THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF ABBOT NESTEROS.
ON SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.
Complete Contents.
Other version available: text. [52K].
The words of Abbot Nesteros on the knowledge of the
religious.
THE order of our promise and course demands that there should follow
the instruction of Abbot Nesteros,[185] a man of excellence in all points
and of the greatest knowledge: who when he had seen that we had
committed some parts of Holy Scripture to memory and desired to
understand them, addressed us in these words. There are indeed many
different kinds of knowledge in this world, since there is as great a
variety of them as there is of the arts and sciences. But, while all
are either utterly useless or only useful for the good of this present
life, there is yet none which has not its own system and method for
learning it, by which it can be grasped by those who seek it. If then
those arts are guided by certain special rules for their publication,
how much more does the system and expression of our religion, which
tends to the contemplation of the secrets of invisible mysteries, and
seeks no present gain but the reward of an eternal recompense, depend
on a fixed order and scheme. And the knowledge of this is twofold:
first, praktikh, i.e., practical, which is
brought about by an improvement of morals and purification from
faults: secondly, qewretikh, which consists in
the contemplation of things Divine and the knowledge of most sacred
thoughts.
On grasping the knowledge of spiritual things.
WHOEVER then would arrive at this theoretical knowledge must first
pursue practical knowledge with all his might and main. For this
practical knowledge can be acquired without theoretical, but
theoretical cannot possibly be gained without practical. For there
are certain stages, so distinct, and arranged in such a way that man's
humility may be able to mount on high; and if these follow each other
in turn in the order of which we have spoken, man can attain to a
height to which he could not fly, if the first step were wanting. In
vain then does one strive for the vision of God, who does not shun the
stains of sins: "For the spirit of God hates deception, and
dwells not in a body subject to sins."[186]
How practical perfection depends on a double
system.
BUT this practical perfection depends on a double system; for its
first method is to know the nature of all faults and the manner of
their cure. Its second, to discover the order of the virtues, and
form our mind by their perfection so that it may be obedient to them,
not as if it were forced and subject to some fierce sway, but as if it
delighted in its natural good, and throve upon it, and mounted by that
steep and narrow way with real pleasure. For in what way will one, who
has neither succeeded in understanding the nature of his own faults,
nor tried to eradicate them, be able to gain an understanding of
virtues, which is the second stage of practical training, or the
mysteries of spiritual and heavenly things, which exist in the higher
stage of theoretical knowledge? For it will necessarily be maintained
that he cannot advance to more lofty heights who has not surmounted
the lower ones, and much less will he be able to grasp those things
that are without, who has not succeeded in understanding what is
within his comprehension. But you should know that we must make an
effort with a twofold purpose in our exertion; both for the expulsion
of vice, and for the attainment of virtue. And this we do not gather
from our own conjecture, but are taught by the words of Him who alone
knows the strength and method of His work: "Behold," He
says: "I have set thee this day over the nations and over
kingdoms, to root up, and to pull down, and to waste, and to destroy,
and to build and to plant."[187]
He points out that for getting rid of noxious things four things are
requisite; viz., to root up, to pull down, to waste, and to destroy:
but for the performance of what is good, and the acquisition of what
pertains to righteousness only to build and to plant. Whence it is
perfectly evident that it is a harder thing to tear up and eradicate
the inveterate passions of body and soul than to introduce and plant
spiritual virtues.
How practical life is distributed among many
different professions and interests.
THIS practical life then, which as has been said rests on a double
system, is distributed among many different professions and interests.
For some make it their whole purpose to aim at the secrecy of an
anchorite and purity of heart, as we know that in the past Elijah and
Elisha, and in our own day the blessed Antony and others who followed
with the same object, were joined most closely to God by the silence
of solitude. Some have given all their efforts and interests towards
the system of the brethren and the watchful care of the coenobium; as
we remember that recently Abbot John, who presided over a big
monastery in the neighbourhood of the city Thmuis,[188] and some other men of like merits
were eminent with the signs of Apostles. Some are pleased with the
kindly service of the guest house and reception, by which in the past
the patriarch Abraham and Lot pleased the Lord, and recently the
blessed Macarius,[189] a man of
singular courtesy and patience who presided over the guest house at
Alexandria in such a way as to be considered inferior to none of those
who aimed at the retirement of the desert. Some choose the care of
the sick, others devote themselves to intercession, which is offered
up for the oppressed and afflicted, or give themselves up to teaching,
or give alms to the poor, and flourish among men of excellence and
renown, by reason of their love and goodness.
