barlaam and ioasaph-第24节

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e　God　and　Saviour　of　the　world；　who　gave　it　to　us　as　the　sign　of　victory　over　the　devil；　for　the　devil　trembleth　and　quaketh　at　the　virtue　thereof；　and　endureth　not　to　behold　it。　　In　such　doctrines　and　in　such　faith　shalt　thou　be　baptized；　keeping　thy　faith　unwavering　and　pure　of　all　heresy　until　thy　latest　breath。　　But　all　teaching　and　every　speech　of　doctrine　contrary　to　this　blameless　faith　abhor；　and　consider　it　an　alienation　from　God。　　For；　as　saith　the　Apostle；　‘Though　we；　or　an　angel　from　heaven；　preach　any　other　gospel　unto　you　than　that　which　we　have　preached　unto　you；　let　him　be　accursed。'　　For　there　is　none　other　Gospel　or　none　other　Faith　than　that　which　hath　been　preached　by　the　Apostles；　and　established　by　the　inspired　Fathers　at　divers　Councils；　and　delivered　to　the　Catholick　Church。〃

When　Barlaam　had　thus　spoken；　and　taught　the　king's　son　the　Creed　which　was　set　forth　at　the　Council　of　Nicaea；　he　baptized　him　in　the　name　of　the　Father；　and　of　the　Son；　and　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　in　the　pool　of　water　which　was　in　his　garden。　　And　there　came　upon　him　the　grace　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　　Then　did　Barlaam　come　back　to　his　chamber；　and　offer　the　holy　Mysteries　of　the　unbloody　　Sacrifice；　and　communicate　him　with　the　undefiled　Mysteries　of　Christ：　and　Ioasaph　rejoiced　in　spirit；　giving　thanks　to　Christ　his　God。

