barlaam and ioasaph-第25节

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never　open　a　door　to　thy　passions；　but　adorn　thy　soul　with　the　sweet　savour　and　splendour　of　virtue；　and　make　her　a　temple　of　the　Holy　Trinity；　and　to　his　contemplation　see　thou　devote　all　the　powers　of　thy　mind。　　He　that　liveth　and　converseth　with　an　earthly　king　is　pointed　out　by　all　as　a　right　happy　man：　what　happiness　then　must　be　his　who　is　privileged　to　converse　and　be　in　spirit　with　God！　　Behold　thou　then　his　likeness　alway；　and　converse　with　him。　How　shalt　thou　converse　with　God？　　By　drawing　near　him　in　prayer　and　supplication。　　He　that　prayeth　with　exceeding　fervent　desire　and　pure　heart；　his　mind　estranged　from　all　that　is　earthly　and　grovelling；　and　standeth　before　God；　eye　to　eye；　and　presenteth　his　prayers　to　him　in　fear　and　trembling；　such　an　one　hath　converse　and　speaketh　with　him　face　to　face。

〃Our　good　Master　is　present　everywhere；　hearkening　to　them　that　approach　him　in　purity　and　truth；　as　saith　the　Prophet；　‘The　eyes　of　the　Lord　are　over　the　righteous；　and　his　ears　are　open　unto　their　cry。'　　For　this　reason　the　Fathers　define　Prayer　as　‘the　union　of　man　with　God；'　and　call　it　‘Angels'　work；'　and　‘the　prelude　of　gladness　to　come。'　　For　since　they　lay　down　before　all　things　that　‘the　kingdom　of　heaven'　consisteth　in　nearness　to　and　contemplation　of　the　Holy　Trinity；　and　since　all　the　importunity　of　prayer　leadeth　the　mind　thither；　prayer　is　rightly　called　‘the　prelude'　and；　as　it　were；　the　‘fore…glimpse'　of　that　blessedness。　But　not　all　prayer　is　of　this　nature；　but　only　such　prayer　as　is　worthy　of　the　name；　which　hath　God　for　its　teacher；　who　giveth　prayer　to　him　that　prayeth；　prayer　which　soareth　above　all　things　on　earth　and　entreateth　directly　with　God。

〃This　acquire　thou　for　thyself；　and　strive　to　advance　thereto；　for　it　is　able　to　exalt　thee　from　earth　to　heaven。　　But　without　preparation　and　at　hap…hazard　thou　shalt　not　advance　therein。　　But　first　purify　thy　soul　from　all　passion；　and　cleanse　it　like　a　bright　and　newly　cleansed　mirrour　from　every　evil　thought；　and　banish　far　all　remembrance　of　injury　and　anger；　which　most　of　all　hindereth　our　prayers　from　ascending　to　God…ward：　and　from　the　heart　forgive　all　those　that　have　trespassed　against　thee；　and　with　alms　and　charities　to　the　poor　lend　wings　to　thy　prayer；　and　so　bring　it　before　God　with　fervent　tears。　　Thus　praying　thou　shalt　be　able　to　say　with　blessed　David；　who；　for　all　that　he　was　king；　and　distraught　with　ten　thousand　cares；　yet　cleansed　his　soul　from　all　passions；　and　could　say　unto　God；　‘As　for　iniquity；　I　hate　and　abhor　it；　but　thy　law　do　I　love。　　Seven　times　a　day　do　I　praise　thee；　because　of　thy　righteous　judgements。　　My　soul　hath　kept　thy　testimonies；　and　loved　them　exceedingly。　　Let　my　complaint　come　before　thee；　O　Lord：　give　me　understanding　according　to　thy　word。'