On perseverance in the line that has been
chosen.
WHEREFORE it is good and profitable for each one to endeavour with all
his might and main to attain perfection in the work that has been
begun, according to the line which he has chosen as the grace which he
has received; and while he praises and admires the virtues of others,
not to swerve from his own line which he has once for all chosen, as
he knows that, as the Apostle says, the body of the Church indeed is
one, but the members many, and that it has "gifts differing
according to the grace which is given us, whether prophecy, according
to the proportion of the faith, whether ministry, in ministering, or
he that teacheth, in doctrine, or he that exhorteth in exhortation, he
that giveth, in simplicity, he that ruleth, with carefulness, he that
showeth mercy, with cheerfulness."[190] For no members can claim the
offices of other members, because the eyes cannot perform the duties
of the hands, nor the nostrils of the ears. And so not all are
Apostles, not all prophets, not all doctors, not all have the gifts of
healing, not all speak with tongues, not all interpret.[191]
How the weak are easily moved.
FOR those who are not yet settled in the line which they have taken up
are often, when they hear some praised for different interests and
virtues, so excited by the praise of them that they try forthwith to
imitate their method: and in this human weakness is sure to expend its
efforts to no purpose. For it is an impossibility for one and the
same man to excel at once in all those good deeds which I enumerated
above. And if anyone is anxious equally to affect them all, he is
quite sure to come to this; viz., that while he pursues them all, he
will not thoroughly succeed in any one, and will lose more than he
will gain from this changing and shifting about. For in many ways men
advance towards God, and so each man should complete that one which he
has once fixed upon, never changing the course of his purpose, so that
he may be perfect in whatever line of life his may be.
An instance of chastity which teaches us that all
men should not be emulous of all things.
FOR apart from that loss, which we have said that a monk incurs who
wants in light-mindedness to pass from one pursuit to another, there
is a risk of death that is hence incurred, because at times things
which are rightly done by some are wrongly taken by others as an
example, and things which turned out well for some, are found to be
injurious to others. For, to give an instance, it is as if one wished
to imitate the good deed of that man, which Abbot John is wont to
bring forward, not for the sake of imitating him but simply out of
admiration for him; for one came to the aforesaid old man in a secular
dress and when he had brought him some of the first fruits of his
crops, he found some one there possessed by a most fierce devil. And
this one though he scorned the adjurations and commands of Abbot John,
and vowed that he would never at his bidding leave the body which he
had occupied, yet was terrified at the coming of this other, and
departed with a most humble utterance of his name. And the old man
marvelled not a little at his so evident grace and was the more
astonished at him because he saw that he had on a secular dress; and
so began carefully to ask of him the manner of his life and pursuit.
And when he said that he was living in the world and bound by the ties
of marriage, the blessed John, considering in his mind the greatness
of his virtue and grace, searched out still more carefully what his
manner of life might be. He declared that he was a countryman, and
that he sought his food by the daily toil of his hands, and was not
conscious of anything good about him except that he never went forth
to his work in the fields in the morning nor came home in the evening
without having returned thanks in Church for the food of his daily
life, to God Who gave it; and that he had never used any of his crops
without having first offered to God their first fruits and tithes; and
that he had never driven his oxen over the bounds of another's harvest
without having first muzzled them that his neighbour might not sustain
the slightest loss through his carelessness. And when these things
did not seem to Abbot John sufficient to procure such grace as that
with which he saw that he was endowed, and he inquired of him and
investigated what it was which could be connected with the merits of
such grace, he was induced by respect for such anxious inquiries to
confess that, when he wanted to be professed as a monk, he had been
compelled by force and his parents' command, twelve years before to
take a wife, who, without any body to that day being aware of it, was
kept by him as a virgin in the place of a sister. And when the old
man heard this, he was so overcome with admiration that he announced
publicly in his presence that it was not without good reason that the
devil who had scorned him himself, could not endure the presence of
this man, whose virtue he himself, not only in the ardour of youth,
but even now, would not dare to aim at without risk of his chastity.
