673. The brethren said, 44 How can love be acquired by men 4 of understanding?" The old man said, 4 4 True and pure love 4 is the way of life, and the haven of promises, and the trea- 4 sure of faith, and it sheweth [the way of] the kingdom, and 4 it is the expositor of the judgement, and the preacher concern- 4 ingwhat is hidden."
674. The brethren said, 44 We do not know the power of the 4 word." The old man said, 44 If a man doth not love God he 4 will not believe in Him, and His promises are not certain to
'•him, and he feareth not His judgement, and hegoeth not 4 4 after Him; but, because love is not in him, so that he may flee 44 from iniquity, and wait for the life which hath been pro- 4 4 mised, he is always performing the work of sin. And he doth 44 this because His judgement is raised too far above his eyes. 44 Therefore let us run after love, wherein the holy fathers 44 were rich, for it is able to reward its nature and its God, and 44 this is its praise."
675. The brethren said, 44 In what way doth wisdom live in 44 a man?" The old man said, 44 Now when a man hath gone 4 4 forth to follow God with a sincere mind, grace taketh up its 44 abode in him, and his life and deeds are strengthened in the 44 Spirit, and he hath taken a hatred to the world, for he per- 44 ceiveth that new spiritual life which is in the new man, and 44 which is exalted above the impurity of human life, and in 44 his mind he thinketh upon the humility of the life and works 44 which are to come, and which are [more] excellent than those 44 here."
676. The brethren said, 44 By what is love made known?" The old man said, 44 By the fulfilment of work, and by spiri- 44 tual meditation and by the knowledge of faith."
677. The brethren said, 44 What are works?" The old man said, 44 The keeping of the commandments of God in the purity 44 of the inner man, together with the [performance of] labours 44 by the outer man."
678. The brethren said, 44 Is every man who is destitute of 44 works also destitute of love?" The old man said, 44 It is impossible for the man who is in God not to love and it is 4 * impossible that he who loveth should not work; and it is incre- 44 dible that he who teacheth and doth not work is indeed a 44 believer, for his tongue is the enemy of his adtions, and al- 44 though he speaketh life, he is in subjection unto death. "
679. The brethren said, 44 And is he who is in this state destitute of reward?" The old man said, 44 The man who 44 speaketh the things of the spirit, and who performeth the 44 things of the body is not destitute of reward, and that which 44 he needeth is fulfilled for him, but he is deprived of the crown 44 of light, because he desireth not that the rule of the spirit 44 shall have dominion over him."
680. The brethren said, 4 4 Fasting and prayer: what are 44 they?" The old man said, 4 4 Fasting is the subjugation of 44 the body, and prayer is converse with God, vigil is the war 44 with Satan, abstinence is the being weaned from meats, 44 standing up is the humility of the primitive man, genuflexion 44 is the bowing down before the Judge, tears are the remem- 44 brance of sins, nakedness is our captivity through trans-
Agression, and [reciting the] service is constant supplication 44 and the praising of God."
681. The brethren said, "Are these things able to redeem 44 the soul?" The old man said, 4 4 When the things which are 44 within agree with the things which are without and the hu- 44 mility which is manifest appeareth in the hidden works 44 which are within, in very truth a man is redeemed from the 44 heaviness of the body."
682. The brethren said, 4 4 And what is internal humility?" The old man said, 44 It is humility of love, peace, concord, 44 purity, restfulness, gentleness, subjedlion, faith, remoteness 44 from envy, [and it is] the soul which lacketh the fervour of 4 4 anger, and is remote from the lust of arrogance, and is 4 4 separated from vainglory, and is filled with patient endur- 44 ance like the great deep, and whose motion is drawn after 44 the knowledge of the spirit, and before whose eyes is de- 44 pidled the departure from the body, and the great marvel of 44 the Resurrection, and the call tojudgement, which [shall come] 44 after the quickening, and its standing before the awful throne 44 of God, and the being redeemed."
683. The brethren said, 44 Is it possible for a man to fast and 44 not to be redeemed?" The old man said, 4 4 There is a fasting 44 which is a matter of habit, and another which is of desire, 44 and another which is of constraint, and another which is of 44 the sight, and another which is of vainglory, and another of 4 4 tribulation, and another of repentance, and another of spiritual 44 love; and although each one of them is the same outside the 44 mind, yet in the word of knowledge they are distinft. Now 4 4 although the manner of each in respedl of the body is the 44 same, yet each should be undertaken with thorough pur- 44 pose, and a man should journey straightly along the way of 44 love, and should bear his burden with spiritual patience, and 44 he should not rejoice in his honour."
