Mystic Treatises (Ascetical Homilies)

For the will of the Spirit is not to accustom those in whom it dwells to laziness and to invite them to comfort, but to labours and greater trouble. And it will teach them alertness and confirm them by temptations and lead them towards wisdom. It is the will of the Spirit that those who love it, be in vexations. In those who pass their life in comfort, not the Spirit of God but the Spirit of Satan dwells. The Spirit of God is not pleased with bodily comfort, nor does it find pleasure in a life of comfort, but in a life of vexations. Satan on the other hand finds pleasure in a life full of comfort, according to Our Lord's witness. The Holy Spirit flees from comfort ; 424 as it is said by the holy Fathers : The Spirit of God does not dwell in a body softened ') by comfort. But it looks after a place where people strain themselves, with an emaciated body, and a prepared soul ; and with them it takes habitation, teaching them how to live during this small space of time. Those who love God complete their life under all kinds of trouble. For all the righteous have driven out this world by means of vexations.

According as they came nearer to God, their vexations increased. For one of them said with oaths : I die every day. I conjure you by your honour, o my brethren, that it has been given me in our Lord Jesus Christ to die every day. Therein they differ from other men ; and that God lives in them [appears from the fact] that they live in troubles whereas the world delights in comfort. God has not chosen that those who love Him should enjoy bodily comfort, but it is His will that as long as they live they should be in trouble in the world, afflicted, vexed, needy and lonely; naked and poor ; sick, scorned and beaten. A standing place they have not ; their heart is broken; their body is humbled; their acquaintances disavow them; their mind is full of distress; their aspect is strange to all creatures ; their dwelling place is strange to all mankind ; their habitation is solitary and lonely, bereft of the sight of the world, void of every sign of the things which cause joy in this world ; destitute of any comfort. Mourning, 425 is found in it; joy, is far from it; afflictions, arc frequent in it.

They do not even possess plenty of that which the body needs as all men do. Their bed is the ground ; their faces are parched by fasting; their knees tremble from weakness. Their internal organs are unfitted for their customary purpose through service alien to human habit. They weep, and the world laughs. They are sorry, and the world is joyful. They fast, and the world takes comfort. All creatures enjoy a sweet sleep, and they wake in prayer. During the day they are wearying themselves and during the night they prepare themselves for struggle. The saints live a bitter life in the world, with a humbled body, an afflicted soul and in distress on all sides. Thus it is the will of God that all those who are near to Him should live in miserable circumstances, being humbled and wretched in their whole soul and body ; some through voluntary troubles ; some through the vexations caused by their sufferings; some through the bitter pains which they bear in their bodies ; some through the misery and the persecutions of men ; danger of sufferings, danger of the demons, danger of illnesses, danger of poverty.

Others have been persecuted; others have been put to death r others have been sawn asunder; others have been stoned; others have been drowned in the sea; others have had their limbs cut off alive; others have been delivered to scorn and contempt ; others have been 4 26 punished by the flames, others by prison, others by terrible fl°gS m £; others have been delivered to the sword; others have gone round, clad in hides of lambs and goats, and have become as lost in the desert. Troubles the saints have undergone on mountains and in caverns and in the holes of the earth. Of such people according to the witness of the apostle, the world was not worthy. But what is more marvellous than all these things, they did not expect to be saved or to find rest on account of all these according to the word of the blessed apostle. Glory to Him that crowned them, Me that by the suffering of the cross has also completed this path with all its previous sufferings, that also His saints may follow His steps. Fulfilled has been the word of our Lord : In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have good cheer *).

By the force of this good cheer, these saints acquire the power to be patient. May God, by whose power the saints have been patient in these struggles without becoming weak in their hope, strengthen His hope in us all. Amen. Without troubles, no life. God did know that two kinds of gladness cannot be in one man. And because it is impossible to cling to His love when the body is in comfort, He has withheld men from this, and has strengthened His love in their soul by bereaving them from all worldly pleasure. May Christ, whose love is stronger than death and fire and sword 427 and exile and alienation from family and loss of life — and no difficulties can remain standing before His love of His friends — reveal in us the power of His love. Amen. I) John 16,33 286 for which causes cod admits temptations etc.

By the love which the saints show unto God in return for what they bear for the sake of His name in that they undergo trials without leaving the excellency which God loves, their heart acquires freedom to look towards Him without a veil and to ask from Him with confidence. Great is the power of prayer in freedom of speech. Therefore He allows that His saints are tried by all afflictions, on the way towards Him, in order that they may acquire freedom of speech and may experience His help and His care for them in that He is found to be their saviour in danger-, and in order that His friends may acquire wisdom through temptations so that they are not dull and destitute of training. So through temptation they acquire knowledge concerning everything, and are not laughed at lightly by the demons. F"or if He would train them by good things only they would lack training in other things and they would be as blind men in trials. And if someone should say : He guides them without training" and without selfknowledge [the conclusion would bej that He wished them to be like oxen and asses who possess 42S no freedom whatever.

There is even no taste in the good, when a man has not first been tried by temptations of evil and afterwards finds it and when he does not use it as his own, in knowledge and freedom. How sweet that knowledge is which has been acquired through training and the experience of labours, and how much strength it imparts to him that has found it after many personal experiences, is known to those who are acquainted with the help afforded by it. They learn the weakness of nature and the help afforded by divine power when He first withdraws power from them while they are in temptations. Then they perceive the weakness of nature and the strength of temptations and the wickedness of the Fiend, [perceiving] of which nature their Fiend is, with which nature they are clad, and how they are guarded by divine power; and how, though they run and are uplifted, when the divine power withdraws itself from them, they become weak before all passions. Through all this they acquire humbleness, and press close to God, expectingMis help and persevering in prayer.

Mow could they have acquired all this, if they had not experienced myriads of evils, without God's caring for their being surrounded by them? 'And lest I should be exalted through the abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan' T ). Man acquires also a confirmed faith by temptations, through experiencing divine help, when it is granted several times. And furthermore he is without fear and acquires courage by temptation, on account of the training he acquires. 429 Temptation is useful to every man. The virtuous are tempted in order that their riches may increase ; the lax, in order that they may be preserved from injuries; the sleepy, in order that they may be armed with alertness ; those that are afar off that they may come nearer to God ; the housemates, that they may approach with freedom of speech. A son that is not trained, cannot profit by the riches that are given to him from his father's house. Therefore God tempts and vexes first, then He shows His gift. Glory to that Lord who by strong drugs brings us the delight of health.

There is no one, to whom the time of exercise is not hard ; and there is no one, to whom the time during which he is obliged to drink the potion of temptations, is not bitter. But without this, a sound constitution cannot be obtained. Even to endure is not of our own. How should a clay vessel endure the vehemence of the waters, if the divine fire had not hardened it? If we daign to ask in humbleness fervently and perseverm £"ly> we shall receive everything.

As long 1 as a man is negligent, he fears the hour of death; when, however, he comes near to God, the coming of Judgment. But when he proceeds firmly, both kinds of fear are taken away. How does this happen ? While l ) his knowledge 430 and his behaviour are of a bodily nature, he is frightened by death. But when his knowledge is of a psychic nature, and his behaviour is steadfast, his mind is moved by the thought of Judgment every moment. In the first state he belongs wholly to nature ; in the psychic state he is moved and guided by his knowledge and by his discipline. And he is happy in the neighbourhood of God. But when he reaches true knowledge by the motion of the apperception of God's mysteries and becomes confirmed in future hope, he is consumed by love. He that is bodily, fears as an animal fears being slaughtered ; he who is rational fears the Judgment of God. He that has become a son, is pleasing to love, not to the staff of him who terrifies. ,1 and my house, we will serve the Lord' "). For love annihilates fear. It not only felars not but it even longs after departure. Love is the dissolver of temporary life.

He that has reached the love of God, docs not desire to stay here any more. My beloved ones, because I was foolish, I could not bear to guard the secret in silence, but am become mad, for the sake of my brethren's profit. Lor true love is not able to cling to the cause of love apart from friends. Oft when I was writing these things, my fingers paused on the paper. They could not bear the delight which had fallen into the heart and which made the senses silent. Blessed is he that is in constant intercourse with God and has withdrawn himself from worldly things, being with Him only, in intercourse founded upon his knowledge. And if he has to be patient, it will not be long before he sees fruits. 431 Gladness in God is tronger than earthly life. He that has found it, is not only free from the trial of the affections, but he does not even turn towards his life any longer. Furthermore he has no other apperception, if he really has been deemed worthy of this. Love is sweeter than life. And understanding concerning God, from which love is born, is sweeter than honey and honeycomb. What is the sweetness of love which excels life?

Love is not spiteful if it has to undergo a myriad of deaths for the sake of its friends. Love is the child of knowledge, knowledge the child of health of soul. Health of soul is a power born from patient endurance. And what is knowledge? The apperception of immortal life. What is immortal life? Apperception in God. Knowledge concerning God is the highest of all desirable things. And the heart that has received it, does not want the sweetness of anything on the earth. Because to the sweetness of the knowledge concerning God nothing is to be compared. O Lord, fill my heart with life everlasting. Life everlasting is consolation in God. He that has found consolation in God, to him the consolation of the worki is superfluous. How is it perceived in a man that he has received wisdom from the Spirit? Thereby, that wisdom teaches him kinds of humbleness, internally and by his senses; then it is revealed to him in his intellect, how humbleness is acquired. 432 How is it to be perceived that he has reached humbleness? Thereby that it is a vile thing to him to please this world by act or word, and thereby that the glory of this world is ugly in his eyes. What are the affections?

The allurements that lie in the things and the stories of this world, evoking a bodily want, which never cease as long as the world exists. If a man however has been deemed worthy [to know] the divine intellect and to taste and perceive what is more profitable than those things, their allurements will not enter his heart, because their place has been taken by a desire which is better than those. Then the allurements of [worldly] things and those which are born from them, will no longer approach his heart. But they will stand outside idle. Not that the allurements of the affections do not exist any longer, but the heart which could Verb. Afd. Lettcrk. 19*2 (Wensinck). 19 receive them is dead to them and living to some other thing. Not that it desists from watchfulness and the labour of discrimination, but there is no longer any struggle in the mind, in as much as the inner being is satisfied by the delight of some other thing.

