These and such like means hath Divine wisdom constructed to bring evil lust to nought in the body, so that when it seeth the tribulations by its side, and the perpetual punishments which cleave unto its life, it may extinguish the goading lust from its members, that, is to say, it may make cold and extinguish in it the fire which burneth in all its members, like the flame which hath got a hold upon stubble, and the fire which sheweth its blaze in much fuel. For as is stubble before the fire, even so are the members before lust, and as when fire hath gained the mastery over fuel it destroyeth it, in like manner also doth lust destroy the members of the body when it hath gained the mastery over them; the end of a burning fire is ashes, and the end of lust in the members is destruction. Do not then bury fire in wood, nor lust in the members, for as naphtha and oil increase the blaze of the fire, even so also do foods and drink strengthen the blaze of lust; and as fire is extinguished by water, even so also is lust extinguished by abstinence. If thou throwest much water upon the fire it will extinguish it, but if thou pourest upon it [p. 532] naphtha or oil it will make it to blaze furiously, and thus if, for the nourishment of lust, thou throwest on the eating of meats and the drinking of wine, thou wilt add fire to fire, and thou wilt lay blaze upon blaze; but if thou diminishest meat and drink from the body, its natural lust will be dried up, and all its lusts will become extinguished, and grow cold.
Let therefore lust move in thy body, not for thy |507 defeat but for thy victory, not that it may be unto thee a cause of rebuke, but of crowns of triumph; not that thou mayest appear thereby foolish and ignorant, but that thou mayest gather therefrom understanding and wisdom; not that it may move in thee and blind the vision of thy power of discerning, but that it may be to thee an unguent to cleanse the eye of thy thoughts, and that that which is written may be fulfilled in thee, O understanding one, "The wise man sitteth upon a strong high place, but fools shall fall into the pit;" therefore whilst thou sittest upon the height of knowledge, let lust and the body be subdued below thee, and be thou a spectator of their fight, and not a participator in their lust. Take good heed unto thy natural lust, O understanding one, whilst thou art a spectator of the fight of the lust of the flesh, and let it be subject unto thee in everything, even as the earth is pressed down under the mountains; let thy will stir it up, and let thy will quiet it, and by the direction of thy vision also shall its course be. Unto the wise the motion of lust becometh the cause of instruction, and the material for knowledge, for passions are stirred up [p. 533] in them for the trial of passions, that they may test their power by them, and may make them the material for a life of knowledge, and [may know] when these arise, and with what measure they are wrought when the mind is in its natural freedom above passions. And it is as when a master giveth commands unto his servants and they obey him, and he layeth upon them the yoke of his rule while they turn their gaze to the movements by which he indicateth his will, that they may be prepared for his word and ready to hear his command, and while he abideth in the freedom of his |508 nature, they, like slaves, minister unto the will of his word.
Now what instruction is so excellent as that through which a man shall be able to find victory over his passions? For these passions will not only make thee triumphant, but also wise and understanding, if thou wilt be a spectator thereof and not a doer, and wilt be free from the gratification thereof, and wilt be bound by the knowledge which ariseth from them; for so long as the mind is held fast by the sweetness of lust, it cannot be a spectator of the fight and one that gathereth knowledge, but it turneth unto the pleasure which is corrupt. Now lust was placed in us to be a matter of contest and not of defeat, and that it might be overcome by us, and not we by it, and that through our training therein we might become wise, and not that it might shew us to be fools and simple folk. The material of all instruction which is outside us we are able to gather together to ourselves by speech, but the certainty of the wisdom of the instruction of knowledge which we acquire through victory over our passions is only established to us by the experience of work; and for this reason this instruction is trustworthy and certain, [p. 534] and this wisdom, when it is found, is more pleasant unto the soul than that which is without, because it is home-born, and the soul delighteth in it, and its pleasure ariseth therefrom, and not from causes which are external thereunto. For when we gather together knowledge from without, the possession of our knowledge cometh from without, but when we obtain such instruction as this from the experience of the passions of ourselves, the instruction which is gathered together by us is sure and |509 trustworthy, and confidence may be placed thereupon and be maintained. For if the things which are outside us become the material for our knowledge, how very much more shall these, which are stirred up from us and in us, be unto us the cause of the instruction of wisdom, if it be that we cast away this passion, that is the lust which is stirred up in us, and do not [give ourselves] to the gratification of the lust.