684. The brethren said, 44 Who is the true [monk]?" The old man said, 4 4 He who maketh his word manifest indeed, and en- 44 dureth his pain patiently; with such a man new life is found, 44 and the knowledge of the spirit dwelleth in him."
68S The brethren said, 44 Who is he that liveth purely?" The old man said, 44 He who is free from the delights of the body, 44 and who rejoiceth in the love of his neighbours in the love of 44 God; for in proportion as need hath rule over the soul is 44 spiritual repose produced [therein]."
686. The brethren said, 44 With what can we vanquish lust?" The old man said, 44 With the remembrance of the good things 44 of the spirit; for, if the desire for the good things which are 44 to come doth not abrogate the lust for the delights of this
" world, a man cannot overcome at all. Except the merchant's " ship be laden with manifold hope it will not be able to endure " the storms, and will sail on the path of tribulation."
687. The brethren said, "In what way doth a man go forth " from the world?" The old man said, " He doeth this when he " forsaketh the gratification of all his lust, and when, so far as " it lieth in his power, he runneth to fulfil the commandments; " the man who doth not do this will fall."
688. The brethren said, "Through what did the men of old "triumph over nature?" The old man said, "Through the "fervour of their love which was above nature, and through " the death of the man which is corruptible, and through con- " tempt of arrogance, and through abatement of the belly, and " through the fear of the judgement, and through the sure and " certain promise; through the desire of these glorious things " the Fathers acquired in the soul a spiritual body."
689. The brethren said, "How can we vanquish the passions " which afHidl us, since they are placed in our nature?" The old man said, "Through your death to the world, for except a man " burieth himself in the grave of continence the spiritual Adam " can never be quickened in him. For when a dead man de- " parteth from this temporary life, he hath no perception of the " world, and all his senses are at rest and they are useless. Now " if that which appertaineth to thy natural body thou dost for- " sake naturally, and thou dost not do the same voluntarily in " respedl of thine own person, thou wilt die; but if thy desire " dieth through repentance, [thy] nature will cease from this " temporary life in the death of the spirit, even as the natural " emotions of the body ceased through its natural end."
69a The brethren said, " To what extent is a man held to be "worthy of revelations?" The old man said, "To the same " extent as he is held to be worthy to cast off sin inwardly and " outwardly. For when a man dieth through spiritual slaughter " to all the conversation of this temporary life, and when he " hath committed his life to the life which is after the quicken- " ing, Divine Grace alighteth upon him, and he is held to be " worthy of divine revelations; for the impurity of the world is " a dark covering to the soul, and it preventeth it from dis- " cerning spiritual meanings."
691. The brethren said, " Can the man who loveth money be " faithful to the promises?" The old man said, " If he believeth "why doth he possess [anything]? Is our hope fixed upon " gold? Or is the hand of the Lord too short to redeem? He "gave us the Body of our Lord for happiness, and His holy " Blood as a drink unto our redemption; and hath He kept back " from us the loaf of bread and the apparel which grow old?
44 He who loveth money hath a doubt in his mind concerning " God, and he prepareth [the means of] life before God giveth "them unto him; and, although in his words he rejoiceth 44 in the promises, he maketh them to be a lie by his deeds. 44 True is the word of our Lord, Who said, 4 It is as difficult for 44 4 a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, as for a 44 4 camel to go into the eye of a needle* (St. Matthew xix, 24); 44 to possess both God and mammon in one abode is impossi- 44 ble. Now those who follow the ascetic life do not belong to 44 the things which are seen."
692. The brethren said, 4 Who is truly the man of ascetic ex- 44 cellence? " The old man said, 4 He who at all times crieth out 44 that he is a sinner, and asketh mercy from the Lord, whose 44 speech beareth the sense of discretion, whose feelings bear 44 the excellence of works, who though silent yet speaketh, and 44 who though speaking yet holdeth his peace, and whose a<5ts 44 and deeds bear good fruit to his temporary life and the manifestation of Christ."
693. The brethren said, 44 Which is the way of life? "The old man said, 44 That whereby a man goeth forth from this world 44 in his entrance into the other; but if a man forsaketh his 44 childhood of humility, and cometh to the old age of this 44 world in his love, he revealeth the way of life. Now the true 44 departure from this world is remoteness therefrom."
