barlaam and ioasaph-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ret　the　thing　past　and　gone：　and　never　believe　the　word　that　passeth　belief。　　Keep　these　three　precepts；　and　may　it　be　well　with　thee。'　　The　man；　admiring　the　lucidity　and　sense　of　her　words；　freed　the　bird　from　her　captivity；　and　sent　her　forth　aloft。　　She；　therefore；　desirous　to　know　whether　the　man　had　understood　the　force　of　her　words；　and　whether　he　had　gleaned　any　profit　therefrom；　said；　as　she　flew　aloft；　‘Shame；　sir；　on　thy　fecklessness！　　What　a　treasure　that　hast　lost　to…day！　　For　I　have　inside　me　a　pearl　larger　than　an　ostrich…egg。'　　When　the　fowler　heard　thereof；　he　was　distraught　with　grief；　regretting　that　the　bird　had　escaped　out　of　his　hands。　　And　he　would　fain　have　taken　her　again。　　‘Come　hither；'　said　he；　‘into　my　house：　I　will　make　thee　right　welcome；　and　send　thee　forth　with　honour。'　　But　the　nightingale　said　unto　him；　‘Now　I　know　thee　to　be　a　mighty　fool。　Though　thou　didst　receive　my　words　readily　and　gladly；　thou　hast　gained　no　profit　thereby。　　I　bade　thee　never　regret　the　thing　past　and　gone；　and　behold　thou　art　distraught　with　grief　because　I　have　escaped　out　of　thy　hands　there　thou　regrettest　a　thing　past　and　gone。　　I　charged　thee　not　to　try　to　attain　to　the　unattainable；　and　thou　triest　to　catch　me；　though　thou　canst　not　attain　to　my　path。　　Besides　which；　I　bade　thee　never　believe　a　word　past　belief；　and　behold　thou　hast　believed　that　I　had　inside　me　a　pearl　exceeding　the　measure　of　my　size；　and　hadst　not　the　sense　to　see　that　my　whole　body　doth　not　attain　to　the　bulk　of　ostrich　eggs。　　How　then　could　I　contain　such　a　pearl？〃'

〃Thus　senseless；　then；　are　also　they　that　trust　in　idols：　for　these　be　their　handiwork；　and　they　worship　that　which　their　fingers　made；　saying；　‘These　be　our　creators。'　　How　then　deem　they　their　creators　those　which　have　been　formed　and　fashioned　by　themselves？　　Nay　more；　they　safeguard　their　gods；　lest　they　be　stolen　by　thieves；　and　yet　they　call　them　guardians　of　their　safety。　　And　yet　what　folly　not　to　know　that　they；　which　be　unable　to　guard　and　aid　themselves；　can　in　no　wise　guard　and　save　others！　　‘For'　saith　he；　‘why；　on　behalf　of　the　living；　should　they　seek　unto　the　dead？'　　They　expend　wealth；　for　to　raise　statues　and　images　to　devils；　and　vainly　boast　that　these　give　them　good　gifts；　and　crave　to　receive　of　their　hands　things　which　those　idols　never　possessed；　nor　ever　shall　possess。　　Wherefore　it　is　written；　‘May　they　that　make　them　be　like　unto　them；　and　so　be　all　such　as　put　their　trust　in　them；　who；'　he　saith；　‘hire　a　goldsmith；　and　make　them　gods；　and　they　fall　down；　yea；　they　worship　them。　　They　bear　them　upon　the　shoulders；　and　go　forward。　And　if　they　set　them　in　their　place；　they　stand　therein：　they　shall　not　remove。　　Yea；　one　shall　cry　unto　them；　yet　call　they　not　answer　him；　nor　save　him　out　of　his　trouble。'　　‘Wherefore　be　ye　ashamed　with　everlasting　shame；　ye　that　trust　in　graven　images；　that　say　to　the　molten　images；　Ye　are　our　gods。'　　‘For　they　sacrificed；'　he　saith；　‘unto　devils；　and　not　to　God；　to　gods　whom　their　fathers　knew　not。　　There　came　new　and　fresh　gods；　because　it　is　a　froward　generation；　and　there　is　no　faith　in　them。'