So, when a man is satisfied with delicious and fat food, and his inner being with abundance and delight, and then he sees food which is unclean and steeped in its own filth, his inner being does not need care to check it from desire or to withhold it from gazing at it with lust; nay, the whole inner being is even shaken and troubled by the sight 433 of it. This does not happen on account of the uncleanness of the food, for possibly he had been accustomed to it before; but on account of the comparison with the excellence of that other food which had filled his inner being with every delight. So it is with the health of the soul. If the heart has really received the apperception of spiritual things and the contemplation of the world to be, its inner being will regard the affections in the way mentioned.

And just as a man when he loses his riches and becomes poor and destitute of the glorious and excellent food in which he delighted in the royal palace, forgets its delicious taste, and those glorious dishes are no longer with him and his stomach is deprived of the delight of their abundance, and he has necessarily to turn towards food which is by far inferior — so it is with him that was deemed worthy of health of soul. If he is deprived of that divine delight because he neglects his duty and falls asleep and becomes neglectful he again turns towards that sordid food, that has been steeped in all filth and which is unclean ; and his inner being does not examine, because the stomach of his soul is empty. For to the hungry soul even bitter things are sweet. And farther : no one to whom a treasure is entrusted will indulge in sleep. If he keeps the law of watchfulness and 434 clings to the labour of discernment, and through knowledge derived from these drinks in life, the struggle of the allurements of the affections will not approach his mind at all.

And these allurements will not be held back with effort from entering the heart, but the satiety of the inner soul which is full of knowledge, and the desire of amazing visions which is found in it, restrain them from approaching to man with their intercourse. This does not happen, as I have said, while man desists from watchfulness and from the labour of discrimination which are the guardians of true knowledge and of psychic light ; but it happens without the mind being involved in struggle, for the reasons which have been expounded. The food of the poor is despicable to the rich and the nutriment of the sick to the healthy. But riches and health are established through watchfulness and diligence. This is witnessed to by nature. As longas a man lives he needs watchfulness and diligence and alertness in order to guard his treasure. But if he leaves his territory, he becomes ill and is robbed [of his possessions]. For a long time even he will possess strength through his previous health, but when this does not increase, he will become a prey to weakness and indigence. Does not even nature instruct us concerninof these things? And is there any heavenly thing which cannot be discussed in a comparison which we find in our nature?

Even our Lord used to confirm all spiritual things by examples from nature and in this way He used to establish their power in our souls ; not only things relating to the shorthving earthly pawn, but also those belonging to the true body, and the 435 completion and the truth of our future. Do not wonder at what I have said. There is not only work to be done till the fruit shows itself, but even till the time of gathering the fruit there is still work to be done. By the time of gathering the fruit I mean the grave. It may occur that, when the fruit has become ripe, hail of a sudden will strike it. He that mingles with things and proceeds to have intercourse, cannot be certain that his health will stay with him. I say : using and seeing [are the same]. O Jesus Christ, king of the worlds, make me worthy of desire in Thee. The man who adheres to intercourse with God, and who has mingled his life with it, is greater than any other man on the earth and [greater] than any service performed by rational creatures.

When thou prayest unto God, say to Him only this : O Lord make me worthy of becoming dead to the intercourse with this world, in truth. — So thou canst comprehend the whole prayer. And try diligently to accomplish this in thyself in reality. If prayer is followed by practice, thou surely art standing in the freedom of Christ. Being dead to the world is not only this that a man keeps himself far from mingling with [worldly] things. But this is being - dead to the world in truth : that a man in ] ) his mind does not long after the goods of the world. If we are accustomed to beautiful meditation, we are eshamed of the affections when we come in contact with them (this is known by those who have experienced it in their soul), and so we shall be ashamed to approach unto their causes. 436 If thou desirest to cling to some work for the sake of the love of God, then set death as the limit of thy desire for it. So by practising it, thou wilt be elevated unto the degree of martyrdom through every suffering and injury which smites thee within the domain of death, if thou perseverest till the end without giving way.

Meditating upon a feeble deliberation weakens the power of patience. But the confirmed mind imparts a strength which does not belong to nature, to him that adheres to its contemplation. O Lord, make me worthy of hating my life, for the sake of life in Thee. Dealings in this world resemble a copy of a book which is still in rough draft. What a man desires or whenever he wishes, something can be added to or taken from it, and so he may alter his writing. Future dealings resemble documents drawn up as bonds, provided with the seal of the king, to or from which it is not allowed to add or subtract anything. As long as we are in the place where altering is possible, let us observe ourselves ; and while we have authority over our lifebook and our book is still between our hands, let us zealously add [acts of] beautiful behaviour, and let us scratch from it the loss of the old behaviour without freedom. We are allowed to scratch out faults, as long as we are here. And God will take into account every alteration we make in it. May we be deemed worthy of life everlasting before we appear before the king, and He puts His seal on the book.

As lonoas we are in this world, God will not put His seal 437 neither on our good works nor on our bad ones, before the hour of departure, when we have completed the service of our country and we prepare to strike camp. So it is becoming for us, as the blessed Mar Ephraim says, that we make our soul resemble at all times a ship that is prepared [for seaj. When the wind [required] for her will blow, she does not know. And the army does not know when the trumpet will give the sign to start ; and to the tenant it is not known when the landlord will give the command to depart. Now if these are thus prepared for the sake of a short absence, as they will soon turn perhaps and come back, how much more is it becoming for us to be prepared and ready before the long absence of the day of death. May Christ, the • mediator of our life, grant us to reach that long bridge and the gate of the new world, in a state of preparation. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

He whose majesty is blessed, will open the gate before us, so that we have no single wish than desire of Him. When 438 we so abandon everything, and our mind goes out to seek Him alone, there will be no thought in it of anything which screens its face from the aspect of the Lord of the Universe. The more the mind abandons the thought of visible things, o my beloved, and the more it thinks of the future hope, in accordance with the degree of elevation above bodily thoughts and intercourse with them, to the same extent it will be subtilised and become clear during prayer. To the same extent as the body, the mind is made free from the bonds of [worldly] things ; and to the same extent as it is made free from the ties of thoughts, does it become cerene ; and to the same extent as it becomes serene, is it also subtilized •, and to the same extent as it is subtilized, is it lifted up above the emotions of this world which bears the stamp of grossness. And it knows that it shall look on God as He is, not as we are.

If a man has not been deemed worthy of revelation before, it is not possible that he should know this. And if he does not attain purity, his emotions are not made clear so as to look at the hidden things. And until through his [spiritual] riches he be freed from all that is seen, he is not freed from emotions for those things, and he does not become devoid of deliberations that cause darkness. And even as darkness and enchaining thoughts, so the affections are there. If a man is not made free from all those things which I have mentioned and from their causes, he cannot consider the hidden things of the mind. Therefore our Lord has ordered us to practise renunciation before any other thing, and flight from the troubles of the world, and freedom from common human thought. Who does not forsake his whole human state and all that he possesses, and deny even himself, he cannot be a disciple to Me ') ; lest the mind be injured by anything : 439 by sight, by hearing, by care of [worldly] things, their loss or their increase, or by man. And thereby that He has bound our mind by hope of Himself alone, He has caused the whole care of our deliberations to look towards Himself.

And in Himself He has bound the whole care of our mind, after having freed it from all other things, that thence we may long after intercourse with Himself, because of our care being continually directed towards Himself. Prayer further requires also training, that through long practice the mind may become wise. For after renunciation which frees our impulses from bonds, prayer requires constancy that through constancy and time the mind may acquire training so as to know how to restrain its deliberations and to learn through experience many things which it cannot receive from others. Any [state of] discipline is prepared by the preceding one ; and the preceding one is necessary for the existence of the following-. Prayer is preceded by reclusion ; reclusion [is practised] with a view to prayer ; prayer in order to acquire love of God ; for in prayer are found causes for loving God. Also this we must know, my beloved ones, that any hidden intercourse, or any meditation upon spiritual things, is to be denoted by prayer or comprehended under the name of prayer i) Cf.

Puke 14,33 literally: educated or included within this denomination : be it recitation with dis440 crimination, or songs in praise of God, or painstaking thought of our Lord, or prostration of the body, or psalms of glorification, and so on. For from them is received instruction concerning veracious prayer ; and from the latter love of God is born. And love is through prayer; and prayer through dwelling alone. And loneliness serves the purpose, that we should have a place where we can converse with God in solitude. Loneliness is preceded by abandonment of the world. If a man forsake not the world first and renunciate all that he possesses, he cannot attain to loneliness. So abandonment of the world in its turn is preceded by patience, and patience by hatred of the world ; hatred of the world by fear and love. For if the mind is not terrified by the fear of Hell and incited by the love of [future] good, the hatred of this world will not arise in him. And if the mind does not hate the world, it cannot forego its intercourse and comfort. And if the mind has not acquired patience before, it cannot choose dwelling in solitude without companions. And if it does not choose a lonely life, it cannot abide in prayer.

And if it is not constantly in intercourse with God and cling to those impulses which are interwoven with prayer and to those kinds of instruction which are in prayer, as we have said, it cannot perceive love. So the love of God proceeds from intercourse with Him ; the intercourse of prayer from solitude ; solitude from renunciation ; renunciation in its turn from patience ; patience from 441 hatred of desires ; hatred of desires from fear of Hell and the expectation of the [future] good. Desires are hated by him that knows the fruits thereof, namely what they prepare for him and from what good he is deprived for their sake. So every discipline is connected with that which precedes it, takes increase from it and proceeds unto others which are higher. And if one of the middle links should fail, the following could not maintain itself and it would appear that all were loosened and lost.