Be thou therefore a spectator of thyself by the power of the discernment of knowledge, and distinguish with understanding between thyself and thy passion, that thou mayest hasten to find the purity of thy person. Lust shall not be gratified in thee, lest at all seasons it demand its gratification from thee; when it hath begun thou shalt not give it completion, lest at the end it demand from thee another beginning. Cut off its course, and behold its source of flow will be obstructed, restrain it in the path of its flow, and straightway the motion which giveth it birth will be stilled. Lust is never satisfied, therefore by eating it becometh hungrier, and by drinking it becometh thirstier, and so long as lust fulfilleth its desires in thee, its goadings will never cease from thee. Thou shalt not say, "I will do its will now, and at another time "I will fight against it," for if thou art once conquered by it, it will overcome thee always, and in proportion as it [p. 535] becometh stronger in its action, will thy strength become weaker. Thou shalt not allow thyself to give thy strength unto lust that it may become strong therewith, but do thou make use of thy natural strength, and lust shall abide in the feebleness which befitteth it.
Let the heat of lust be unto thee an example of |510 instruction, that like unto it spiritual lust may rise up and become hot in thee, for in the manner in which the body blazeth with its natural lust doth also burn fiercely and become hot the natural lust of the spiritual-ness thereof. So long as the lust of the spirit is hot in thee, the lust of the body hath no means of wakening up itself, and if it be that this doth not try thee in deed, receive instruction from that which is contrary thereunto. For, behold, when the lust of the body becometh hot in thee thou wilt then perceive that the lust of the spirit hath wholly and entirely ceased from thee, and that the lust of the body would not have become awake if it had not found that the lust of the spirit was asleep; for by the sleep of either one of them the other becometh awake, and therefore they watch each other continually, that when the motions of the first are gathered together [for sleep], those which belong unto its opponent enter after it. For as the thief watch-eth and observeth the sleep of the master of the house, even so also doth the lust of the body watch the sleep of the lust of the spirit, and when it seeth a little indolence and sluggishness, and that a man hath removed from him the taste of the perception of divine lust, immediately the lust of the flesh is awakened, and it beginneth to move and to go up against all the members; and if a man be [p. 536] indolent and shew himself slack thereunto, it spreadeth itself out like night in the house of his person, and maketh it dark. For as, when the sun inclineth towards the west in his course, the shadows increase and become deeper upon the earth, until he setteth and his rays are cut off, whereupon do the shadows of night ascend completely and enshroud creation, even so also doth the darkness of the lust |511 of the flesh observe continually the course of the light of spiritual lust, and as it seeth that it is journeying to set, it moveth itself to rise, step for step, measure for measure, and limit for limit, until this light hath set entirely, and the rays of its spirituality have become dark and contracted into itself; then doth the shadow of lust rise up wholly and cover the soul, and black night ariseth in the house of light, and herefrom a man beginneth to stumble because he cannot see and distinguish the things which are placed before him. For as in the darkness of night the power of distinguishing any thing is covered over, even so also in the night of lust all the powers of discernment of the soul become darkened, and the power of its knowledge becometh impoverished----especially if it hath felt the knowledge of the spirit----for as darkness is the opposite of light, even so also is this passion of lust the opposite of the knowledge of the spirit.
And, moreover, when the mind turneth to become a spectator of the motions of lust, it doth not look thereupon with the spiritual eye, but [p. 537] with the part which seeth, and which looketh at things with the knowledge of the soul, and since it looketh on in this manner it gathereth knowledge from the contest, because when the mind looketh upon God spiritually nothing which is contrary thereto is seen by it, neither is it debased to look upon lust, for admiration of the majesty of the glory of God permitteth it not to turn and to look at the things which are set behind it, for the sight of the pleasure which it hath tasted is sufficient to bind it thereto immovably. And, moreover, though a man say that to gather instruction he must look upon lust, yet the mind doth not gather instruction |512 such as this from things which are contrary thereunto, but by the simple motion of knowledge which hath been acquired by it after freedom from passions, even as also the angels know everything, not by comparing one thing with another and by bringing near each other the things which are contrary to one another, but by a simple and a single thought are they moved to knowledge.