And though Abbot John would tell this story with the utmost
admiration, yet he never advised any monk to try this plan as he knew
that many things which are rightly done by some involved others who
imitate them in great danger, and that that cannot be tried by all,
which the Lord bestowed upon a few by a special gift.
Of spiritual knowledge.
BUT to return to the explanation of the knowledge from which our
discourse took its rise. Thus, as we said above, practical
knowledge is distributed among many subjects and interests, but
theoretical is divided into two parts, i.e., the historical
interpretation and the spiritual sense. Whence also Solomon when he
had summed up the manifold grace of the Church, added: "for all
who are with her are clothed with double garments."[192] But of spiritual knowledge there
are three kinds, tropological, allegorical, anagogical,[193] of which we read as follows in
Proverbs: "But do you describe these things to yourself in three
ways according to the largeness of your heart."[194] And so the history embraces the
knowledge of things past and visible, as it is repeated in this way by
the Apostle: "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the
one by a bondwoman, the other by a free: but he who was of the
bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he who was of the free was by
promise." But to the allegory belongs what follows, for what
actually happened is said to have prefigured the form of some mystery
"For these," says he, "are the two covenants the one
from Mount Sinai, which gendereth into bondage, which is Agar. For
Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is compared to Jerusalem which
now is, and is in bondage with her children." But the anagogical
sense rises from spiritual mysteries even to still more sublime and
sacred secrets of heaven, and is subjoined by the Apostle in these
words: "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother
of us. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not,
break forth and cry, thou that travailest not, for many are the
children of the desolate more than of her that hath an
husband."[195] The tropological
sense is the moral explanation which has to do with improvement of
life and practical teaching, as if we were to understand by these two
covenants practical and theoretical instruction, or at any rate as if
we were to want to take Jerusalem or Sion as the soul of man,
according to this: "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God,
O Sion."[196] And so these four
previously mentioned figures coalesce, if we desire, in one subject,
so that one and the same Jerusalem can be taken in four senses:
historically as the city of the Jews; allegorically as Church of
Christ, anagogically as the heavenly city of God "which is the
mother of us all," tropologically, as the soul of man, which is
frequently subject to praise or blame from the Lord under this title.
Of these four kinds of interpretation the blessed Apostle speaks as
follows: "But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with
tongues what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by
revelation or by knowledge or by prophecy or by doctrine?"[197] For "revelation" belongs
to allegory whereby what is concealed under the historical narrative
is revealed in its spiritual sense and interpretation, as for instance
if we tried to expound how "all our fathers were under the cloud
and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea,"
and how they "all ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same
spiritual drink from the rock that followed them. But the rock was
Christ."[198] And this
explanation where there is a comparison of the figure of the body and
blood of Christ which we receive daily, contains the allegorical
sense. But the knowledge, which is in the same way mentioned by the
Apostle, is tropological, as by it we can by a careful study see of
all things that have to do with practical discernment whether they are
useful and good, as in this case, when we are told to judge of our own
selves "whether it is fitting for a woman to pray to God with her
head uncovered."[199] And this
system, as has been said, contains the moral meaning. So
"prophecy" which the Apostle puts in the third place,
alludes to the anagogical sense by which the words are applied to
things future and invisible, as here: "But we would not have you
ignorant, brethren, concerning those that sleep: that ye be not sorry
as others also who have no hope. For if we believe that Christ died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring
with Him. For this we say to you by the word of God, that we which
are alive at the coming of the Lord shall not prevent those that sleep
in Christ, for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God; and
the dead in Christ shall rise first."[200] In which kind of exhortation the
figure of anagoge is brought forward. But "doctrine"
unfolds the simple course of historical exposition, under which is
contained no more secret sense, but what is declared by the very
words: as in his passage: "For I delivered unto you first of all
what I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the
third day, and that he was seen of Cephas;"[201] and: "God sent His Son, made of
a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the
law;"[202] or this: "Hear, O
Israel, the Lord the God is one Lord."[203]
How from practical knowledge we must proceed to
spiritual.