To choose what is good, is the part of the good will of him that desires this. To accomplish the choice of the excellent will, this belongs to God and it requires much help on His part. Therefore we have to combine the good desire which is awakened in us, with continual prayer. Not only in order to ask from Him help, but also to discriminate whether it concords with His will or not. Not every beautiful desire falls into the heart by divine action, but [onlyj that which is profitable. There are beautiful things which man may desire though they do not help him. Such desires may even be sent by Satan, even though they be esteemed to be helpful. How many times does the thing desired not fit his measure ; and 442 Satan has contrived it to his detriment, compelling him to ask it, though he has not yet reached this [stage of] discipline or though he is a stranger to the rank of its scheme ; or the time is not fit in which Satan incites him to accomplish these things-, or he is not able to perform them, either through [lack of] knowledge, or through bodily weakness, or through the time not being favorable.

At any rate, though it does seem beautiful, it either troubles him, or it causes him bodily harm, or it places a hidden snare in his mind. So, as I have said, we have to combine continual and diligent prayer with theseemingly good desire which is awakened in us, saying, every one of us : May it be Thy will regarding me, to accomplish in fact this good which I have choosen and which I desire to practise, if it concords with Thy will. To fix my will on it, is easy to me •, to practise it, is however not possible for me without a gift on Thy part. Though in truth both are thine, to will and to do. P"or it is not without Thy grace that I have surrendered to or been shaken before that which stirred in me. It is the custom of him that desires any good thing with discrimination of mind , to work for it in prayer continually; and the force [he acquires] thereby, he will use as an aid for his service.

And then wisdom which distinguishes truth from falsehood through much prayer and labour and watchfulness and beautiful loneingf without break, will come to light, in continual tears, humbleness and heavenly help, especially when its opponents are deliberations of haughtiness which remove from us God's help, and which we can annihilate by prayer.

Repentance l ) is the mother of life. It opens to us its gate when we flee from all things. The grace which we have lost, after baptism, by a lax behaviour, is restored in us by repentance, through discrimination of mind. From water and spirit we have put on Christ, without perceiving His glory. By repentance we enter into His delight through the discriminating love which rises in us. He who is destitute of repentance, is destitute of future delight. He who is near to all, is far from repentance. He who is far from all, with discrimination, is the true repentant. As soon as a man withdraws from men and concentrates upon himself, impulses of repentance will show themselves in his mind, fie receives the seed of life from grace and, as an embryo, the affection of discrimination moves in him, and in his heart is stirred the thought of eternal life in the future and the hope of resurrection and the thought of Judgment. Do not think that without divine grace suffering falls into the mind, which receives [it] secretly, as a gift through divine mercy, because of a sudden contrition and a longing after life.

As also the blessed Euagrius says ^ : A purifying drug is the 444 hot contrition of the soul, which is given by the Lord through the angels to those who repent, that through diligence purification from the affections may be granted. Farther he says: The fire of a furnace is the hot contrition of the soul, which through the grace of Christ happens to the soul at the time of prayer so that the thoughts attain contemplation. Its lack is cured by living water. The beginning of repentance is humbleness without artifice. Splendid garments are a confusion of repentance. The way towards wisdom is the regulation of the limbs. Bodily effervences are a confusion of wisdom. True wisdom is looking towards God. Looking towards God is silence of the deliberations. Solitude of the mind is quietness with discrimination. The moisture of the senses is a fountain of deliberations. Apperception in God is the depth of humbleness. True contemplation is the mortification of the heart. The heart which is really dead to the world, is wholly astir in God. True mortification is the motion of life. It is better to smell life by desisting from all, than to build life by desisting from smelling. Better is he that builds his soul than he that builds the world.

It is better to imbibe life than to distribute life. He whose outward limbs are dead, his inner emotions are alive. He whose outward limbs are alive, has killed the limbs of wisdom. Humbleness with discrimination is true knowledge. True knowledge is a fountain of humbleness. He that is humble in his heart, is humble in his body. He who is audacious in his body, is audacious in his heart. He who is 445 perturbed in his body, is perturbed in his heart. He who is perturbed in his heart, is foolish in his mind. He who is foolish in his mind, his ways are evil. Whose way is evil, he is dead in life. If thou lovest humbleness, do not love finery. A man who loves finery cannot bear contempt. And to take to lonely works, is difficult to him. And he is ashamed of submitting to him that is inferior to himself. The servant of God does not adorn his body. Know that every man who loves bodily finery is sick in his inner being, though he performs beautiful [works]. And to every one who loves visible profit, it is impossible to acquire true love of any one. And every one who runs after honour, is a slave of this world.

If those who do these things are disliked by thee, then restrain thyself from the same things. Humbleness and chastity are promoted by the same idea of contempt. And from him that loves honour and finery thou requirest not the former properties in their truth. If thou lovest chastity, do not love distraction. Things which happen to thee through divagation do not allow thee to cling to chastity with caution. No one who loves distraction, is chaste. And do not believe that any one who converses with lay people, is humble. Every one who loves (rod loves a solitary life. That a man who is given to distraction should guard truth in his soul without a stain, is impossible. Many show the appearance of repentance ; but only he pos446 sesses it in truth, that is grieved in heart. Many run to find the affection of the heart ; but only he finds it in truth, that possesses continual silence. Every one who is a servant of God, loves grief. Every one who possesses profuse speech is certainly empty within, though he tells amazing things. Inward grief is a bridle of the senses. If thou lovest truth, thou must love silence.

This will make thee illuminated in God like, the sun and it will deliver thee from the idle thoughts of ignorance; silence will even unite thee with God. When thy kneeling gives thee delight, do not hasten to reach its end. Would that it never ended as long as thou art in this life. When thy mind is concentrated, do not cut off thy prayer. Do not count as idleness a long concentrated prayer, as against the long recitation of Psalms. Love kneeling during prayer better than the sound of the sentences. If it profits thee, then accomplish it instead of thy service. If the gift of tears be given thee during thy service, do not deem the delight which is in it as a pause in thy service. Eor the gift of tears is the accomplishment of prayer. Do not wonder if sometimes, while thou art kneeling in prayer, thy mind, being concentrated upon it, desist from praying. This thou wilt find during service as well as during recitation. When thy mind is distracted, it will rather adhere to recitation than to prayer. Thy method of recitation has to be parallel to the scope of thy discipline. Not all books are useful for the concentration of the mind. Most books containing 447 instruction are not useful for purification.

Various books cause to thee distraction of mind. Know that not every book containing instruction concerning the fear of God, is also useful for the purification of the inner being and the concentration of the deliberations. Do not dispute about the exact significance of these things with him that does not know the truth. Love rest more than labours. Honour recitation, if possible, more than standing; for it is a source of pure prayer. But there is no reason at all to despise standing. Beware of snares. Recitation of Psalms is the root of discipline. But know this, that the sentences [sungj with a distracted mind suit better bodily labour. Mental grief is better than bodily fatigue. At the time of weariness be accustomed to spur on thy zeal somewhat. For the heart greatly needs to be alert to render fervent the emotions of the soul. As against desire, so natural warmth is also helpful at the time of weariness ; for it chases the cold from the soul. Usually weariness befalls us at two occasions : through a heavy stomach and through great weakness caused by labours. The regulation of service is the light of the mind. There is nothing like knowledge.

Let every prayer which thou offerest during the night, be honoured in thy eyes above all labours of the day. Do not make heavy thy stomach, lest thy mind become confused and thyself troubled by distraction while standing during the night; and thy limbs be lax and thyself filled wholly with relaxation ; thy soul be dark and thy impulses troubled, and thyself absolutely unable to concentrate them upon the sentences on account of darkness ; and the taste of everything become weak to thee ; and the sentences of the Psalms sung keep not their sweetness to thee, sentences the discriminations of which the mind used to taste with delight on account of its swiftness and illumination. When the order of the night-service is troubled, then the mind will also be confused during the service of the day and proceed in darkness, without taking delight in recitation, as usually. For it is as if a cloud lies over the impulses, when they are in emotion in prayer or in meditation. The delight which during the day is lavished upon the ascetic is poured on the watchful mind on account of the light of the nightly service.

From him who has not experienced solitude for a long time thou canst not expect to learn anything additional concerning i) in prayer or in vigils the goods of the ascetics even though he may be very wise and instructive and possess a range of habitual virtues. Be cautious not to weaken thy body too much, lest weariness overpower thee and thou shouldst make thy soul cold against the taste of its service. As in a scale man ought to weigh his discipline. When thou art satisfied, be somewhat cautious against free speech in thyself. Let thy sitting be in chastity, also at the time of bodily want. Especially chaste and cautious thou hast to be when going to sleep, not only thy deliberations, but also thy members being watchful. Be watchful against presumption when good states *) come upon thee. Thy weakness and thy dullness 449 in the face of its subtlety thou must communicate to our Lord in zealous prayer, lest evil things should be allowed to try thee. For fornication follows haughtiness, and aberration presumption. Use handiwork as far as thou needest it, especially as thou art shut up in solitude.

Let not thy hope on Him that provides for thee, indulge in any weakness-, God's provisions in behalf of His housemates are amazing; even in the desert without human hands He provides for those who inhabit it and hope on Him. If our Lord supplies thee with that which the body needs, though thou doest not labour but carest for the soul only, then some thought will arise by the trickery of the murderer namely this, that there necessarily must be on thy part some cause for all this care. And with this deliberation, God's care will be withdrawn from thee. And at the same time myriads of temptations will arise and assail thee, having their origin either in the neglect of those who used to care for us, or in the recommencement of pains and illnesses that are caused in our body. God does not give up His care on account of this emotion alone, but when the mind sticks to it. On account of in voluntary emotion God does not chastise and judge a man, not even when we give way to it for a short time •, but at once pain pricks us and contrition comes to us.

