tumultuous manner to anyone, but first knock on the outside, and enter when you have been called. Do not strive in your gait without a necessary cause. Be obedient to all

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in every good work; yet do not cling too much to the wealthy, the powerful, and the worldly, lest you perform a diabolical work. Speak to all with gentleness, and look upon and contemplate men with modesty, so that you do not appear as one who does not see another's face, but rather as one who drinks them in with your eyes. When you walk on the road, do not take the lead or go before your elders; but if it should be your duty to go first, wait for your companion, and do not wish to be far ahead of him. For he who does not do this will be judged foolish, and like a pig that has wandered from the herd. If your companion speaks with friends encountered on the road, wait for him willingly, and do not urge him on. Let the healthy say to the sick before the time, "Let us eat." Do not ever rebuke anyone who is sinning or failing in some way, but always hold yourself in suspicion, and consider yourself the cause of your neighbor’s fall. Approach every menial task willingly and with humility. If you are forced to laugh, let your laughter be without teeth. If you are compelled to associate with women, turn your face from their sight, and speak only thus. Flee from the unchaste as you would from the fire and the snare of the devil, and take care that you never meet them, speak to them, or look upon them, ^A lest your heart be defiled by the mud of the passions; even if they be your sisters, avoid them as strangers. Do not mingle overly much with your kin and relations, lest your heart grow cold to the love of God. Flee the conversations and company of young people, as you would the friendship of the devil. Have one sole companion, one sole friend: God-fearing, with whom you may speak and keep company, one who is needy and impoverished in his house, but rich and full in the mysteries of God. Hide from everyone your secrets, the struggles of your soul, and all your actions. Sit before no one unless compelled. Go out for necessary needs with modesty. Venerate the guardian angel of your life in all your actions. Accomplish all things with the fear of God, and often compel yourself to prayer, meditation, and contemplation. ^B It is more deadly for you to eat with a woman, even if she be your mother or sister. It is better for you to live with a serpent than to sit with a harlot, even if she be your sister in the flesh. If, while on a journey with your superiors, you are invited to chant, do not refuse to comply; but if they say nothing, keep your tongue silent, yet praise the Lord in your heart. Do not contend with anyone about any matter, lest you cause disturbances. Do not lie; do not swear in the name of God. Despise yourself, not another; inflict injury upon yourself, not another. It is better that all things material perish with the body than that the soul be harmed in the slightest degree. Do not contend in judgment with anyone, but if you are judged, bear it with patience, even if you do not deserve the judgment. Love nothing in yourself ^C that savors of the former man. Submit to your superiors and leaders, and avoid their excessive company; for it is a snare, leading the negligent and slothful to perdition. O glutton, who strives to gorge your belly, it would be better for you to devour burning coals, or to swallow plates and frying pans, than to nourish your belly in such a way. Be merciful to all, but remain detached from everyone. Abstain from much speaking; for this extinguishes the rational and heavenly thoughts that come to the heart. Beware of lecturing with students who are rulers of the Church, and with outsiders, and especially in public. If you see men arguing among themselves and incited to anger, pass by, lest your heart also be filled with anger, and the darkness of error gain dominion over your heart. Do not walk with the proud, lest the action of the Holy Spirit be taken from your soul, and you become a dwelling place for every corrupt and impure passion. If you keep these precepts, O man, and always exercise yourself in the sincere and unfeigned meditation of God, the light of Christ will appear in your soul, which shall never be extinguished. To Him be glory and power unto the ages of ages. Amen.

THE EPISTLES TO DIVERS PERSONS OF SAINT DOROTHEUS, ABBOT.

^A - To a brother oppressed by temptation.

