barlaam and ioasaph-第30节

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med　from　dire　captivity　and　to　be　illumined　with　the　light　of　the　countenance　of　the　Lord。　　But　my　soul　was　distressed　and　divided　asunder；　that　thou；　my　lord　and　father；　didst　not　share　in　my　blessings。　Yet　I　feared　the　stubbornness　of　thy　mind；　and　kept　my　grief　to　myself；　not　wishing　to　anger　thee；　but；　without　ceasing；　I　prayed　God　to　draw　thee　to　himself；　and　call　thee　back　from　the　long　exile　that　thou　hast　imposed　upon　thyself；　a　runagate　alas！　　from　righteousness；　and　a　servant　of　all　sin　and　wickedness。　　But　sith　thou　thyself；　O　my　father；　hast　brought　mine　affairs　to　light；　hear　the　sum　of　my　resolve：　I　will　not　be　false　to　my　covenant　with　Christ；　no；　I　swear　it　by　him　that　bought　me　out　of　slavery　with　his　own　precious　blood；　even　if　I　must　needs　die　a　thousand　deaths　for　his　sake；　die　I　will。　　Knowing　then　how　matters　now　stand　with　me；　prithee；　no　longer　trouble　thyself　in　endeavouring　to　persuade　me　to　change　my　good　confession。　　For　as　it　were　a　thankless　and　never　ending　task　for　thee　to　try　to　grasp　the　heavens　with　thy　hand；　or　to　dry　up　the　waters　of　the　sea；　so　hard　were　it　for　thee　to　change　me。　　Either　then　now　listen　to　my　counsel；　and　join　the　household　of　Christ；　and　so　thou　shalt　gain　blessings　past　man's　understanding；　and　we　shall　be　fellows　with　one　another　by　faith；　even　as　by　nature；　or　else；　be　well　assured；　I　shall　depart　thy　sonship；　and　serve　my　God　with　a　clear　conscience。〃

Now　when　the　king　heard　all　these　words；　he　was　furiously　enraged：　and；　seized　with　ungovernable　anger；　he　cried　out　wrathfully　against　him；　and　gnashed　his　teeth　fiercely；　like　any　madman。　　〃And　who；〃　said　he；　〃is　blameable　for　all　my　misfortunes　but　myself；　who　have　dealt　with　thee　so　kindly；　and　cared　for　thee　as　no　father　before？　　Hence　the　perversity　and　contrariness　of　thy　mind；　gathering　strength　by　the　licence　that　I　gave　thee；　hath　made　thy　madness　to　fall　upon　mine　own　pate。　　Rightly　prophesied　the　astrologers　in　thy　nativity　that　thou　shouldest　prove　a　knave　and　villain；　an　impostor　and　rebellious　son。　　But　now；　if　thou　wilt　make　void　my　counsel；　and　cease　to　be　my　son；　I　will　become　thine　enemy；　and　entreat　thee　worse　than　ever　man　yet　entreated　his　foes。〃