Our Lord will not seek retribution for such a fault ; but only for such a one as the mind really clings to, in that we glance at it unconsciously as if there were no harm in it and without thinking of anything wrong Perpetually we have to pray to our Lord in this way : O 45° Christ, Thou summit of truth, let Thy truth dawn in our hearts, that we know to walk in Thy way according to Thy will. When for a short time or longer some evil deliberation shows itself often in thee, know then assuredly that Satan wishes to lay a snare for thee. And pay attention to it in due time. If it is however a right-hand and good one, know that the Lord wishes to give thee some share of life and that for this cause this deliberation is astir in thee so unusually often. If it is a dark deliberation and thou art in doubt concerning it because thou canst not make out clearly whether it is helpful or treacherously hidden in a scheme of beauty, then pay attention to it in keen prayer night and day, with long vigils. Do not push it from thee, neither deliver thyself unto it but pray diligently and fervently because of it.

Do not cause crying to our Lord, and Me will show himself manifestly, [so that thou knowest] whence it is. Love silence above all things. It brings thee near the fruit which the tongue is too weak to interpret. At first we compel ourselves to be silent. Then from our silence something is born which draws us towards silence. May God grant thee to perceive that which is born from silence. If thou beginnest with this discipline, I do not know how much light will dawn in thee through it. Concerning what is said about the admir4$i able Arsenius : that Fathers and brethren came to see him, but that he sat with them in silence and dismissed them in silence — do not think, my brother, that this happened by the action of his will alone, though in the beginning he had to compel himself. After some time some delight is born in the heart from the exercise of this service and by force it draws the body towards remaining in silence. Many tears are born in us by this discipline, by the amazing sight of things which the heart perceives distinctly.

Sometimes by suffering, sometimes on account of ecstasy the heart becomes small as a child • and as soon as it insists in prayer, tears will burst forth. Great is the man who, side by side with bodily endurance, possesses admirable customs in his soul. If thou placest all labours of this discipline l ) on one side l) solitary life and silence on the other, silence will outweigh them. There are many warnings of the Fathers which need not be kept laboriously when a man approaches unto silence, and the practice of which becomes superfluous, because he is elevated above them, and is near the mark. Silence is also helpful for solitude. For it is impossible that, livingin an inhabited place, we should not meet with any one. Even that angel of God, Arsenius, who loved solitude more than any one, could not wholly avoid meeting others. For in such a place we meet Fathers and brethren and innumerable other persons, and we have to visit the church.

When that blessed man saw that it 45 2 was impossible to avoid this, so long as he was in the vicinity of an inhabited place (though his dwelling-place was at a . distance of many miles from a human settlement, even from the solitaries who dwelt in those places), he learned from grace this means: continual silence. When sometimes it was necessary for him to open his door to some of them, they enjoyed his aspect only ; conversation was superfluous. Many fathers have been led by this sight, to become careful also as to their own person that, their spiritual riches might increase, through the instruction they received from the aspect of the blessed one. They continually saw him silent, so that many of them put a stone in their mouth *), others tied a rope to their inner wall for the sake of recollection, others wearied themselves by unusual fasting ; when they had to go to meet other people they imposed the trial of hunger upon themselves. For hunger greatly helps those who try to acquire a greater concentration of the senses. And many used to do such things in order to acquire this self-control of beautiful aspect that imparts life.

Many fathers I have found, o my brethren, great and admirable, who cared for the direction of the senses and the bodily attitude more than for other labours, because from them is 453 also born the direction of the deliberations. Many causes, independent of his will, meet a man and make him leave the domain of his freedom. And if he did not guard his senses through the regularity of custom which dominated his soul before, they would for long prevent him from recovering his mind, finding his former quiet. l) Ghazuli tells this about Abu Bukr The education of the heart is, to be occupied with its hope. The education of discipline is to free oneself from every thing. The recollection of death is a wholesome bond of the outward limbs. A hook [drawing] the soul towards life is the joy that rises in the heart on account of hope. A drink of knowledge are the perpetual temptations which the mind every day draws from within, through the two varying states. The budding of the heart is the conviction of the resurrection in faith, which hope receives from within.

Deem me worthy, my Lord, to see in my soul Thy bounty, before I depart this would, that I may perceive in my self in that hour consolation, as have done those who in good hope have left this world. Open my heart, o God, through Thy grace and purify me fromthe communion with sin ; and make level in my heart the way of repentance, my God and my Lord, my hope and my boast, my strong refuge, by whom my eyes receive light, and let me receive understanding by Thy truth. Deem me worthy, O my Lord, to taste the delightful gift of repentance by which the soul is made free from the bondage of sin and the whole will of flesh and blood. Deem me worthy, o Lord, to taste this affection in which reposes the gift of pure prayer. My saviour has reached the amazing passage through which the soul leaves the visible 454 world and in which begin new impulses for entry into the spiritual world, and experiences of new apperceptions.

He that begins and accomplishes well, places his discipline upon this foundation, entreating God unceasingly that He may deem him worthy to perceive this apperception in which is sown the knowledge of the future order of things through imperishable hope, which through divine grace is preserved for man after the completion of this world. But he that begins pervertedly goes from above downwards: he begins with joy and he ends with weeping; and he becomes devoid of knowledge and hope, as a formless body which not attained to the reception of the soul, because it has not completed the state of preparation in the womb, but has reached the end of the life of form l ). Contempt for intercourse with the world is the sign of a soul that has perceived its hope. A hidden alertness implies drowsiness regarding visible tilings. The weapon of the heart is faith in Christ. Who by the desire of hope has withstood even death, death is esteemed as nothing in his eyes, and so are being exiled from his country, and the strife of the demons and alienation from men, and lack of the consolation of the world.

What is the consolation of visible things and the being occupated with them, as compared with the delight of hope that is perceived in the heart? As he that has abandoned the body in the drunkenness of his joy, through the flaming faith which kindles his heart, so that 455 all visible things are hidden from him and he knows nothing in the creation through the heat of his body and the emotions of his soul, and as he that abides already in the kingdom, does he account [earthly things] because of the faith of his mind. I hough sometimes we are subject to despondency because of loneliness — perhaps this is permitted in us by Providence — yet we also possess through our heart's faith the consolation of hope which is too great for words; and through this hope, troubles are accounted by us as nothing, even death. And well has one of those who are clad with God, said : Sufficient is the love of God, as a consolation for him that believes, even when he loses his self. How should troubles injure him who despises even the delights of comfort for the sake of future good?

Also this I advise thee, o my brother, that in all thy discipline the scale of mercy be preponderant; through this thou wilt perceive God's mercy for the world. Our own state becomes to us a mirror in which we behold the true Prototype, in those things which naturally belong to that Essence. By these things and the like we become illuminated so as to be in motion unto God, with a clear mind. A heart wicked from of old, cannot become serene. A merciful man is the physician of his own soul; for he drives away from his inner being the dark mist, as by a strong wind. Mercy is a good investment with God, according 456 to the Gospel of life : Blessed is the merciful : for he shall obtain mercy J ). Not only in the world to be, symbolically also here. What mercy is greater than this, that when a man is Vurh. Aid. Letter!;. 192-' (Wcnsinck) 306 good advice giving instructions concerning etc. moved by mercy unto his follow man and becomes his partner in suffering, our Lord delivers his soul from gloomy darkness which is intelligible Hell, and brings it in contact with the light of life, for its comfort?

The blessed Euagrius has well said : A clear way is founded upon mercy. Therefore, as I have said : Let a merciful heart preside over thy whole behaviour, then thou shalt find peace with God. Be careful, that no evil be ever done to any man through thy hands, not even to the evil one. And when it is possible for thee to deliver the iniquitous from evil, do not omit it. Not that, if the matter be far from thee, thou shouldst go and mix thyself with such things — such a deed does not belong to thy duty — but if the matter is put in thy hands, and thou hast power over it, because it has been placed before thee accidentally as a trial, in that God wished to try thee by His admitting it, then be cautious regarding thyself lest thou become a participant in the blood of the iniquious, because thou doest not hasten to deliver him. But try with thy whole soul to save him, even if thou shouldst die for his sake. Then thou wilt really be a martyr and as one that has suffered death on the cross for sinners. And pray God, that this may not happen through thee.

But even if he be worthy of evil, let him receive the judgment of his deeds by the hands of 457 others. It does not become thee to regard the worth of his deeds. Let good [alone] happen to him by thy hands. Think of Him who bears all, the deeds of all men being placed before His eyes, clearer than the sun ; and if He liked He could destroy all men by the breath of His mouth. Thou wert not appointed to pronounce [the judgment of j vengeance against deeds and their perpetrators, but it is thy duty to implore mercy on the world, to abide in vigil for the salvation of all, to share in the suffering of every man, righteous and sinners. And thou must know, that if he deserve it, justice will bind him within a short time, by the hands of others who are fit for this deed ; and thou wilt save thy soul and become a living martyr.

But even this thou hast not to ask or to care for, but to implore God's mercy upon him, that he may change and become as it is the will of God that he should i) Cf., p. 14, 79 etc. be and may depart life in righteousness and not [awaiting] the retribution of wickedness. Be instead of an avenger, a deliverer ; instead of an accuser, a peace maker; instead of one who delivers, a martyr; instead of a plaintiff, a dependant. Beseech God in behalf of the sinners, that they may obtain grace. And pray for the righteous, that they may be preserved. Vanquish the evil ones by this kindness, and make the zealous wonder at thy bounty. Those who love justice, make them ashamed by thy mercy. With the afflicted be afflicted in thy mind. Love all men. And be far 458 from all men. Recollect death, and prepare thyself for thy entrance into it. Embellish thy course. Remember that the sins of all men go before them to the court of justice. Be not dejected because of trespasses. I do not say that thou shouldst not suffer ; but thou must not account them as being incurable. Better broken than dead.