First, child, we do not know the dispensations of God, and we ought to leave the governance of ourselves to Him, which is what we ought especially to do now. For if you wish to judge the things that happen by human reasoning, and do not rather cast your care ^D upon God, you will toil. It is necessary, therefore, when the contrary thoughts that oppress you come, to cry out to God: "Lord, as You will and as You know, govern the matter." For the providence of God does many things beyond what we think or hope for, and things hoped for in one way are found by experience in another.

and they are not generally overcome by human counsels, as I have said, nor by the thoughts of demons. ^A Abbas Pastor, knowing these things, said to the man who was in temptations: *Do not be anxious about tomorrow.* Believe, therefore, that these things are true, my child; put away every thought of your own, even if it be prudent, and hold fast to the hope in God, who does abundantly more than we ask or think. I could have answered everything you said, but I do not wish to contend with you, nor even with myself, but only to point out the way to hope in God; for this is more free from anxiety and safer. The Lord be with you.

II. — To the same.

III. — By the same, to a brother who had fallen into a long illness and various accidents.

IV. — By the same, to a brother who is in temptation.

V. — To the same.

The good Lord will grant you sobriety in the time of temptation, and endurance.

VI. — To the same.

We are the formation and work of a good and loving God, who said, "As I live, says the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner, but that he return and live." And again, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." If, therefore, it is so, and we believe it to be so, let us cast our care upon the Lord; and He himself will nourish us, that is, He will save us. For He cares for us; He himself, my child, will comfort your heart through the prayers of the saints. Amen.

VII. — To the same.

Well did Abba Pastor understand that the phrase, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow," was spoken regarding a person who is being tempted. And the "Cast your care upon the Lord" leads to the same point. Abandon, therefore, my child, human reasonings, and take hold of hope in God, who does many things beyond what we think, and hope in God will render you tranquil. May the Lord help you, my child, through the prayer of the saints. We must, therefore, cast off such reasonings from ourselves, not having anxiety about life tomorrow.

VIII. — By the same, to a certain weaker brother,

In the name of Jesus Christ. My brother, we have no right over our neighbor. For we are obligated to overcome and consume him through love. No one says to his neighbor, "Why do you not love me?" but he himself, doing things worthy of love, draws even his neighbor into love. ^C And as regards the need of the body, if anyone is worthy of rest, the Lord will bend even the hearts of Saracens to show mercy to him according to his need. But if he is not worthy, or if it is not profitable for him to receive consolation in his chastisement, even if He were to make a new heaven and a new earth, he would not find rest. And as for your saying that you are a burden to the brothers, it is a manifest way of seeking justification. For no one who desires to keep the commandments of God says to a neighbor who desires to be saved, "I am a burden to him." He who hates those who provoke him hates gentleness; he who flees from those who afflict him flees from the rest that is in Christ. May God, who loves mankind, my child, protect us by His grace, through the prayers of all the saints. Amen. ^D

INDEX OF CHAPTERS

On renunciation, doctrine I. On humility, doctrine II. On conscience, doctrine III. On the fear of God, doctrine IV. On not following one's own judgment, doctrine V. On not judging one's neighbor, doctrine VI.

Letters of Abbot Dorotheus to various individuals

On self-accusation, doctrine VII. On anger, doctrine VIII. On lying, doctrine IX. That we should not run the path of God slothfully and negligently, doctrine X. That we should strive to prune away such passions from ourselves, doctrine XI. ^A On the fear of hell and its punishments, doctrine XII. That we should bear all adversities manfully and with thanksgiving, doctrine XIII. On the building up and harmony of virtues, doctrine XIV. On the holy fast, doctrine XV. On the frequency of visiting one's cell, doctrine XVI. On the instruction of the brethren, doctrine XVII. ^B A dialogue of the same with the one who administers the larder, doctrine XVIII. Short and concise explanations of the same, doctrine XIX. On the insensibility of the soul and the fragility of charity, doctrine XX. Another dialogue: and first on mourning, doctrine XXI. Exposition on certain words of the divine Gregory Nazianzen, doctrine XXII. Another item on the same words, doctrine XXIII. The final sermon on the composition of the ecclesiastical order, doctrine XXIV.