Let us then be also watchful against the mind which wisheth to be a spectator of lust, lest, not being wholly free from passions, when it is subjected to receive knowledge it may be caught by the pleasure of abominable passions; for the mind, moreover, standeth at that time in the contest, and as the body and the lust fight, so also must it fight that it be not captured by the love of what it seeth. Now if the mind is confident that it can, without passion, look upon the passion of lust, [well,] and if not, it is better [p. 538] for it to flee than to be a spectator; for if it feeleth its weakness it is better for it to flee than to be made subject unto its enemies. For to fight and gain the victory is a proof of bravery, and a mark of fortitude, but if it is to be captured by the gratification of passion, and to be stolen away from the love of knowledge, it is better for it to be free even from passion, and not to be subject thereunto and not to receive knowledge; for it is impossible for it to acquire knowledge if it be captured by passion, for its natural eye which hasteneth to look at the knowledge of things becometh blind, and is captured by the pleasure of passion and not by the pleasantness of wise discretion.
Now as the virtues are different one from another, even so also are the tastes thereof different, and each |513 man chooseth that which he desireth, and is captured by the passion which he seeketh: one is captured by the passion of lust, and another by the passion of knowledge, and whosoever is held fast by the passion for the gratification of lust hath no care to gather knowledge therefrom. And thus also he that is held fast by the graciousness of knowledge turneth not himself unto the gratification of lust, which carrieth away captive that which it carrieth away, and all the members of the soul and body are gathered together unto the passion which is the mightiest, that they may increase it and minister thereunto. And for this reason thou wilt find many of the friends of knowledge who are free from this passion [p. 539] of lust, and their victory is not a perfect victory because they have overcome passion by passion, and not by the power of discernment of the Divine knowledge.
Now unto us the victory over lust is not only necessary, but also it is meet for us to know the cause whereby we have conquered, that also the victory may thus be named after the cause thereof. If God be the cause, then the victory also is Divine, but if it [ariseth] from the world, or the love of knowledge, or vainglory, or that a man will not impoverish within himself one of the other passions when he overcometh the passion of fornication, it is meet that this victory should be accounted feeble; for according as the cause is visible, being either weak or strong, those who conquer passions by passions become their mortifiers and not their transgressors. But whosoever overcometh passions without passion gaineth an impassible victory, for how can that which is composed of the passions be |514 called a victory over the passions? and how can that which hath sprung from the root of their growth be Called the mortifier thereof? For since the thought of knowledge is strong in thee thou canst overcome the passion of fornication, and a time will come to one passion when it will overcome its fellow passion, and to that [second], passion will come another time, and it will conquer the [first] passion, and while these are in this manner conquering and being conquered a righteous victory can be snatched from between them.
Now a victory which taketh place righteously is when good [p. 540] conquereth evil, and when the lust of the spirit overcometh the lust of the body, and light, darkness, and knowledge conquer folly, and so likewise with all other things; and the victory which taketh place in iniquity is when evil conquereth good, and darkness, light, and folly, knowledge, and the victory which occupieth a middle place is that of the passions over each other. And it is not the victory of a Divine triumph when the passions conquer each other, and are conquered by each other, and according to the stablishing of the one [set of passions] is the destruction of the other. For there are some men who, for the sake of the love of money, fight with the lust of the belly; and others who, for the sake of vainglory, overcome the lust of fornication; and others who, for the sake of human praise, fight against the love of possessions; and others who, for the sake of the love of honour. are kept from the passion of many affairs; and others who, for the sake of love of rule, wage war against the love of pleasures; and all these [qualities] being vices, each conquereth the other and each is conquered by the other, but it is not accounted a |515 strict victory when passion fighteth with passion and overcometh it.