For one who is broken, there is the physician, who on the cross has implored mercy for those who crucified Him, who asked forgiveness for His murderers while He hung on the cross. ,All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men' ] ), namely on account of repentance. When Simon who had denied Him, had wept a short time, He forgave him. And after 1 lis resurrection, He appointed him as the head of His flock. Three times He asked him : Lovest thou me ? 2 ), even as three times he had denied Him, in order to confirm His pardon. Christ came on behalf of the sinners, in order to heal the broken in heart, and to bind up their wounds :i ). 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore He has anointed me, to preach good tidings unto the meek ; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives'*), and sight to the blind, and healing to those who are broken, by forgiveness. And the Apostle says in his epistle : Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners"').

And his Lord witnesses : For I am not come to call the righteous ; for they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick"). There were two debtors to a certain creditor; and because they had nothing to pay with, he forgave both of them; namely : when they had beseeched him. i) Matthew 12,31 John 21, 16 cf. Psalm 147,3 -4) -Isaiah— 6-f, -I „ 5) I Timothy I, 15 Mark 2,17 Our frail nature would not be strong enough if God's justice 459 should proceed to take vengeance. Therefore He uses mercy so that we at all times are bound by our debt. Do not sin, o man, in hope of repentance, and do not indulge in weakness, confiding in forgiveness. Remember, that death will not be postponed. Do not contrive to approach to the delight of sin, with a cunning mind. God is not mocked a ). His knowledge precedes thy deliberation : trouble will come upon thee suddenly, and thou wilt cry, but He will not answer thee. When thou approachest thy bed, because the time for sleep has come, say: O bed, perhaps thou wilt become my grave this night and I not know it.

Perhaps in stead of temporary sleep, eternal sleep will fall on me this night, while I thought of preparing for days and months, which I did not see. As long as thou hast feet, run after the service of righteousness, before they be caught by a bond which it is impossible to sever. As long as thou hast hands, stretch them towards heaven in prayer, before thy arms fall from their joints and thou desire to raise them, and it is impossible for thee. As long as thou hast fingers, raise them unto God in supplication. For there will come a time when the splendid strength of their joints is weakened. As long as thou hast eyes, fill them with tears during prayer, weeping for thy sins, 460 before the moment when sand will cover the black [clothes] and the eyes will become feeble, staring senseless in one direction, without thy knowing it. As long as the heart, the fountain of the deliberations, is ordered by a distinguishing power, bethink of those things which are helpful to thy life, before the soul be hastened on to departure from it -) and become a house devoid of its inhabitants. O thou who art wise, let no deliberation flatter thee with the hope of a long life.

As a flower withers by the blowing of the sirocco, so against thee will blow one of the elements which are within thee and without thy expecting it, suddenly thy knees will relax. And while thou thinkest that it is nothing and that thou art curing the illness, suddenly the cunning one will approach, who laughs at the wise. O, for the wretchedness of our nature! how are we entangled in its love, though God does not desire to leave us in this state. Set thy heart to prepare for departure, o man. As a sage thou must expect departure every hour, thinking every day: the messenger of him that comes after me, has reached the gate; why should I remain sitting? It is a departure for ever, I cannot return hither. Go asleep with these thoughts every night ; and meditate upon this deliberation every day. And when [the time of departure] comes, go joyfully to meet it, saying: Come in peace. I knew that thou wouldst come and I have not neglected anything that could serve me on the way. 461 Take provisions for thy long way, o sage. Drive away the heaviness of sleep from thy heart, o companion. Order thy things for departure, thou who dwellest as a sedentary.

Morningtime is near, o traveller, why art thou sleeping? Come, prepare thyself, thou sailor who art about to sail off, prepare the utensils of thy ship ; for thou doest not know when the wind will begin to blow. Be ready and prepared before he comes that will destroy thy forms. For Sheol shall make wither their form, and they shall be bereft of the beautiful glory of nature and their bodies will be left in the wilderness. Remember always that destruction of deplorable appearance, that formless scattering of thy senses, that ruin of the building of thy body, that pure mixture that will become mud in Sheol. Bleased is he that with joy meets the recollection of that destruction ! Blessed is he that with good hope awaits that event full of mystery, in which the wonder of the Creator's great power is hidden ! Spiritual meditation is, to be continually occupied with the hope of [things which will be] after the resurrection. The beginning of this impulse in the mind lies in the domain of repentance. That which induces the soul to embrace repentance, is the constant thought of future things. Who has been moved by repentance, his hope has turned to the future world. Who has forgotten this, his mind abides in this world.

Who loves intercourse with Christ, loves to be alone. Who loves to remain in the company of many others, he is a friend of this world. i)-Cf. JabT47^<K Thou changest his countenance and sendest him away. 462 Repentance ] ) is the constant sorrow of the heart at the meditation of that inexplicable statute: how shall I reach that unspeakable entrance? If thou lovest repentance, then love also solitude. For without this, repentance cannot be completed. If there is any one who disputes this, do not dispute with him, for he does not know what he says. If he did know what repentance is, he also would know its place, and that it is not to be disturbed by trouble. If thou lovest solitude, the father of repentance, then love also to accept gladly the small deficiencies of the body, and the blame that arises from them. Without this preparation it will be impossible for thee to live in solitude, freely, without trouble. If thou despisest those things, thou wilt acquire solitude, according to God's will. If thou art wronged or robbed or laughed at or the like, thou wilt not be moved, because of thy love of solitude. Love of solitude is the constant expectation of death.

He that without this meditation enters solitude, having other thoughts, cannot bear those things which, for the sake of solitude, he must bear from all sides : to die for the sake of God, and to live in God. The accomplishment of life is meditation upon death for the sake of God. This brings our mind near to union with God, says Euagrius. Also this thou must know , o discrimiating reader , that lonely dwelling and solitude and reclusion are not chosen by us in order to perform an excellent canonical labour. For it 4^3 is known that communion with many others gives a better opportunity, because the body preserves its strength better. But if reclusion were not necessary, the pious men that were the holy Fathers, would not have abandoned intercourse with many people. Some of them dwelt in graves, others chose reclusion in a lonely cell, which is greatly relaxing to the body and which does not promote the accomplishment of the canonical rules.

And all bodily weakness and misery, and severe illnesses which struck them, they bore gladly during their whole life, even when they were not able to stand on their feet or to offer the usual prayer, or to praise God with their mouth, or to recite a psalm, or to perform any of the [works] which are performed through the body. And bodily weakness alone and solitude with them took the place of all canonical rules. l) Cf. Introduction And this was their occupation all the days of their life. And during all this so called idleness, none of them longed to leave his cell or to wander abroad ceasing from canonical labours, or to enjoy the sound of the glorifications of others in a congregation. Better is he that perceives his sins, than he that is profitable to the world by his appearance. Better is he that one time has sighed by himself, than he that quickens the dead by his prayer and dwells among many others. Better is he that has been deemed worthy of seeing himself, than he that has been deemed worthy of seeing the angels. The latter 464 partakes of the eyes of the body, the former of the eye of the soul.

Better is he that clings to Christ mournfully in solitude, than he that praises Him in a congregation. No one should adduce the words of Paul : For I could wish that myself were accursed by Christ for my brethren l ). He that has received the power of Paid, he has also the permission to do so. Paul was behaving as he did because a divine order had been given to him to be profitable to the world. As he witnesses to it, that he did not this by his own will : for necessity is laid upon me, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel ~). Moreover, the election of Paul was not because of repentance, but that he should preach to humanity he received even greater power. So we must love solitude, o my brother, that this world may die from our heart and we may think of death continually. And by this meditation we shall approach unto God in heart; and we shall despise the emptiness of the world; and its desires shall be despicable in our eyes.

Let us joyfully bear, with a sorry body, the continual idleness of solitude, my brother, in order that we may be deemed worthy of delight with those that in the caverns and the clefts of the earth are waiting for the glorious revelation of our Lord from heaven. To Him and to His father and to the Holy Ghost be glory and praise for ever and ever.

Now that thou hast inculcated in me the duty to write to thee on those things which are necessary, I inform thy love by this my writing, in accordance with the promise which I gave thee. As I have found that thou art determined to practise sitting in solitude, with painstaking behaviour, so I from my side will describe to thee in simple words, that which I have heard from discriminating men concerning this service, combining the concentrated sense of their words with personal experiences | gathered] by practice. And thou , on thy side, wilt profit by being occupied with this letter in thy usual diligent way, because with the discrimination of wisdom thou approachest the concise terms of the lecture of this letter, and not in the usual groove. And thou shalt take them as some elucidation of the rest of thy lecture, because of the great insight and power hidden in them. For the mind is greatly strengthened by such a lecture and it takes from it a 466 weapon against distraction of the thoughts and against dejection which is wont to rise from the hardship of labours and the prolonged sitting in solitude.

And it casts behind it the world with attention to its practices, through the radiancy with which it is clad [by the sight of] those things which it meets ; the which is the aim of this letter, [namely to make known] what is dwelling and service in solitude, and what mysteries are hidden in this discipline which are not observed by many, and what events the prudent try to reach by solitude; and wherefore they reject the righteousness which is practised among men, fleeing from the sight of the world and choosing the troubles and struggles which are connected with quiet and lonely dwelling. On account of this insight and on account of those things which are found in this letter [readers] will call these solitaries who pass their life in this world in concentrated sitting by themselves happy. To those who do not perceive these things, admonition and advice, concerning the order of solitude are vain. Here however I write to the wise, and I give advice in love. If thou seekest imperishable life during thy short clays, o brother, then let thy entry unto solitude take place with discrimination T ), that thou mayest find the profit which awaits the wise in the path of solitude. Scrutinize its service and do not run after a name.