〃Wherefore　out　of　this　wicked　and　faithless　generation　the　Lord　calleth　thee　to　him；　saying；　‘Come　out　from　among　them；　and　be　thou　separate；　and　touch　no　unclean　thing；'　but　‘save　thyself　from　this　untoward　generation。'　　‘Arise　thou；　and　depart；　for　this　is　not　thy　rest；'　for　that　divided　lordship；　which　your　gods　hold；　is　a　thing　of　confusion　and　strife　and　hath　no　real　being　whatsoever。　　But　with　us　it　is　not　so；　neither　have　we　many　gods　and　lords；　but　one　God；　the　Father；　of　whom　are　all　things；　and　we　unto　him：　and　one　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　by　whom　are　all　things　and　we　by　him；　‘who　is　the　image　of　the　invisible　God；　the　first　born　of　every　creature'　and　of　all　ages；　‘for　in　him　were　all　things　created　that　are　in　the　heavens　and　that　are　upon　the　earth；　visible　and　invisible；　whether　they　be　thrones；　or　dominions；　or　principalities；　or　powers。'　　‘All　things　were　made　by　him；　and　without　him　was　not　anything　made　that　was　made：'　and　one　Holy　Ghost；　in　whom　are　all　things；　‘the　Lord　and　Giver　of　life；'　God　and　making　God；　the　good　Spirit；　the　right　Spirit；　'the　Spirit　the　Comforter；'　‘the　Spirit　of　adoption。'　　Of　these　each　person；　severally；　is　God。　　As　the　Father　is；　so　also　is　the　Son；　and　as　the　Son；　so　also　the　Holy　Ghost。　　And　there　is　one　God　in　three；　one　nature；　one　kingdom；　one　power；　one　glory；　one　substance；　distinct　in　persons；　and　so　only　distinct。　　One　is　the　Father；　whose　property　it　is　not　to　have　been　begotten；　one　is　the　only…begotten　Son；　and　his　property　it　is　to　have　been　begotten；　and　one　is　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　his　property　it　is　that　he　proceedeth。　　Thus　illuminated　by　that　light；　which　is　the　Father；　with　that　light；　which　is　the　Son；　in　that　light；　which　is　the　Holy　Ghost；　we　glorify　one　Godhead　in　three　persons。　　And　he　is　one　very　and　only　God；　known　in　the　Trinity：　for　of　him　and　through　him；　and　unto　him　are　all　things。

〃By　his　grace　also；　I　came　to　know　thy　ease；　and　was　sent　to　teach　thee　the　lessons　that　I　have　learned　and　observed　from　my　youth　even　to　these　grey　hairs。　　If　then　thou　shalt　believe　and　be　baptized；　thou　shalt　be　saved；　but　if　thou　believe　not；　thou　shalt　be　damned。　　All　the　things　that　thou　seest　to…day；　wherein　thou　gloriest；　　pomp；　luxury；　riches；　and　all　the　deceitfulness　of　life；　　quickly　pass　away；　and　they　shall　cast　thee　hence　whether　thou　wilt　or　no。　　And　thy　body　will　be　imprisoned　in　a　tiny　grave；　left　in　utter　loneliness；　and　bereft　of　all　company　of　kith　and　kin。　　And　all　the　pleasant　things　of　the　world　shall　perish；　and　instead　of　the　beauty　and　fragrance　of　to…day；　thou　shalt　be　encompassed　with　horror　and　the　stink　of　corruption。　　But　thy　soul　shall　they　hurl　into　the　nether…regions　of　the　earth；　into　the　condemnation　of　Hades；　until　the　final　resurrection；　when　re…united　to　her　body；　she　shall　be　cast　forth　from　the　presence　of　the　Lord　and　be　delivered　to　hell　fire；　which　burneth　everlastingly。　　These；　and　far　worse　haps　than　these；　shall　be　thy　destiny；　if　thou　continue　in　unbelief。