Now, therefore, lusts stir in the body, and evil passions move in the soul, and as their natures are contrary to each other, their passions are also contrary to each other, for all the lusts of the body are, so to say, contrary to the passions of the soul. And, [p. 541] moreover, according to the greater number of cases, all the evil passions which shoot up from the soul are the opposites of the lusts of the body, for there are passions of the body, and passions of the soul----now carnal passions are those which spring from the body, and passions of the soul are those which spring from the soul----and if a man consider [the matter] with knowledge, [he will see] that all the carnal passions help one another. The growth of the passion of the lust of the belly is from the body, and it is a helpmeet of fornication, which itself is also a carnal passion, and thus also [the love of] fine apparel, and the passion for human pleasures, and all those which following upon these are found with the body, are helpmeets of the passion of fornication. Now the passion of the love of money holdeth a middle place. Sometimes it aideth the lusts of the body, and sometimes it supporteth the passions of the soul, but by its abundant supply of money it helpeth the lust of the belly, and fornication, and [the love of] fine apparel, and pleasures, and the sounds of music, and the pleasantness of human conversations----all of which are the offspring of the body; but, on the other hand, it is also a supporter of the passions of the soul and it helpeth the love of ruling, and also the passion of vainglory----if a man wisheth to glorify himself in this way----and the honour and |516 praise of the world, and it is moreover the nurse of boasting, and it giveth support unto envy, and unto other things which are like unto these, and it is the cause of their being moved in the soul.
Now therefore the passion of the love of money [p. 542] bindeth and gathereth together separated passions, and it is also found in another guise, which is that it becometh the contrary of the passions of the soul and of the body; for if a man examine closely with knowledge [he will see] that in order that it may grow and be strong, it will restrain the lusts from the body and also the lusts of the soul from the soul. All the passions of the soul, then, are helpers of each other, for in the same way in which [our] discourse hath shewn that the lusts of the body help each other is it found to be in respect of the passions of the soul. For behold honour helpeth vainglory, and vainglory helpeth pride, and pride inciteth to rule and dominion, and all these, in this way, help each other; and although there are to these passions other views and aspects also which are contrary to them, yet in the path in which [our] discourse now travelleth they are helpers and supporters of each other. For as good helpeth good, even so also doth wickedness increase wickedness, but because the paths of passions are narrow, and they possess various exits, and motions, and aims, and guises, no man will judge my words hostilely when he looketh at the aims of others in whom are the passions which are contrary to each other, both of the body and of the soul, and the love of money which holdeth a middle place; but let him that would become a judge of our words examine the example which is laid before us, and he will find that as we have written, even so it is. [p. 543] |517 Now the person of a man, from which all the passions spring, is one, because sin itself is one, although it be divided into many forms, and its composition is established by the members of opposing passions.
But now we are speaking about the passion of fornication, concerning which our discourse was moved, that we may rouse up, and be the spectators thereof, because it is manifest that he that is conquered thereby is not truly awake. For in the same manner in which it happeneth unto those who sleep, and who dream dreams in their sleep without the discerning power of knowledge, and who feel the gratification of lust even in their slumbers, he who is lax in respect of this passion that he may minister unto his desires thereby, is also, as it were, sunk in a deep sleep, and at that time he possesseth neither the power of healthy discernment, nor wakeful intelligence, nor enlightened knowledge, nor a clear mind, but as the senses of his body are confounded, and the constitution of his members is relaxed by the goadings of lust, even so also are the thoughts of his soul confounded, and his intellect darkened, and his intelligence snatched away. And as all the members of the body turn to become ministrants unto lust, even so also are all the thoughts of the soul debased and sunk in the pleasure of the body, and are smitten by the sweetness of corrupt lust, and at that season a man doeth every thing like one who is asleep. And thou mayest understand from events themselves that he is sunk in sleep, for when he is without the fear of God, and the shame of man, and the remembrance of remote punishment, and the remembrance of the judgment which is near, and when shame and repentance are not set before his eyes at that time, |518 and he meditateth not, and the thought [p. 544] of one of these things entereth not into his mind, is it not evident that he is, as it were, sunk in deep sleep, and that he doeth everything unconsciously as in slumber?