Enter, be profound and bold, learn and acquire and train thyself in all the amazing and liberating distinctions of the ways of service in solitude. Then thou wilt understand, with all the saints, what is the height and the 467 depth and the length and the breadth of this illimitable discipline, because of the illimitable riches which its merchants seek to acquire. And thou wilt not rest, until thou art trained in all the ways of its service. I'rom every human practice, at its beginning, some profit is expected when it shall be realised; this it is which moves the intelligent to lay its foundations. And this aim makes the mind heroic, so as to bear the difficulties of the matter. The mind even gathers some consolation from it by looking towards it. And after the fashion of an officer of the law, it apprehends the mind, till the matter is accomplished. So, in the eyes of the discriminate, the aim of the severe service of solitude is the harbour of mysteries towards which the mind looks, from the time when it lays the first foundations till the end of the work of building.

And as the eyes of the helmsman look to the stars, so, in all his long and difficult labours, the inner gaze of the solitary, during his whole course, is directed towards the aim which he has fixed in his mind the first day when he gave himself to sailing the rough sea of solitude, till he shall find the pearl for the sake of which he has entrusted himself to the not-to-be-explored floods of the ocean. And his gaze of hope makes light to him the whole burden of service and the difficulties full of danger which meet him in his course. But he that, as soon as he enters solitude, docs not set this aim to the profit [he wishes to gather] from his service, labouring at random as a man that combates the air, will never during 468 his life escape the spirit of despondency. And one of two things will happen to him : Either, no longer bearing the insupportable burden, he will be vanquished and give up solitude altogether; or, if he adheres to it, his cell becomes a dungeon in which he is tormented.

And because he does not know that he may expect the consolation which is born from the service in solitude, he is not able to implore through his heart's pain or to beseech in passionate prayer or to embrace the token which our merciful Fathers, from love of their posterity, have left to us in their writings, whereby we could gain our life. One of them has said : To me the profit of solitude is this, that where I withdraw from the camp in which my abode is fixed, my mind becomes void of the occupations of war and turns to a service which is more profitable. Another : Solitude cuts off causes which give a new turn to the deliberations and within its walls there grow old and tasteless the recollections of previous things. And when the old matter has disappeared from the intellect, the mind returns to nature in order to direct it. Another : I run to meet solitude, with this aim, that in my heart the sentences of recitation and prayer may become sweet. And when my tongue has been made silent by the delight of their understanding, I fall, as it were, asleep, my senses and my emotion being benumbed.

And when by prolonged solitude my heart has acquired peace from the trouble of recollections, solitude sends me continually waves of gladness which arise from emotions which burst forth from within unexpectedly and 469 suddenly , to the delight of my heart; the which, running against the ship of my soul, and [withdrawing it] from the sounds of the world and from the life of the flesh, immerse it in the deepest depths of quiet in God. Another: The degree of thy hidden things thou canst understand by thy different emotions. 1 mean the perpetual ones, not those which are set astir by accident and are made to pass by time. There is no one clad with flesh whose house is not visited by some traveller belongingto the two various states of good and of evil. If he is disprudent, by those of deficiency, through nature, the fathers of children. If he is faithful, by those of elevation, through the leaven of grace which He has mixed with our nature, the parents of the kingdom on high. Another : Choose the delightful service of continual vigils, by which all the Fathers have put off their old man and have become worthy of the renewal of the intellect.

At these times the soul perceives that immortal life, by which apperception it throws off the garment of darkness and becomes the recipient of spiritual gifts. Another: It is not possible that a man, while seeing many faces and hearing various sounds foreign to spiritual meditation, and speaking and having intercourse with the like, should keep his mind free so as to gaze at himself secretly, to remember his sins, to hide his thoughts, and to look at those which come, and to become familiar with hidden prayer. 470 Further it is impossible for a man to subdue the senses by the domination of the soul without solitude and alienation from men because the initiated soul becomes united to them and involved with them as in one person and is dragged along with their impulses, if it does not hold vigil with hidden prayer. And then, how vigils and alertness with prayer and recitation, will delight and gladden and give joy and make pure the soul, is well known to those who have practised these things during their whole life, in veracious asceticism.

And thou, o man who lovest solitude, place before thee, as a mark, these indications based upon the words of the Fathers, and direct the course of thy service towards them, and before all things, judge which are those which suit best the aim of thy service. Without them thou canst not be mature in true knowledge; try to show thy endurance especially in them. Silence is a symbol of the future world. Speech is an organ of this world. A man who fasts is trying to acquire likeness with the nature of the spiritual beings. Through his continual silence and fasting a man becomes distinguished that in his hidden state is constantly occupied with the service of God. By these mysteries is accomplished, even through those invisible forces, the holy service of the Essence which governs the world.

Some men who have been marked 471 off to enter the divine mysteries, have been signed with such seals as these ; some of them have been entrusted with the guidance of a strong people; others have even acquired power over the elements and, midst great admiration, the species *) of nature have obeyed their commandments ; others have been entrusted with the office of examining, for the universal re novation, the secrets that were hidden in the mysterious silence of the Lord of the universe. And it would not have been beautiful, if with a full belly and a mind distracted by wantonness, such mysteries had been administered, or if the sanits had ventured to elevate themselves to intercourse with God and unto His secret mysteries, unless with weak limbs and a colour livid by the pain of hunger, and a mind conscious of its reason by its having renunciated all earthly deliberations. When, on account of a long abode in thy cell and troublesome labours and secret observance and restraint of the senses from all contact, the. power of solitude gets hold of thee, thou wilt find first that joy which from time to time, without a cause, dominates thy soul.

Then thy eyes are opened to see God's creative power and the beauty of the creatures, in accordance with the degree of thy purity. And when the mind by this sight has been snatched up in ecstasy, night and day become one to it in its admiration of the glorious works of God. And then the apperception of the affections is taken away from the soul by the delight of this sight. And by it the soul enters 472 the two degrees of intelligible revelations which belong to what lies higher than purity.

Intellect is a spiritual sense which is made a recipient of the visual power, as the pupil of the fleshly eyes into which perceptible light is poured. K'l'iX rt^.lSXI Intelligible sight is natural knowledge which by power has been mixed with the order of nature, and which is called natural light. A holy power is grace, the sun of distinction for those things, which hold a middle position between light and sight. Species are those things which are intermediary and distinguished by light so as to become sight. The affections are as it were some dense entities, which, placed between light and sight, hinder the distinction of things. Purity is the clearness of the intelligible air, through the mediation of which spiritual nature circulates in us. The reverse way : If the intellect is not of a sound nature, knowledge does not influence it. If the fleshly sense is harmed by some cause, sight is taken from it. If the intellect is sound, but there is no knowledge, the intellect cannot have any distinct influence upon spiritual things without it; just as an eye which is sound in all those things which are its own , 473 and yet, often its visual power is dull.

So, if all these [spiritual] things are preserved in their proper state, but grace is not near, they remain, all of them, destitute of the service of their different functions; as it is also during nighttime, when all these things, because of the absence of the sun, remain without function, though they are true and perfect in themselves. I mean eye, sight and things, not those which are distinguishing or distinguished. This is what has been said : In Thy light we see light '■'). Now, even when grace, the intelligible sun, is near and inciting and flattering and working and exhortating, but there is no purity through which (as through the air purified from the density of the clouds and from the matter of darkness) the sunrays attain to us easily, so that we enjoy by their light a sight which is wholly spiritual — then sight is impeded in its discriminating power, nature looses its active force, the soul is hindered from perceiving the second sun which dawns over the world, because of the screen of the body in which the rays of truth are hidden so that they cannot reach us. Therefore, all that has been said is strictly necessary.

And because all these things are hardly to be found without defii) r^-liSi lit. bosom ciency any one , not many . are found who reach a partial completeness in spiritual knowledge. Such a deficiency has its origin in impotence of the intellect, or in neglect of the aim, 474 or in the unpreparcdness of the will, or in lack of purity, or in want of guides, or in the impediments of grace (for riches do not suit the fool, nor is a slave entitled to rule over many things) — or in the hindrances of time, place and mode. LXVJII You must know, my brethren, that the sensual eye through its visual power alone (which is administered unto it from the brains as it were through a channel), without partaking of other light, is not able to receive [the images] of the different things. All natural apperceptions are placed on the same level as the intelligible things as regards spiritual behaviour in this respect ; and [as for] the natural force of the intellect, which is also called psychic knowledge — it is impossible for the soul to participate in truth by contemplation, without receiving divine light. This is based upon excellence of behaviour, which is acquired when the affectible part of the soul is built upon natural health.

For many have endeavoured [to acquire this] while being entangled in psychic and bodily affections, by philosophical training, being supported by the latter alone ; but they have lost even the truth which they possessed and have ruined their usual visual power. And just as eyes which see in the air fantastic images because of their weak sight which cannot reach the humid matter in them, so every one of them 475 considers as truth one image which presents itself to him. And when all the images of all of them are united, then, in stead of one truth, there appears a variety of images. And this happens to them because they have not asked for the rays of grace which shines so as to purify the soul. Truth is the apperception concerning God which a man personally tastes by the perceptive power of the spiritual senses of the mind. The flower of spiritual knowledge is divine love, which has its origin in radiant insights which are found by the spirit during prayer.

Love is the fruit of prayer, which, on account of contemplation orioqnatincr in it, draws the mincl towards a predilection which never becomes satisfied •, the mind clings to this predilection for prayer without growing dejected, be it that it prays apperceptibly, with the body, or by the silent motion of the mincl, fervently and eagerly. Prayer is : the impulses of the will being dead regarding fleshly life. For it is alike when a man prays veraciously and when he dies from the world ; this means that he denies himself, and this means continually being in prayer. It is known to those who know the scriptures what beseeching in veracious prayer is. And it is known that those who have devoted themselves to this lonely state in order to acquire lonely prayer through their demands, thwarting their desire, do not follow their nature when they arouse trouble against their soul because of the contrary affections which they stir 476 in their soul after prayer. So the love of God is found in selfdenial. As from the seeds of the sweat of fasting the blade of chastity grows up, so does lasciviousness grow up from satiety and impudence from repletion. Against a hungry stomach wanton deliberations never direct themselves.