Again　said　Ioasaph；　〃Why；　O　king；　hast　thou　been　kindled　to　wrath？　　Art　thou　grieved　that　I　have　gained　such　bliss？　　Why；　what　father　was　ever　seen　to　be　sorrowful　in　the　prosperity　of　his　son？　　Would　not　such　an　one　be　called　an　enemy　rather　than　a　father？　　Therefore　will　I　no　more　call　thee　my　father；　but　will　withdraw　from　thee；　as　a　man　fleeth　from　a　snake；　if　I　know　that　thou　grudgest　me　my　salvation；　and　with　violent　hand　forcest　me　to　destruction。　　If　thou　wilt　force　me；　and　play　the　tyrant；　as　thou　hast　threatened；　be　assured　that　thou　shalt　gain　nought　thereby　save　to　exchange　the　name　of　father　for　that　of　tyrant　and　murderer。　　It　were　easier　for　thee　to　attain　to　the　ways　Of　the　eagle；　and；　like　him；　cleave　the　air；　than　to　alter　my　loyalty　to　Christ；　and　that　good　confession　that　I　have　confessed　in　him。　　But　be　wise；　O　my　father；　and　shake　off　the　rheum　and　mist　from　the　eyes　of　thy　mind；　lift　them　aloft　and　look　upward　to　view　the　light　of　my　God　that　enlighteneth　all　around；　and　be　thyself；　at　last；　enlightened　with　this　light　most　sweet。　　Why　art　thou　wholly　given　up　to　the　passions　and　desires　of　the　flesh；　and　why　is　there　no　looking　upward？　　Know　thou　that　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　my　Lord；　which　by　the　gospel　is　preached　unto　all；　shall　endure　for　ever。　　Why　then　dost　thou　thus　madly　cling　to　and　embrace　that　glory；　which；　like　spring　flowers；　fadeth　and　perisheth；　and　to　beastly　unsavoury　wantonness；　and　to　the　abominable　passions　of　the　belly　and　the　members　thereunder；　which　for　a　season　please　the　senses　of　fools；　but　afterwards　make　returns　more　bitter　than　gall；　when　the　shadows　and　dreams　of　this　vain　life　are　passed　away；　and　the　lovers　thereof；　and　workers　of　iniquity　are　imprisoned　in　the　perpetual　pain　of　dark　and　unquenchable　fire；　where　the　worm　that　sleepeth　not　gnaweth　for　ever；　and　where　the　fire　burneth　without　ceasing　and　without　quenching　through　endless　ages？　　And　with　these　sinners　alas！　thou　too　shalt　be　imprisoned　and　grievously　tormented；　and　shalt　bitterly　rue　thy　wicked　counsels；　and　bitterly　regret　thy　days　that　now　are；　and　think　upon　my　words；　but　there　shall　be　no　advantage　in　repentance；　for　in　death　there　is　no　confession　and　repentance。　　But　the　present　is　the　set　time　for　work：　the　future　for　reward。　　Even　if　the　pleasures　of　the　present　world　were　not　evanescent　and　fleeting；　but　were　to　endure　for　ever　with　their　owners；　not　even　thus　should　any　man　choose　them　before　the　gifts　of　Christ；　and　the　good　things　that　pass　man's　understanding。　Soothly；　as　the　sun　surpasseth　in　radiance　and　brightness　the　dead　of　night；　even　so；　and　much　more　so；　doth　the　happiness　promised　to　those　that　love　God　excel　in　glory　and　magnificence　all　earthly　kinship　and　glory；　and　there　is　utter　need　for　a　man　to　choose　the　more　excellent　before　the　more　worthless。　　And　forasmuch　as　everything　here　is　fleeting　and　subject　to　decay；　and　passeth　and　vanisheth　as　a　dream；　and　as　a　shadow　and　vision　of　sleep；　and　as　one　may　sooner　trust　the　unstable　breezes；　or　the　tracks　of　a　ship　passing　over　the　waves；　than　the　prosperity　of　men；　what　simplicity；　nay；　what　folly　and　madness　it　is　to　choose　the　corruptible　and　perishable；　the　weak　things　of　no　worth；　rather　than　the　incorruptible　and　everlasting；　the　imperishable　and　endless；　and；　by　the　temporal　enjoyment　of　these　things；　to　forfeit　the　eternal　fruition　of　the　happiness　to　come！　Wilt　thou　not　understand　this；　my　father？　　Wilt　thou　not　haste　past　the　things　which　haste　pass　thee；　and　attach　thyself　to　that　which　endureth？　　Wilt　thou　not　prefer　a　home　land　to　a　foreign　land；　light　to　darkness；　the　spirit　to　the　flesh；　eternal　life　to　the　shadow　of　death；　the　indestructible　to　the　fleeting？　　Wilt　thou　not　escape　from　the　grievous　bondage　of　the　cruel　prince　of　this　world；　I　mean　the　evil　one；　the　devil；　and　become　the　servant　of　the　good；　tenderhearted；　and　all　merciful　Lord？　　Wilt　thou　not　break　away　from　serving　thy　many　gods；　falsely　so　called；　and　serve　the　one；　true　and　living　God？　　Though　thou　hast　sinned　against　him　often　times　by　blaspheming　him；　and　often　times　by　slaying　his　servants　with　dread　torments；　yet；　I　know　well；　that　if　thou　turn　again；　he　shall　in　his　kindness　receive　thee；　and　no　more　remember　thine　offences：　because　he　willeth　not　the　death　of　a　sinner　but　rather　that　he　may　turn　and　live　　he；　who　came　down　from　the　unspeakable　heights；　to　seek　us　that　had　　gone　astray：　who　endured　for　us　Cross；　scourge　and　death：　who　bought　with　his　precious　blood　us　who　had　been　sold　in　bondage　under　sin。　　Unto　him　be　glory　and　praise　for　ever　and　ever！　Amen。〃