And we may, moreover, know [this] from another thing: immediately the work of lust is finished repentance cometh over the soul, and suffering for what it hath done is produced therein, and the conscience which feeleth, and which the soul had not at the season of passion, cometh unto it after a time, and the soul is afflicted, and grieved, and sorrowful, and repenteth because of the works of shame, and it perceiveth that that which it hath done is blameworthy, and the remembrance of the Judge and of the condemnation moveth in it, and the vengeance which to come is depicted before its face. And there appeareth unto it as in the light and in wakefulness that which did not appear to it when it was asleep; and it meditateth upon God, and is mindful of the Judgment, and remembereth the punishment, and despiseth lust, and it blameth itself for what hath been transgressed, because it was overcome by the attack of a dream, and vanquished by the onset of a shadow, and because, being something it was led into subjection by that which was not anything. Now these and such like fair memories which come upon the soul after the performance of the act of lust shew that it hath turned from slumber to wakefulness, and that it standeth in the healthy remembrance of itself, and that it hath returned to the house of life from the depth of slumber, and from the death of sin.
Now, therefore, in the season of lust, wakefulness is more useful to a man than anything else, and we must consider what thing will overcome it, and how |519 despicable and contemptible it is. For a short time sufficeth for the performance of the act of lust, and for us to withdraw from the performance of its abominable work, and behold we may see that there is no desire the performance of which is so rapid as that of the gratification of lust; [p. 545] and as the pleasure thereof is for a brief moment, and the gratification thereof for a short season, it is fitting that it should make us hold it in contempt, and not that we should be subject unto its destroying incitement. For I do not know that there is any other lust which is so absolutely unprofitable as this, and the feebleness of which is so apparent on all sides; if [thou lookest for] advantage, it existeth not; or at the season of its gratification, it is short; or at the enjoyment thereof, it is like a shadow; or at the motions of its refreshing, they are horrible; or at the causes which incite it, they are feeble; or at its actions, they are like those of animals; or at its ways, they resemble those of beasts; or at repentance, it is nigh unto it; or at fear, it accompanieth it; or at shame, it is its fellow dweller; or at terror, it is found therewith; or at trembling, it followeth in its train; or at loss, it followeth after it; or at defects; they are nigh unto it; or at an evil name, it is crowned therewith; or at scoffing, it accompanieth it at all [seasons; or at mocking, it is made a laughing-stock by all men; and whichever way thou lookest at lust loss accompanieth it. By which of these defects, then, shall it overcome us? And why should it vanquish us, even though its goadings be mighty? By which or by whatever it is, it is the more fitting that we should despise it. But because of our cowardice it seemeth that lust conquereth us by that thing with which it would be |520 the more right that we should overcome it, and should it be thought that it is powerful in us, it is because the power of our soul is feeble in us. Now the power which is in lust it taketh from the soul, [p. 546] and when strength is snatched from the soul, feebleness remaineth therewith. And what soul is so wretched as that of the strength of which others make use, and it itself is clothed with the weakness of others? The spiritual nature of our soul hath acquired naturally strength [to fight] against desires, and it is easy for it to overcome them if it pleaseth; for as feebleness, and dissolution, and destruction are nigh naturally unto the nature of the body, even so also are might and the sureness of virtues nigh unto the spiritual nature, and if it maketh use of [its] might it taketh it, as it were, from its own nature.
Now besides this there accompanieth the soul the grace of the spirit which giveth it help and power, if it be that it fulfilleth its good desire, for as when a strong man taketh hold of the hand of a child he carrieth off his weakness by the association of his own strength, even so also doth the Holy Spirit take hold of the thoughts of the soul, which is suspended like the hand of the child, that it may be exalted unto spiritual things, and that by its union with the Spirit it may acquire lightness beyond its nature. Whosoever delivereth his soul to the spirit to be nursed thereby, the whole action of his life becometh superior to harm, and for this reason Paul teacheth us to live in the spirit, and to perfect the spirit;13 for whosoever liveth in the spirit and perfecteth it, his whole life becometh spiritual, and he is led by the motions |521 of the spirit, and his thoughts and deeds take place according to the will of the spirit. It is not because we lack a helper that we are overcome by lust, but [p. 547] because we do not seek help from the Helper, for as lust itself when it wisheth to overcome us invoketh other things to its aid, and then fighteth and conquereth us, even so must we also, if we determine to fight and to overcome it, invoke the aid of Divine power, and the support of the grace which is in us, and we shall easily overcome the lust which fighteth against us. For so long as our soul is purified from the thoughts of lust it standeth in the might of its nature, and so long as it is exalted to stand in the power of its nature, it is worthy to receive Divine power to be its support, and when it hath such company as this, it cannot be easily overcome by the lusts which fight with it.