Every food which we receive within us is added to the humours of the natural seed which is collected in our body. And when the organic limbs are filled with the influx which is gathered there from the whole body, and when it happens that the bodily [eye| sees [something], or when some involuntary recollection is awakened in the heart, then at once, together with the thought a sensation of delight is astir and spreads through the whole body, so that, even if the mind is very strong and chaste and cautious in its emotions, still, by this apperception of the limbs, the discriminating power of the mincl is troubled at once, and is, as it were, cast down from the height where it stood, and the holiness of its deliberations is perverted.

And its pure chastity is defiled by the confusion which is caused by the affection that is astir in the heart on account of the burning of the limbs; and at once half of its force is lost, so to say, and the former scope of its hope is forgotten ; and though it has not entered into the struggle, it is defeated without strife or labour on the part of its fiend, and vanquished by the subduing will of the body. 477 To such an extent does copious food and constant satiety compel a man's good will that, although he is moving steadily in the harbour of chastity, he stoops to comply with that which he never would have stooped to think of. And when he lies down to sleep, alone, a host of thoughts clad in impudent images surrounds him. And his chaste bed is made by them a theatre and a brothel, where he deals and speaks with his thoughts in drunkenness and defiles his holy limbs, though no woman is near to him. What sea is so disturbed by storms as the steady mind is stirred by the vehemence of the waves assailing it in the sea of the body, through a full stomach?

O chastity, how is thy beauty made splendid by sleeping on the ground, by the suffering of hunger, when sleep flies from thee on account of the leanness of the body and the emptiness of the stomach, which is made a deep pit for the intestines between the ribs by abstinence from food. But by indulgence in food and comfort, evil representations and impure images are formed and come into existence. Then they proceed and show themselves to us in the hidden place of our mind, inciting us to mingle with them secretly by impudent actions. Emptiness of the stomach makes free room for the mind which is devoid of deliberations and all tumult of thoughts. But when the stomach is replenished and satisfied it is made thereby a place of sights and a theatre, even if we are in 478 the wilderness and alone. For he that is satisfied desires many things.

Thou understandest that thou hast been deemed worthy of psychic apathy therein not, that no evil deliberations pass through thee — that is [the absence of] the movement of the impulses which are in the body, the which is impossible — nor that thou vanquishest them easily, the thought not having been defiled or disturbed at all, however exalted this may be; but that, through the intellect being totally occupied, the mind is not even permitted to combat with or to crush them , but that as soon as deliberations elevate their head, it is dragged away from them by some involuntary force, which by custom or grace, begins to ferment in the heart which is the house of the intellect. The struggling mind is different from the rank of priesthood. The mind which, by heavenly mercy, is dead to the world, to it things cause simple deliberations only, without the strife of battle, though from the motion of the limbs an apperceptive power without equal |is born|. Perfection which is joined with flesh and blood rules over that which originates in flesh and blood, but it does not annihilate the peculiarities of nature while vital impulses still move in elementary life, and the foundation of existence, on account of the four humours, is subject to various emotions.

SOLITUDE Listen, my beloved, to what our love says to thee. If thou desirest that thy labours shall not be empty and thy days idle and thyself destitute of the profit which the intelligent expect from the discipline of quiet, let then thy entering into solitude take place with discrimination, not in a kind of groove, as it is with many. But let there be an aim towards which thy mind directs the labours of its behaviour. And interrogate those who have solid knowledge, through experience, not through reading only. And exercise thyself in all the wonderful and liberal distinctions of solitude, without taking rest before thou art trained in all the ways of its service. And at every step thou takest, examine whether thou art walking in the way, or thou hast erred away from it on one of the ways leading to the desert. Thou must not believe that the true discipline of solitude is accomplished by visible labours alone. If thou desirest to reach by personal experience that which our Lathers have found, thou must secretly have signs and tokens in thy soul, at every step thou takest, by which thou canst recognise the truth of our Lathers or the error of Satan.

A few of them, written in order that thou mayest become wise in thy way are as follows. 4 So When thou seest, in solitude, that thy mind is able to use freely its righthand impulses and that there is no compulsion in its rule over any of them, then know that thy solitude is right. And if, while thou art performing thy service with discrimination, without distraction as much as possible, the words are suddenly cut off from thy mouth, and the bonds of comi) ln>i>k of the Dove^ p. 1 9 Verh. Afd. I.ctterk. 1922 (\Vcn.sini:k). pulsory silence are placed on thy soul and this phenomenon is constantly repeated, then know that thou art making progress in thy solitude and that its simple beginnings are takingincrease. For simple solitude is rejected by justice. And every simple [act ofj discipline, among discriminate sages is accounted as a lonely, helpless member. And if thou seest that at every deliberation which stirs in thy soul, at every recollection and vision happening during solitude, the surroundings of thy eyes are filled with tears and thy cheeks are moistened by them, without compulsion, then know that before thee, in the opposing camp, there begins to grow a breach.

And if thou findest that thy spirit, from time to time, descends within them without unusual efforts, and abides there some time, whatever that time be and afterwards thou seest thy members as it were in great weakness, while peace reigns over all thy deliberations, but [the weakness] remains continually the same, then know that the cloud has begun to cover the tabernacle. If, during" thy abiding in solitude, thou findest that harsh delibe481 rations reign over thy soul, and that it is tyrannised by them every moment, and that at all times the mind is attracted by those things which were administered before, namely, when it is desirous of vain investigations — then know that thou art fatiguing" thyself with solitude in vain and that thy soul is corrupted by distraction, and that there are outward causes, or inward neglect of duties, especially of vigils and recitation. Then direct and fix thy will. But if thou doest not find peace from the assaults of the affections as soon as these days begin, then be not astonished.

Now '), if the bosom of the earth when the sunrays have ceased, preserves their heat for a long time, and if an aromatic smell and the odour of perfumes which spread through the air, remain a long time before they are dissipated and become effaced • — how much more certain is it, that the affections, like dogs accustomed to lap up blood at the butcher's, will stand at the door barking, when the usual food is withheld from them, till their old force has abated. l) Introduction When neglect begins to penetrate into thy soul secretly and to spread gloom, and the house is near to being filled with darkness, then thou wilt secretly perceive in thyself these signs which will soon appear : Thy faith will be weakened. Visible things will arouse thy covetousness. Thy confidence will diminish. Thy neighbour thou wilt wrong. And thy whole person, thy month and thy heart, will be full of vituperation against every 482 man and thing and against that which thy deliberations and senses meet, and even against the most High. And thou wilt be terrified by the frailty of the body which has rendered thee pusillanimous at all times.

And from time to time thy soul will be shaken by fear, so that thou shalt be frightened and terrorised as it were by thy shadow 7 . For by faith I do not understand that which is the foundation of the common confession, but the intelligible force that by the light of the mind supports the heart, and by imvard testimony stirs in the soul great confidence in God ; so that the soul does not provide for itself, but casts all its cares on the Lord without thinking of any of them. Then, when thou art making intelligible progress, thou wilt soon perceive in thy soul these dim signs. By hope thou shalt become strong, and by prayer rich. And continually abundant profit will be the part of thy mind in all that thou meetest, and thou wilt perceive the weakness of human nature. On the one hand thou must beware of haughtiness ; on the other hand let injury against thy neighbour be despicable in thy eyes. Departing the body has become desirable to thee because of the desire to be near those things in which we are going to live.

And as for all the afflicting accidents which happen to thee manifestly and secretly thou wilt soon find that all of them happen to thee justly, in all sincerity which is far from 4 S 3 presumption. And concerning all these thou shalt make confession. These are signs for the watchful and for those who constantly dwell in solitude and wish to reach veraciousness of behaviour. Those who are relaxed, do not want subtle signs indicating hidden traps. For they arc also far from hidden virtues. As soon as one of these begins to show itself in thy soul, then at once try to understand towards which side it begins to incline ; then thou shalt know at the same time to which category it belongs.

Examine thyself constantly, my beloved, and pay attention to the steadiness of thy labours, and the troubles assailing thee, thy lonely dwellingplace, the subtlety of thy mind and the keenness of thy knowledge, the long period o( thy solitude, and the frequent drogues of temptations that are continually administered by the true physician in order to heal the inner man ; sometimes however by the demons. Sometimes they come through illnesses and bodily sufferings, sometimes through the terrors of the emotions of thy soul when it thinks of the woes which will come in the end. Sometimes through 4S4 the tenderness and fostering of grace there will arise warmth and sweet tears and spiritual joy and all the other things, to be short. Doest thou see with certainty through all these that thy wounds are going to be healed, that is — that the affections begin to grow weak? Put up a mark and enter into thyself continually and see which of the affections have become weak before thee ; which of them have reached their end and are altogether finished ; which of them are beginning to become silent in the health of thy soul, and not by the departure of emotional influences; through the maturity of the mind and not for lack of causes.

Doest thou now see perfectly — as thou observest that living flesh, which is peace of the soul, is going to cover thy open wound — which of the affections continually trouble thee, and which from time to time; and which are bodily, which are psychic, and which of a mixed nature; and whether they stir darkly, as being ill by recollections, or they assail the soul vehemently ; whether they consequently behave stealthily or imperiously; and how king mind, the governor of the senses, looks at them when they knock at the door ; whether it combates and vanquishes them by its force, or even does not look at them or think of them ; and which of them are the remnants of old ones, and which have been newly formed; and whether the affections stir through representations, or by apperception without any representation ; whether there is recollection without affections, and emotion without allurements. By these [symptoms] it is possible to recognize the degree which the soul occupies. If the first mentioned alternative is to be affirmed (though it does not prevail), this shows that 485 there is still strife in the soul though it is strong against [the contrary powers].