Then　said　Barlaam　unto　him；　〃Blessed　be　the　God　and　Father　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　which　according　to　his　abundant　mercy　hath　begotten　thee　again　unto　a　lively　hope；　to　an　inheritance　incorruptible　and　undefiled；　that　fadeth　not　away；　reserved　in　heaven　in　Christ　Jesus　our　Lord　by　the　Holy　Ghost；　for　to…day　thou　hast　been　made　free　from　sin；　and　hast　become　the　servant　of　God；　and　hast　received　the　earnest　of　everlasting　life：　thou　hast　left　darkness　and　put　on　light；　being　enrolled　in　the　glorious　liberty　of　the　children　of　God。　　For　he　saith；　‘As　many　as　received　him；　to　them　gave　he　power　to　become　the　sons　of　God；　even　to　them　that　believe　on　his　name。'　　Wherefore　thou　art　no　more　a　servant；　but　a　son　and　an　heir　of　God　through　Jesus　Christ　in　the　Holy　Ghost。　Wherefore；　beloved；　give　diligence　that　thou　mayest　be　found　of　him　without　spot　and　blameless；　working　that　which　is　good　upon　the　foundation　of　faith：　for　faith　without　works　is　dead；　as　also　are　works　without　faith；　even　as　I　remember　to　have　told　thee　afore。　　Put　off　therefore　now　all　malice；　and　hate　all　the　works　of　the　old　man；　which　are　corrupt　according　to　the　deceitful　lusts；　and；　as　new…born　babe；　desire　to　drink　the　reasonable　and　sincere　milk　of　the　virtues；　that　thou　mayest　grow　thereby；　and　attain　unto　the　knowledge　of　the　commandments　of　the　Son　of　God；　unto　a　perfect　man；　unto　the　measure　of　the　stature　of　the　fulness　of　Christ：　that　thou　mayest　henceforth　be　no　more　a　child　in　mind；　tossed　to　and　fro；　and　carried　about　on　the　wild　and　raging　waves　of　thy　passions：　or　rather　in　malice　be　a　child；　but　have　thy　mind　settled　and　made　steadfast　toward　that　which　is　good；　and　walk　worthy　of　the　vocation　wherewith　thou　wast　called；　in　the　keeping　of　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　casting　off　and　putting　far　from　thee　the　vanity　of　thy　former　conversation；　henceforth　walking　not　as　the　Gentiles　walk　in　the　vanity　of　their　mind；　having　their　understanding　darkened；　alienated　from　the　glory　of　God；　in　subjection　to　their　lusts　and　unreasonable　affections。　　But　as　for　thee；　even　as　thou　hast　approached　the　living　and　true　God；　so　walk　thou　as　a　child　of　light；　for　the　fruit　of　the　Spirit　is　in　all　goodness　and　righteousness　and　truth；　and　no　longer　destroy　by　the　works　of　the　old　man　the　new　man；　which　thou　hast　to…day　put　on。　　But　day　by　day　renew　thyself　in　righteousness　and　holiness　and　truth：　for　this　is　possible　with　every　man　that　willeth；　as　thou　hearest　that　unto　them　that　believe　on　his　name　he　hath　given　power　to　become　the　sons　of　God；　so　that　we　can　no　longer　say　that　the　acquiring　of　virtues　is　impossible　for　us；　for　the　road　is　plain　and　easy。　　For；　though　with　respect　to　the　buffeting　of　the　body；　it　hath　been　called　a　strait　and　narrow　way；　yet　through　the　hope　of　future　blessings　is　it　desirable　and　divine　for　such　as　walk；　not　as　fools　but　circumspectly；　understanding　what　the　will　of　God　is；　clad　in　the　whole　armour　of　God　to　stand　in　battle　against　the　wiles　of　the　adversary；　and　with　all　prayer　and　supplication　watching　thereunto；　in　all　patience　and　hope。　　Therefore；　even　as　thou　hast　heard　from　me；　and　been　instructed；　and　hast　laid　a　sure　foundation；　do　thou　abound　therein；　increasing　and　advancing；　and　warring　the　good　warfare；　holding　faith　and　a　good　conscience；　witnessed　by　good　works；　following　after　righteousness；　godliness；　faith；　charity；　patience；　meekness；　laying　hold　on　eternal　life　whereunto　thou　wast　called。　　But　remove　far　from　thee　all　pleasure　and　lust　of　the　affections；　not　only　in　act　and　operation；　but　even　in　the　thoughts　of　thine　heart；　that　thou　mayest　present　thy　soul　without　blemish　to　God。　　For　not　our　actions　only；　but　our　thoughts　also　are　recorded；　and　procure　us　crowns　or　punishments：　and　we　know　that　Christ；　with　the　Father　and　the　Holy　Ghost；　dwelleth　in　pure　hearts。　　But；　just　as　smoke　driveth　away　bees；　so；　we　learn；　do　evil　imaginations　drive　out　of　us　the　Holy　Spirit's　grace。　　Wherefore　take　good　heed　hereto；　that　thou　blot　out　every　imagination　of　sinful　passion　from　thy　soul；　and　plant　good　thoughts　therein；　making　thyself　a　temple　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　For　from　imaginations　we　come　also　to　actual　deeds；　and　every　work；　advancing　from　thought　and　reflection；　catcheth　at　small　beginnings；　and　then；　by　small　increases；　arriveth　at　great　endings。