694. A brother said, 44 What shall I do to this world when it 44 troubleth me?" The old man said, 4 4 The world troubleth 1 4 thee because the cares thereof are in thy mind, and love 44 therefor is in thy body, and its delights are in thy heart. Let 44 the world depart from thee, and tear out from thee all the 44 roots (or branches) thereof, and lo, the war thereof will 44 cease from thee. For as long as thy body seeketh [its] plea- 44 sures, and its lust is of the world, it is impossible for thee to 44 live."
695. The brethren said, 44 What is pure prayer?" The old man said, 44 That which is of few words and is abundant in 44 deeds. For if [thy] actions be not more than thy petition, thy 44 prayers are mere words wherein the seed of the hands is 44 not; and if it be not thus, why do we ask and not receive, 44 since the mercy of Grace aboundeth. The manner of the peni- 44 tent is one thing, and the labour of the humble is another; 44 the penitent are hirelings, but the humble are sons."
696. The brethren said, 44 By what is the love of money pro- 44 duced?" The old man said, 4 4 From lust, for except a man 4 4 lusteth he will not possess [money], and if he doth not pos- 44 sess [money] he will not lust. When a man lusteth he pos- 44 sesseth [money], and having acquired it he fulfilleth his lust;
44 and having fulfilled his lust, he becometh greedy, and having 44 become greedy he committeth fraud; and having committed "fraud his possessions increase, and when his possessions 44 have increased love becometh little in him. And when love 44 hath diminished the remembrance of God is wanting in the 44 heart, and the intelligence becometh darkened, and his power 4 4 of discernment becometh blinded, and when the power of 44 discernment hath become blinded, the power of distinguish- 44 ing is darkened, and when the power of distinguishing hath 44 become darkened, the soul goeth blind. And when the soul 44 hath become blind goodness is rooted out therefrom, and 44 wickedness entereth in, and sin hath dominion; and when 44 sin hath obtained dominion the thought of God is blotted 44 out, the passions of the body are roused up, and they seek 44 for the means for working out their needs. And when they 4 4 have obtained -that which they seek it becometh necessary 44 for much money to be gathered together, and when money 4 4 hath multiplied the pleasure of the body is fulfilled, and a 44 man eateth, and drinketh, and committeth adultery and forni- 44 cation, and he lieth and a<Steth fraudulently, and transgresseth 44 the covenant, and he destroyeth the Law, and despiseth the 44 promises, and lust is fulfilled, and God is wroth. For if the 44 lust for the things which are seen be hated in our sight, we 44 shall not love money, but if we perform the lust of the flesh 4 4 it is necessary to love money, because it belongeth to the 4 4 flesh and not to the spirit, even as the Apostle said, 4 The 4 4 4 flesh hurteth the spirit, and the spirit the flesh, and both 4 4 4 are opponents each of other'" (Galatians v, 17).
697. The brethren said, 4 4 What kind of prayer is that which 44 is not acceptable before God?" The old man said, 44 [The 44 prayer for the] destruction of enemies. When we ask that 44 evil things [may come] upon those who do harm to us, and 44 for bodily health, and abundance of possessions, and fertility 44 in respe6l of children, these requests are not acceptable be- 44 fore God. If God beareth with us, who are sinners and who 44 offend Him, how much more is it right that we should bear 44 each with the other? It is, then, not meet that we should 44 ask for the things which concern the body, for the wisdom 4 4 of God provideth everything [necessary]. "
698. The brethren said, 44 What is purity of soul?" The old man said, 4 4 Remoteness from anger, and the error of remem- 44 brance of evil things, being weaned from a bitter disposition, 44 friendliness towards our enemies, peace which is superior to 44 troubling, and sincere love which is above the world; by 44 means of these the hidden man is purified, and he putteth on 44 Christ, and is redeemed."
Question* ant> answers on tbe ascetic IRuIe
699. The brethren said, "What is envy?" The old man said,
* Hatred towards the virtues of others, and wickedness to- 4 wards the good, and a bitter disposition towards the innocent,
* and anger against those who are prosperous in this world, 4 and the concealment of the upright a<Sts and deeds of the 4 penitent, and vexation at the peace of the friends of God."