If the second mentioned alternative is to be affirmed, it almost proves that, as scripture says, David sat in his house and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his [enemies] l ). These things are not to be connected with one affection, but with the natural affections of desire and love also, as also with the affection of love of glory, which forms images and phantasies and allurements. And the affection of the love of money — when the soul participates of it secretly, though it is not persuaded to commit any action thereby — forms in the mind images of things connected with the love of money in the examples of wealth-gathering, and it induces the soul to think of them and it excites the desire of possessing them, and so on. Not all affections combat man by allurements. For some of them burden the soul with troubles only. Dejection and despondency and distress do not bring allurements nor comfort, but only burden the soul with heaviness. The readiness of the soul is demonstrated by a victory fought against those forces which make use of allurements in the struggle.

For a man ought to possess all these, namely subtle knowledge and signs, in order that he may perceive, at every step he takes, how far he is gone and in which country his soul has begun to walk, in the land of [Canaan or beyond the Jordan. Consider also this: whether the soul, through its illumination, possesses sufficient knowledge for these distinctions ; or distinguishes them dimly, or is wholly destitute of such distinctive J 486 faculties. Doest thou find with absolute certainty, that the deliberations have begun to become clear : Does distraction desist from the intellect at the time of prayer? Which affection troubles thee when the mind approaches unto prayer? Doest thou perceive that the power of solitude envelops the soul with the quiet and the unusual peace which it engenders in the mind? Is the mind continually snatched away spontaneously, by immaterial emotions, towards those things which it is not allowed to interpret to the senses? Does there suddenly blaze in them joy which makes the tongue silent by its incomparable delight? Does there constantly flow from the heart some enjoyment which envelops the whole being in rapture, without thy perceiving it?

Is sometimes thy whole body possessed by some delight and joy, which no fleshly tongue can express, so that thou esteemest all earthly things as ashes and dung, even when thou recollectest them? The first happens sometimes at the time of prayer, sometimes during the recitation ; sometimes when through constant and prolonged meditation the spirit has become meditative and the mind fervent. The second usually happens without these. Often during fortuitous works, usually however during the night and on purpose, between sleeping and waking, sleeping though not sleeping and waking though not waking.

And the delight which flows through the whole body is esteemed so high at that time, that it seems as if the kingdom of heaven were nothing else but this. 487 And further consider this: if the soul possesses the strength to reject recollections of apperceptible things by the strength of the hope which reigns over the heart and makes strong the inner senses by an unfathomable conviction; and if the heart has acquired, without forethought, the habit of being captured so that it does no longer [perceive] earthly things, through continual intercourse with our Saviour, and thou possessest knowledge so as to distinguish the different designations of this intercourse, when thou nearest them — solitude cultivated without interruption will make it easy to the soul to acynire the taste of these. They disappear however, after having been present, through tlie neglect of those who have received tlie;n, and for a long time they do not reappear. On account of these, man ventures to adduce with confidence the testimony of his own mind; so the blessed Paul says: Tor I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other thing shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ ').

Then should bodily and psychic trouble, or persecution or hunger, or nakedness or loneliness, or captivity or clanger or the sword? No, not even the angels of Satan, nor his powers with their evil cunning; nor glory which makes efforts by its alluring flatteries ; nor oppressions and scorn by their vain blows. If these things, my brother, to a larger or lesser extent have not begun to show themselves in thy soul, thy labours and troubles and all thy solitude are vain efforts. And even 488 if miracles were wrought by thy hands and thou shouldst quicken the dead, this would be, nothing in comparison with the absence of these. And it is becoming that thou arousest thy self and with tears beseechest the Saviour of the world that He may take away the veil from the heart, and disperse from the inner firmament the darkness of the clouds of the affections ; and that thou mayest be deemed worthy of seeing the rays of daylight. 'I hen thou wilt not dwell in darkness as one who is dead for ever. Continual vigils with recitation and frecpient kneelings performed between, will not fail one day to give this good to him that is diligent. For those that have found them, have found them through these works.

And those who will find them, will be able to do so through these works. And while we are constantly abiding in solitude, performing these works, and the mind is not bound by any thing or any man without the soul, then by the works of inward excellence we shall soon find in ourselves a partial, but veracious apperception of them and we shall acquire certainty also concerning the rest. Those who, while abiding in solitude, have experienced God's lovingkindness, do not need much persuasion. Nor is their soul sick by the affection of unbelief as those who doubt the truth. The witness of their mind is for them sufficient persuasion, more than myriads of words not founded on experience.

Thou must perpetually place a token in thy soul, and pay attention to it. And when thou perceivest that divine care begins to reveal itself to the soul, then understand that thou art near the harbour of purity. As soon as man begins to be lifted up above the affections, this holy force will cling to the .soul, without leaving it, day or night, showing it God's providence. And even the particulars of what is and comes to pass, of yes and no, what happens to a man secretly and manifestly and the facts relating to the creation of this world, are revealed to the soul by that force which clings to it and which reveals to it the creative power of God and shows it divine providence which, without a break, follows and visits this whole creation. And it shows the soul how this providence follows man at all times, and, though he does not perceive it and does not know it, preserves him against adversities at all times and directs him towards what serves for the salvation and the rest of his soul and body and to gain life. Now this divine force, which works all these, shows itself secretly to man, by intelligible revelation to his spiritual nature, which is intellect.

When man has been deemed worthy to receive this power within his soul, he abides only in ecstasy and silence and tears which always flow as water, so that he desists from 490 all work. And thou must gaze at all times at this sight of God's continual care for the work of Mis hands : the mind absorbed in ecstasy, the senses at rest, weak man prostrated on his face in prayer, [in astatej in which no tongue can speak and in which no heart can pray, but by astonishment at these tilings even prayer is cut off. This is the idleness which is more profitable than work, when a man is purely at rest, with his senses and his impulses, being continually prostrated before his Lord. And even his bones in silence send up a glorification to God, in this socalled idleness ; as the prophet says : All my bones shall say : Lord, who is like unto Thee 2 At this time, above all affections, thou findest the demon of haughtiness bound and thrown at the feet of the soul. By this gift, as it is said, man becomes worthy of the love of God and of complete humility. This first gift is tasted through solitude.

And those who, in service and observance, have abided within absolute solitude, must necessarily know it. But when a man leaves solitude and begins to be lax, it is withdrawn from him. And when he enters again and cares for himself and clings diligently to the usual service, he is again supplied with it, and it shows its force to the soul. Then, when man has become wholly perfect, this force will cling to him inwardly and outwardly and 491 not one hour will he be without sighs and tears and the rest, if he does not neglect the pure order of his service. Even now there are men who have been deemed worthy of this partly. And the peculiarities of the degree of perfection they recognize from that which they possess partially. For, when a man has tasted a small quantity ;i ) of wine from a large skin, he knows how all the rest is, even when others drink a part or all the remainder. A man who possesses [this gift] in perfection, will not soon be found, nay hardly at all.

For this power is a gift of the observance of solitude; and because in this our enervated generation there is none who keeps perfect solitude and complete observance, we are also destitute of its gifts v j. He who possesses these signs in writing of ink, but their practice is not found in him by experience, resembles a man who bears in his arms a cither adorned and provided with strong strings, but his fingers do not know, because they are not trained, to play thereon and to bring forth different melodies for his own delight. For he only possesses the cither, but not the required art. And he needs others to play on it before him and give him enjoyment. Do not rejoice when thou art rich in the knowledge of many things; but rejoice when that which thou knowest is found with thee practically. The former without the latter will retire gradually and even end in haughtiness, through idleness. When thou art zealous in the latter, thou wilt necessarily be illuminated P s - 35i IO TOTtSO, moaning uncertain by it without instruction.

The eye of knowledge is experience; its growth is brought about by continual service. 492 This will be to thee a luminous token of the serenity of thy soul : when thou, examining thyself, findest thyself full of mercy for all mankind, and when thy heart is afflicted by pity for them and burns as with fire without personal discrimination. While by these things the image of the Father in heaven is continually seen in thee, thou canst recognize the degree of thy behaviour, not by the discrimination of the labours, but by the varying states to which thy intellect is subject. The body is then wont to swim in tears, as the mind gazes at spiritual things, while it is as if from the eyes there flowed brooks which moisten the cheeks, without compulsion, spontaneously. Now, l ) I know one who even during his sleep was overwhelmed by ecstasy in God through the contemplation of something which he had read in the evening. And while his soul was amazed at this contemplative meditation, he perceived, as it were, that he had meditated for long in the motion of sleep and examined the ecstatic vision.

It was in the depth of the night, and suddenly he awoke from his sleep while his tears dropped aswater and fell upon his breast ; and his mouth was full of glorification and his heart meditated in contemplation for a long time, with a delight which did not come to an end. And through the many tears that, without measure, were shed by his eyes, and through the stupefaction of his soul by which all the members of his body were relaxed, and of his heart in which some delight 493 was astir, he was not even able to accomplish his usual nightservice, except some psalm at break of dawn, so overwhelmed was he by the many tears which as a fountain broke forth from his eyes spontaneously, and by the ether spiritual things. Let us also be zealous, my brethren. And before we go to sleep, let us many times meditate upon glorifications and recited psalm and passages of the holy scriptures, guarding ourselves against evil recollections and from bad thought. And let us provide :J ) our treasury with every beautiful thing.

Then sleep will overtake us while we are full of the recollection of God, while our soul is "flowing with great desire for the things that rdoal are good, through the grace of God which surrounds us in our sleep and spends upon us its gifts while we are sleeping, examining us, whether our body is free from any kind of impurity, and the impulses of our heart pure from evil. And through grace it will be impossible for the sons of the prince of darkness to approach us because the sword and lance of grace surround us. 13 ut when they find us as they like to find us, when grace has withdrawn from us because it disliked usand has removed us from itself as corpses void of life, then they approach us, with all their evil, and try us by all sordid and fearful impulses, according to the desire of their evil will.

And when such a thing happens to us in our sleep, let us understand at once and recollect and perceive, that in that night God's inspiration l ) was far from us. And how is it that the 494 demons have not devoured us? Because the divine will in whose hand the soul of all flesh is placed, only allows [them] to approach us, that we should arouse and look at ourselves. It is not possible for them to approach us when [inspiration] is near. i") K&CLU^O