The　king　was　overwhelmed　with　astonishment　and　anger；　with　astonishment；　at　his　son's　wisdom　and　unanswerable　words；　with　anger；　at　the　persistence　with　which　he　denounced　his　father's　gods；　and　mocked　and　ridiculed　the　whole　tenour　of　his　life。　　He　could　not　admit　the　glory　of　his　discourse　because　of　the　grossness　of　the　darkness　within；　but　natural　affection　forbad　him　to　punish　his　son；　or　evilly　to　entreat　him；　and　he　utterly　despaired　of　moving　him　by　threats。　　Fearing　then　that；　if　he　argued　further　with　him；　his　son's　boldness　and　bitter　satire　of　the　gods　might　kindle　him　to　hotter　anger；　and　lead　him　to　do　him　a　mischief；　he　arose　in　wrath　and　withdrew。　　〃Would　that　thou　hadst　never　been　born；〃　he　cried；　〃nor　hadst　come　to　the　light　of　day；　destined　as　thou　weft　to　be　such　an　one；　a　blasphemer　of　the　gods；　and　a　renegade　from　thy　father's　love　and　admonition〃　　But　thou　shalt　not　alway　mock　the　invincible　gods；　nor　shall　their　enemies　rejoice　for　long；　nor　shall　these　knavish　sorceries　prevail。　　For　except　thou　become　obedient　unto　me；　and　right…　minded　toward　the　gods；　I　will　first　deliver　time　to　sundry　tortures；　and　then　put　thee　to　the　cruellest　death；　dealing　with　thee　not　as　with　a　son；　but　as　with　an　enemy　and　rebel。〃


XXV。

In　such　wise　did　the　father　threaten　and　wrathfully　retire。　　But　the　son　entered　his　own　bedchamber；　and　lifted　up　his　eyes　to　the　proper　judge　of　his　cause；　and　cried　out　of　the　depth　of　his　heart；　〃O　Lord　my　God；　my　sweet　hope　and　unerring　promise；　the　sure　refuge　of　them　that　are　wholly　given　up　to　thee；　with　gracious　and　kindly　eye　look　upon　the　contrition　of　my　heart；　and　leave　me　not；　neither　forsake　me。　　But；　according　to　thine　unerring　pledge；　be　thou　with　me；　thine　unworthy　and　sorry　servant。　　Thee　I　acknowledge　and　confess；　the　maker　and　provider　of　all　creation。　　Therefore　do　thou　thyself　enable　me　to　continue　in　this　good　confession；　until　my　dying　breath：　look　upon　me；　and　pity　me；　and　stand　by　and　keep　me　unhurt　by　any　working　of　Satan。　Look　upon　me；　O　King：　for　my　heart　is　enkindled　with　longing　after　thee；　and　is　parched　as　with　burning　thirst　in　the　desert；　desiring　thee；　the　well　of　immortality。　　Deliver　not　to　the　wild　beasts　my　soul　that　confesseth　thee：　forget　not　the　soul　of　the　poor　for　ever；　but　grant　me　that　am　a　sinner　throughout　my　lengt