700. The brethren said, 4 4 In what way ought we to pray 4 before God?" The old man said, 4 4 For the repentance of 4 sinners, and the finding of the lost, and the drawing nigh of 4 those who are afar off, and friendliness towards those who 4 do us harm, and love towards those who persecute us, and 4 sorrowful care for those who provoke God to wrath. And if 4 a man doeth these things truly and with a penitent mind, 4 the sinners will often gain life, and the living soul will be 4 redeemed. Now the prayer which our Lord delivered to us
4 as to the needs of the body, is one which applieth to the 4 whole community, and it was not uttered for the sake of 4 those who are strangers to the world, and with whom the 4 pleasures of the body are held in contempt. He in whose 4 habitation (or life) the kingdom of God and His righteousness 4 are found lacketh nothing, even when he asketh not."
701. The brethren said, 44 What is remoteness from the 4 world?" The old man said, 4 4 The thought which vanquisheth 4 the love of the body, for if the body be not trodden down by 4 the lust of patient endurance, a man cannot conquer in the 4 fight."
702. The brethren said, 44 Can the soul of a man who is held 4 fast in the love of the things which are seen be pleasing unto 4 God?" The old man said, 44 Who is able to live in chastity 4 when the body is making demandsjupon him? Or, how can 4 be found the love of our Lord in the soul which hath its
abode with the things which are seen and are corruptible? No man can serve two masters, and the soul cannot please God with spiritual excellence so long as the remembrances of corruptible things are in its mind, for the mind of the flesh is not able to please God; except the world dieth out of the heart humility cannot live therein, and except the body be deprived of its lusts, the soul cannot be purified from thoughts."
703. The brethren said, 44 Why is the mind disturbed at the meeting with females?" The old man said, 44 Because they are employed in the fulfilment of the lust of nature. When the gaze falleth upon the structure which [is intended for] the production of children, and for the pleasures of the body, the poison of olden time seizeth upon a man, and the law of his will becometh confused; now the will conquereth nature, not
4 4 by the stirring up of the passions, but by the fulfilment of 44 works. The humble by the power of our Lord conquer 44 everything by their love through the patient endurance of 44 the merit of our Lord."
704. The brethren said, 44 Who is the mightier man? He 44 who is remote from the world, or he who dwelleth therein?" The old man said, 44 The mighty man, wheresoever he dwell- 44 eth, conquereth whether he be in the world or out of it. Now 44 the Fathers departed to the desert place which was free from 44 noise and tumult, because they were afraid that so long as 44 they abode in the body the passions which afflicted them 44 would cleave unto them; but those who have completed the 44 great strife of their contest in the world [have performed] an 44 aft of grace the power whereof hath worked, and still work- 44 eth, for the help and benefit of the community. And verily 44 their crown shall be a great one, because into the disturbed 44 and troubled sea of the world their spiritual ship, which was 44 on its way to heaven along the straight path which was full 44 of fear, hath not gone down."
705. The brethren said, 44 If a man maketh himself a stranger 44 to the world, is it helpful to his soul?" The old man said, 44 If it fulfilleth with praise it is helpful, and if it endureth tri- 44 bulation in chastity, and rejoiceth in our Lord, it is benefi- 44 cial, but it is not, if it doeth away the good seed and pre- 44 ventethit from producing beloved fruit unto God. If it beareth 44 and is blessed, it hath a reward, but if it lack these things 44 it becometh a wandering to the mind, and a sight which is 44 profitless; but best of all these things is the tranquillity
4 of the mind which is nigh unto God."