〃While　thou　art　calling　thus；　the　Lord　hear　thee：　while　thou　art　yet　speaking；　he　shall　say；　‘Behold　I　am　here。'　　If　then　thou　attain　to　such　prayer；　blessed　shalt　thou　be；　for　it　is　impossible　for　a　man　praying　and　calling　upon　God　with　such　purpose　not　to　advance　daily　in　that　which　is　good；　and　soar　over　all　the　snares　of　the　enemy。　　For；　as　saith　one　of　the　Saints；　'He　that　hath　made　fervent　his　understanding；　and　hath　lift　up　his　soul　and　migrated　to　heaven；　and　hath　thus　called　upon　his　Master；　and　remembered　his　own　sins；　and　spoken　concerning　the　forgiveness　of　the　same；　and　with　hot　tears　hath　besought　the　Lover　of　mankind　to　be　merciful　to　him：　such　an　one；　I　say；　by　his　continuance　in　such　words　and　considerations；　layeth　aside　every　care　of　this　life；　and　waxeth　superior　to　human　passions；　and　meriteth　to　be　called　an　associate　of　God。'　　Than　which　state　what　can　be　more　blessed　and　higher？　　May　the　Lord　vouchsafe　thee　to　attain　to　this　blessedness！

〃Lo　I　have　shown　thee　the　way　of　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　and　have　not　shunned　to　declare　unto　thee　all　the　counsel　of　God。　And　now　I；　have　fulfilled　my　ministry　unto　thee。　　It　remaineth　that　thou　gird　up　the　loins　of　thy　mind；　obedient　to　the　Holy　One　that　hath　called　thee；　and　be　thou　thyself　holy　in　all　manner　of　conversation：　for；　‘Be　ye　holy：　for　I　am　holy；'　saith　the　Lord。　And　the　chief　prince　of　the　Apostles　also　writeth；　saying；　‘If　ye　call　on　the　Father；　who　without　respect　of　persons　judgeth　according　to　every　man's　work；　pass　the　time　of　your　sojourning　here　in　fear；　knowing　that　ye　were　not　redeemed　with　corruptible　things；　as　silver　and　gold；　from　your　vain　conversation　received　by　tradition　from　your　fathers；　but　with　the　precious　blood　of　Christ；　as　of　a　lamb　without　blemish　and　without　spot。'

〃All　these　things　therefore　store　thou　up　in　thine　heart；　and　remember　them　unceasingly；　ever　keeping　before　thine　eyes　the　fear　of　God；　and　his　terrible　judgement　seat；　and　the　splendour　of　the　righteous　which　they　shall　receive　in　the　world　to　come；　and　the　shame　of　sinners　in　the　depths　of　darkness；　and　the　frailty　and　vanity　of　things　present；　and　the　eternity　of　things　hereafter；　for；　‘All　flesh　is　grass；　and　all　the　glory　of　man　as　the　flower　of　grass。　　The　grass　withereth；　and　the　flower　thereof　falleth　away：　but　the　word　of　the　Lord　endureth　for　ever。'　　Meditate　upon　these　things　alway　and　the　peace　of　God　be　with　thee；　enlightening　and　informing　thee；　and　leading　thee　into　the　way　of　salvation；　chasing　afar　out　of　thy　mind　every　evil　wish；　and　sealing　thy　soul　with　the　sign　of　the　Cross；　that　no　stumbling　block　of　the　evil　one　come　nigh　thee；　but　that　thou　mayest　merit；　in　all　fulness　of　virtue；　to　obtain　the　kingdom　that　is　to　come；　without　end　or　successor；　and　be　illumined　with　the　light　of　the　blessed　life…giving　Trinity；　which；　in　the　Father；　and　in　the　Son；　and　in　the　Holy　Ghost；　is　glorified。〃