〃But　and　if　thou　readily　obey　him　that　calleth　thee　to　salvation；　and　if　thou　run　unto　him　with　desire　and　joy；　and　be　signed　with　his　light；　and　follow　him　without　turn；　renouncing　every　thing；　and　cleaving　only　unto　him；　hear　what　manner　of　security　and　happiness　shall　be　thine。　　‘When　thou　sittest　down；　thou　shall　not　be　afraid　of　sudden　fear。　　When　thou　liest　down；　sweet　shall　be　thy　sleep。'　　And　thou　shalt　not　be　afraid　of　terror　coming　or　the　assaults　of　evil　spirits；　but　shalt　go　thy　way　bold　as　any　lion；　and　shalt　live　in　bliss　and　everlasting　joyaunce。　　For　joy　and　praise　shall　crown　thy　head；　and　gladness　shall　befall　thee　there；　where　pain　and　sorrow　and　wailing　shall　flee　away。'　　‘Then　shall　thy　light　break　forth　as　the　morning；　and　thine　health　shall　rise　speedily：　and　thy　righteousness　shall　go　before　thee；　and　the　glory　of　the　Lord　shall　be　thy　reward。'　　Then　shalt　thou　call；　and　the　Lord　shall　answer；　while　thou　art　yet　speaking；　he　shall　say；　‘Here　am　I。'　　‘I；　even　I；　am　he　that　blotteth　out　thy　transgressions；　and　will　not　remember　them。　　Put　me　in　remembrance：　let　us　plead　together：　declare　thou　thy　sins　that　thou　mayst　be　justified。'　　‘Though　thy　sins　be　as　scarlet；　I　will　make　them　white　as　snow：　though　they　be　red　as　crimson　I　will　make　them　white　as　wool；　for　the　mouth　of　the　Lord　hath　spoken　it。'〃


XI。

Ioasaph　said　unto　him；　〃All　thy　words　are　fair　and　wonderful；　and；　while　thou　spakest；　I　believed　them　and　still　believe　them；　and　I　hate　all　idolatry　with　all　my　heart。　　And　indeed；　even　before　thy　coming　hither；　my　soul　was；　in　uncertain　fashion；　doubtful　of　it。　　But　now　I　hate　it　with　a　perfect　hatred；　since　I　have　learned　from　thy　lips　the　vanity　thereof；　and　the　folly　of　those　who　worship　idols；　and　I　yearn　to　become　the　servant　of　the　true　God；　if　haply　he　will　not　refuse　me；　that　am　unworthy　by　reason　of　my　sins；　and　I　trust　that　he　will　forgive　me　everything；　because　he　is　a　lover　of　men；　and　compassionate；　as　thou　tellest　me；　and　will　count　me　worthy　to　become　his　servant。　So　I　am　ready　anon　to　receive　baptism；　and　to　observe　all　thy　sayings。　　But　what　must　I　do　after　baptism？　　And　is　this　alone　sufficient　for　salvation；　to　believe　and　be　baptized；　or　must　one

add　other　services　thereto？〃

Barlaam　answered　him；　〃Hear　what　thou　must　do　after　baptism。　　Thou　must　abstain　from　all　sin；　and　every　evil　affection；　and　build　upon　the　foundation　of　the　Catholick　Faith　the　practice　of　the　virtues；　for　faith　without　works　is　dead；　as　also　are　works　without　faith。　　For；　saith　the　Apostle；　‘Walk　in　the　Spirit；　and　ye　shall　not　fulfil　the　lust　of　the　flesh。'　　Now　the　works　of　the　flesh　are　manifest；　which　are　these：　Adultery；　fornication；　uncleanness；　lasciviousness；　idolatry；　witchcraft；　hatred；　variance；　emulations；　wrath；　strife；　seditions；　heresies；　envyings；　murders；　love　of　money；　railing；　love　of　pleasure；　drunkenness；　revelling；　arrogance；　and　such　like；　of　the　which　I　tell　you　before；　as　I　have　also　told　you　in　time　past；　that　they　which　do　such　things　shall　not　inherit　the　Kingdom　of　God。　　But　the　fruit　of　the　Spirit　is　love；　joy；　peace；　longsuf