706. The brethren said, 44 Since all the creatures which 4 God hath made are holy, why were the Fathers in the habit 4 of making the sign of the blessed Cross over such of them 4 as they ate as food? " The old man said, 44 Verily, all God's 4 creatures are pure, through the Grace of Him that created 4 them, yet, because sin obtained dominion, every one of 4 them became polluted; then came the advent of our Lord 4 and abrogated sin, and righteousness obtained dominion, 4 and everything became santfiified, whether it was in the 4 heaven or on the earth. But because the blessed Fathers 4 knew the harmful disposition of Satan, who even by means 4 of such things as are used as food carrieth on a war to our 4 injury, they sealed their foods with the holy sign of the Great 4 Cross, that they might bring to naught all the crafts of the 4 Calumniator. For one of the old men said, 4 On one occa- 4 4 sion, when I was lying down at night, I thirsted for water 4 4 to drink. And there was near me a holy man who lived
" ' chastely, and he saw me take up a vessel of water to drink " 1 without having made over it the sign of the Cross. And he "'said unto me, "Wait, master, wait," and he made the " i sign of the Cross over it, and straightway there fell from " i the vessel the Calumniator in the form of a flash of fire; and " i both he and I saw this, and we marvelled at the great power 4t 6 of the Redeemer, and at the wonderful sign of His merit.' An- 4i other version of the story reads: — And one of the Fathers said, " On one occasion I was lying down at night, and I thirsted for 4 1 water to drink. And there was near me a certain widow, who 4 ' led a chaste life, both when she was with her husband, and " afterwards, and she said to me, 'Wait, master, wait,' and she 4i made the sign of the Holy Cross over the vessel of water, and 44 straightway the Calumniator fell from the vessel in the form of 4t a flash of fire; and both she and I saw it, and we marvelled at " the great power of our Redeemer, and at the wonderful sign of 4i His merit. These things were indeed spoken by that holy mouth 4i which was remote from falsehood. Therefore we must neces- 44 sarily do this (i.e., make the sign of the Cross over our food) "for the protection of our life. For against this holy woman "who did these things, the enemy waged war openly, ac- " cording to what I have learned from a certain saint, a chosen "man of God, who heard the matter from her own mouth, "and he spake thus: — The blessed woman spake unto me, "saying, One day I went to the house of God, and Satan "drew nigh, and said unto me, Why dost thou pray like a " man, and say, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and " to the Holy Ghost? And I said unto him, If I am not to " pray thus, how shall I pray? And the blessed woman said, " Satan said unto me, Pray thus, and say, Glory be unto thee, " O Mary, mother of Christ. Then I answered and said unto " him, [There are] ashes in thine eyes, O Satan. Why should " I forsake the Lord and adore the mother? And Satan disap- " peared. And the blessed man also said unto me, This same "old woman said unto me: — On another occasion I went to "church according to custom, and I knelt down and prayed, " and then the Enemy came and made blind mine eyes, and I " could not see, and I called to one of the women, and she led " me to my house. After three days Satan departed from be- " fore mine eyes, and he began to go away from before me, " and then I said unto him, There is something which I must " make thee do. Go thou to the place where thou didst seize " upon me; and we went to the church, both he and I, and I " left him where he seized upon me. Then I went away a short "distance, and when I turned and looked at him I saw that " he was standing like a shadow; and I went on again, and
44 then turned, and still I saw him. And I shut the door of 44 the temple and went forth, and then I opened it again and 1 4 went in, and I saw him still standing [there], and at that 44 time his wiles ceased from me. Such were the great things 44 which happened to that blessed old woman. For the monk "must not boast himself over the man who liveth in the "world, for there are mighty men in the world; for if such 44 qualities are found in Eve, how much greater ones should be 44 found in the Adam which is redeemed by Adam?"
44 One of the Fathers said unto me, 4 One night whilst I was 44 4 sleeping, the Enemy came and smote me, and said unto 44 4 me, 4 4 Get thee into the world and cultivate righteousness, 4 4 4 4 4 for why dost thou shut thyself up like a beast in caves?" 4 4 4 And knowing the wickedness of the Enemy, who was look- 4 4 4 ing at me with an evil eye, I made the sign of the Cross in 44 his face, and he fled from me. Then he waited a few days, 44 4 and came and smote me on the neck, and said unto me 4 4 4 mockingly, 4 4 Now thou art a righteous man, rise up, and 44 4 4 4 get thee into the world, that I may not destroy thee"; and 4 4 4 having prayed, and made the sign of the Cross over my 4 4 4 face, he departed from me. And a little while afterwards he 44 4 came again, and sat upon my neck; then I made myself 4 4 4 bold, and stood up, and made the sign of the Cross, the em- 4 4 4 blem of merit, before him, and again he disappeared, for he 4 4 4 was unable to resist me. For all these things took place, 4 4 4 and happened in very truth, and we may therefore know 4 4 4 and understand that there is no rule of life in which 4 4 4 God so much rejoiceth, or which is so terrible unto the 44 4 devils, and unto all evil spirits, as the rule of humility, 4 4 4 and penitence of mind, and the subje&ion of the body, and 4 4 4 remoteness from the things which are seen. Whosoever de- 4 4 4 spiseth these things will fall into the mire of the world; and 4 4 4 whosoever holdeth in contempt the good riches of the fear 4 4 4 of God, shall have his hope of the inheritance of the saints 44 4 cut off, and of the delights of heaven, which never pass 4 4 4 away and never end. May we all be held worthy of these 4 4 4 through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 4 4 4 True God, to Whom, with His Father, and the Holy Spirit, 44 4 be glory, now, and always, and for ever and ever! Amen.'"