〃Wherefore　on　no　account　suffer　any　evil　habit　to　master　thee；　but；　while　it　is　yet　young；　pluck　the　evil　root　out　of　thine　heart；　lest　it　fasten　on　and　strike　root　so　deep　that　time　and　labour　be　required　to　uproot　it。　　And　the　reason　that　greater　sins　assault　us　and　get　the　mastery　of　our　souls　is　that　those　which　appear　to　be　less；　such　as　wicked　thoughts；　unseemly　words　and　evil　communications；　fail　to　receive　proper　correction。　　For　as　in　the　case　of　the　body；　they　that　neglect　small　wounds　often　bring　mortification　and　death　upon　themselves；　so　too　with　the　　soul：　thus　they　that　overlook　little　passions　and　sins　bring　on　greater　ones。　　And　the　more　those　greater　sins　grow　on　them；　the　more　cloth　the　soul　become　accustomed　therto　and　think　light　of　them。　　For　he　saith；　‘When　the　wicked　cometh　to　the　depth　of　evil　things；　he　thinketh　light　of　them'：　and　finally；　like　the　hog；　that　delighteth　to　wallow　in　mire；　the　soul；　that　hath　been　buried　in　evil　habits；　doth　not　even　perceive　the　stink　of　her　sin；　but　rather　delighteth　and　rejoiceth　therein；　cleaving　to　wickedness　as　it　were　good。　　And　even　if　at　last　she　issue　from　the　mire　and　come　to　herself　again；　she　is　delivered　only　by　much　labour　and　sweat　from　the　bondage　of　those　sins；　to　which　she　hath　by　evil　custom　enslaved　herself。

〃Wherefore　with　all　thy　might　remove　thyself　far　from　every　evil　thought　and　fancy；　and　every　sinful　custom；　and　school　thyself　the　rather　in　virtuous　deeds；　and　form　the　habit　of　practising　them。　　For　if　thou　labour　but　a　little　therein；　and　have　strength　to　form　the　habit；　at　the　last；　God　helping　thee；　thou　shalt　advance　without　labour。　　For　the　habit　of　virtue；　taking　its　quality　from　the　soul；　seeing　that　it　hath　some　natural　kinship　therewith　and　claimeth　God　for　an　help…mate；　becometh　hard　to　alter　and　exceeding　strong；　as　thou　seest；　courage　and　prudence；　temperance　and　righteousness　are　hard　to　alter；　being　deeply　seated　habits；　qualities　and　activities　of　the　soul。　　For　if　the　evil　affections；　not　being　natural　to　us；　but　attacking　us　from　without；　be　hard　to　alter　when　they　become　habits；　how　much　harder　shall　it　be　to　shift　virtue；　which　hath　been　by　nature　planted　in　us　by　our　Maker；　and　hath　him　for　an　help…mate；　if　so　be；　through　our　brief　endeavour；　it　shall　have　been　rooted　in　habit　in　the　soul？〃


XX。

〃Wherefore　a　practician　of　virtue　once　spake　to　me　on　this　wise：　'After　I　had　made　divine　meditation　my　constant　habit；　and　through　the　practice　of　it　my　soul　had　received　her　right　quality；　I　once　resolved　to　make　trial　of　her；　and　put　a　check　upon　her；　not　allowing　her　to　devote　herself　to　her　wonted　exercises。　　I　felt　that　she　was　chafing　and　fretting；　and　yearning　for　meditation　with　an　ungovernable　desire；　and　was　utterly　unable　to　incline　to　any　contrary　thought。　　No　sooner　had　I　given　her　the　reins　than　immediately　she　ran　in　hot　haste　to　her　own　task；　as　saith　the　Prophet；　‘Like　as　the　hart　desireth　the　water　brooks；　so　longeth　my　soul　after　the　strong；　the　living　God。'　　Wherefore　from　all　these　proofs　it　is　evident　that　the　acquirement　of　virtue　is　within　our　reach；　and　that　we　are　lords　over　it；　whether　we　will　embrace　or　else　the　rather　choose　sin。　They　then；　that　are　in　the　thraldom　of　wickedness；　can　hardly　be　torn　away　therefrom；　as　I　have　already　said。

〃But　thou；　who　hast　been　delivered　therefrom；　through　the　tender　mercy　of　our　God；　and　hast　put　on　Christ　by　the　grace　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　now　transfer　thyself　wholly　to　the　Lord's　side；　and　never　open　a　door　to　thy　passions；　but　adorn　thy　soul　with　the　sweet　savour　and　splendour　of　virtue；