Preserve thyself, then, [O disciple,] from the causes which will lead thee to lust, and dam up the watercourses and channels which collect an alien flow against thee from all sides, and when thou hast cut off the causes by which sicknessess are increased, even though thou dost not bring to them medicines for thy sores, they will choose them for themselves, and little by little the suppuration which is in them will finish and come to an end. For the lust which is in us is increased by causes which are outside us, and they are many in number, and each one is different from the other, and each one of them holdeth out to lust a separate power; and if thou cuttest off these causes, lust also cometh to nought and is finished, for lust cannot exist without these things, neither can it remain in us if it happen [p. 548] that the causes thereof are removed. |522
Now sometimes lust ariseth from the body, and sometimes from the motions of the thoughts, and sometimes from causes which are outside us, either from sight, or hearing, or through such like things, and it is right that we should consider with knowledge where it beginneth, and before everything cut it off there. If it be that it is stirred up by causes which are without, let us cut off from ourselves human intercourse, and let us make ourselves strangers to the sight of the things which are its helpers, and by this means we shall shut out its entrance unto us. If it be that its motions arise from the blaze of the heat of the body, it is right that we should make the body feebler and should diminish its strength by means of little and meagre food, and by the drinking of water even by measure, and by other afflictions which are wont to reduce the heat of the body. But if it happen that we perceive that the beginning of lust ariseth from the mind, it is right that we should know that the conscience itself is empty of the thought of God, and that because motions of Him are not therein, alien motions which are outside Him have fallen therein. And if it appear to us that the thought of lust is moved in us through the inactivity of the conscience towards the things which are good, we must make it our care to join it unto the understanding with the thought of spiritual things, and with the Divine knowledge, and at this time we must be constant in the reading of the Scriptures, and in the hearing of the stories of mighty men of endurance, and we must depict their forms before our eyes at all times, [p. 549] and we must stir up in us the lust of being like unto them; and we must also be constant in prayer, which, more than anything else, maketh the |523 understanding to acquire strength, for the sole work of prayer is to clothe the mind with invincible might. For as when we are remote from the converse of empty minds and are strangers unto the visions of slothfulness, we purify our thoughts, and we gather together our faculties to our souls, even so also when we are constant in prayer----after collecting the mind----our thoughts acquire power to fight mightily against the passions which fight against them.
Now, therefore, it is in these three ways that lust gaineth dominion over our lives, and if we know how to shut the door in its face wisely, and if we set against each one the means which befitteth it, we shall cast lust out from us and we ourselves shall abide in the purity our souls; and we shall be led by the might of an invincible understanding, after which the soul is worthy of the blessing of sublime vision, and there cometh to it the perception in spiritual things, which is above the body. And as the body is moved by the things of its nature, and is gratified thereby (or findeth rest), even so also hath the soul enjoyment in spiritual motions, and it liveth in the pleasure of the light of the living knowledge which is above the world, of which may all the disciples of faith be worthy, [p. 550] by the grace of Christ, the God of all, to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Here endeth the [First] Discourse upon the lust of Fornication.
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[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end. Page numbers in brackets refer to the Syriac text in vol. 1 of the printed edition.]
1. 1 St. Matthew x. 10.
2. 2 St. Matthew vi. 34.
3. 3 Romans xiii. 1.
4. 1 Romans vii. 7,8.
5. 1 Psalm lxviii. 6.
6. 1 Psalm lxviii. 5.
7. 2 Psalm lxviii. 6.
8. 1 EFG add: "And as the whore draweth nigh unto the wanton who turn glad faces unto her, but departeth and fleeth at the fearful sight of the chaste, even so also doth lust."
9. 1 Genesis ii. 24; St. Matthew xix. 5.
10. 1 Ephesians iv. 6.
11. 2 1 Corinthians iii. 16; vi. 19; and compare Ephesians ii. 21, 22; Hebrews iii. 6.
12. 3 1 Corinthians iii. 17.
13. 1 Galatians v. 25.
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