XXI。

With　such　moral　words　did　the　reverend　elder　exhort　the　king's　son；　and　then　withdrew　to　his　own　hospice。　　But　the　young　prince's　servants　and　tutors　marvelled　to　see　the　frequency　of　Barlaam's　visits　to　the　palace；　and　one　of　the　chiefest　among　them；　whom；　for　his　fidelity　and　prudence；　the　king　had　set　over　his　son's　palace；　named　Zardan；　said　to　the　prince；　〃Thou　knowest　well；　sir；　how　much　I　dread　thy　father；　and　how　great　is　my　faith　toward　him：　wherefore　he　ordered　me；　for　my　faithfulness；　to　wait　upon　thee。　　Now；　when　I　see　this　stranger　constantly　conversing　with　thee；　I　fear　he　may　be　of　the　Christian　religion；　toward　which　thy　father　hath　a　deadly　hate；　and　I　shall　be　found　subject　to　the　penalty　of　death。　　Either　then　make　known　to　thy　father　this　man's　business；　or　in　future　cease　to　converse　with　him。　Else　cast　me　forth　from　thy　presence；　that　I　be　not　blameable；　and　ask　thy　father　to　appoint　another　in　my　room。

The　king's　son　said　unto　him；　〃This　do；　Zardan；　first　of　all。　　Sit　thou　down　behind　the　curtain；　and　hear　his　communication　with　me：　and　then　thus　will　I　tell　thee　what　thou　oughtest　to　do。〃

So　when　Barlaam　was　about　to　enter　into　his　presence；　Ioasaph　hid　Zardan　within　the　curtain；　and　said　to　the　elder；　〃Sum　me　up　the　matter　of　thy　divine　teaching；　that　it　may　the　more　firmly　be　implanted　in　my　heart。〃　　Barlaam　took　up　his　parable　and　uttered　many　sayings　touching　God；　and　righteousness　toward　him；　and　how　we　must　love　him　alone　with　all　our　heart；　and　with　all　our　soul；　and　with　all　our　mind；　and　keep　his　commandments　with　fear　and　love…and　how　he　is　the　Maker　of　all　things　visible　and　invisible。　Thereon　he　called　to　remembrance　the　creation　of　the　first　man；　the　command　given　unto　him；　and　his　transgression　thereof；　and　the　sentence　pronounced　by　the　Creator　for　this　transgression。　Then　he　reckoned　up　in　order　the　good　things　wherefrom　we　excluded　ourselves　by　the　disannulling　of　his　commandment。　　Again　he　made　mention　of　the　many　grievous　misfortunes　that　unhappily　overtook　man；　after　the　loss　of　the　blessings。　　Besides　this　he　brought　forward　God's　love　toward　mankind；　how　our　Maker；　heedful　of　our　salvation；　sent　forth　teachers　and　prophets　proclaiming　the　Incarnation　of　the　Only…begotten。　　Then　he　spake　of　the　Son；　his　dwelling　among　men；　his　deeds　of　kindness；　his　miracles；　his　sufferings　for　us　thankless　creatures；　his　Cross；　his　spear；　his　voluntary　death；　finally；　of　our　recovery　and　recall；　our　return　to　our　first　good　estate；　after　this；　of　the　kingdom　of　heaven　awaiting　such　as　are　worthy　thereof；　of　the　torment　in　store　for　the　wicked；　the　fire　that　is　not　quenched；　the　never　ending　darkness；　the　undying　worm；　and　all　the　other　tortures　which　the　slaves　of　sin　have　laid　up　in　store　for　themselves。　　When　he　had　fully　related　these　matters；　he　ended　his　speech　with　moral　instruction；　and　dwelt　much　upon　purity　of　life；　and　utterly　condemned　the　vanity　of　things　present；　and　proved　the　utter　misery　of　such　as　cleave　thereto；　and　finally　made　an　end　with　prayer。　　And　therewith　he　prayed　for　the　prince；　that　he　might　hold　fast　the　profession　of　the　Catholick　Faith　without　turning　and　without　wavering；　and　keep　his　life　blameless　and　his　conversation　pure；　and　so　ending　with　prayer　again　withdrew　to　his　hospice。

But　the　king's　son　called　Zardan　forth；　and；　to　try　his　disposition；　said　unto　him；　〃Thou　hast　heard　what　sort　of　discourses　this　babbler　maketh　me；　endeavouring　to　be…jape　me　with　his　specious　follies；　and　rob　me　of　this　pleasing　happine