WHEREFORE if you are anxious to attain to the light of spiritual
knowledge, not wrongly for an idle boast but for the sake of being
made better men, you are first inflamed with the longing for that
blessedness, of which we read: "blessed are the pure in heart for
they shall see God,"[204] that
you may also attain to that of which the angel said to Daniel:
"But they that are learned shall shine as the splendor of the
firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for
ever and ever;" and in another prophet: "Enlighten
yourselves with the light of knowledge while there is time."[205] And so keeping up that diligence in
reading, which I see that you have, endeavour with all eagerness to
gain in the first place a thorough grasp of practical, i.e., ethical
knowledge. For without this that theoretical purity of which we have
spoken cannot be obtained, which those only, who are perfected not by
the words of others who teach them, but by the excellence of their own
actions, can after much expenditure of effort and toil attain as a
reward for it. For as they gain their knowledge not from meditation
on the law but from the fruit of their labour, they sing with the
Psalmist: "From Thy commandments I have understanding;" and
having overcome all their passions, they say with confidence: "I
will sing, and I will understand in the undefiled way."[206] For he who is striving in an
undefiled way in the course of a pure heart, as he sings the Psalm,
understands the words which are chanted. And therefore if you would
prepare in your heart a holy tabernacle of spiritual knowledge, purge
yourselves from the stain of all sins, and rid yourselves of the cares
of this world. For it is an impossibility for the soul which is taken
up even to a small extent with worldly troubles, to gain the gift of
knowledge or to become an author of spiritual interpretation, and
diligent in reading holy things. Be careful therefore in the first
place, and especially you, John, as your more youthful age requires
you the rather to be careful about what I am going to say--that you
may enjoin absolute silence on your lips, in order that your zeal for
reading and the efforts of your purpose may not be destroyed by vain
pride. For this is the first practical step towards learning, to
receive the regulations and opinions of all the Elders with an earnest
heart, and with lips that are dumb; and diligently to lay them up in
your heart, and endeavour rather to perform than to teach them. For
from teaching, the dangerous arrogance of vainglory, but from
performing, the fruit of spiritual knowledge will flourish. And so
you should never venture to say anything in the conference of the
Elders unless some ignorance that might be injurious, or a matter
which it is important to know leads you to ask a question; as some who
are puffed up with vainglory, pretend that they ask, in order really
to show off the knowledge which they perfectly possess. For it is an
impossibility for one, who takes to the pursuit of reading with the
purpose of gaining the praise of men, to be rewarded with the gift of
true knowledge. For one who is bound by the chain of this passion, is
sure to be also in bondage to other faults, and especially to that of
pride: and so if he is baffled by his encounter with practical and
ethical knowledge, he will certainly not attain that spiritual
knowledge which springs from it. Be then in all things "swift to
hear, but slow to speak,"[207]
lest there come upon you that which is noted by Solomon: "If thou
seest a man who is quick to speak, know that there is more hope of a
fool than of him;[208] and do not
presume to teach any one in words what you have not already performed
in deed. For our Lord taught us by His own example that we ought to
keep to this order, as of Him it is said: "what Jesus began to do
and to teach."[209] Take care
then that you do not rush into teaching before doing, and so be
reckoned among the number of those of whom the Lord speaks in the
gospel to the disciples: "What they say unto you, that observe
and do, but not after their words: for they say and do not. But they
bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's
shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers."[210] For if he who
shall "break one of these commands, and shall teach men so, shall
be called least in the kingdom of heaven,"[211] it follows that one who has dared to
despise many and greater commands and to teach men so, shall certainly
be considered not least in the kingdom of heaven, but greatest in the
punishment of hell. And therefore you must be careful not to be led
on to teach by the example of those who have attained some skill in
discussion and readiness in speech and because they can discourse on
what they please elegantly and fully, are imagined to possess
spiritual knowledge, by those who do not know how to distinguish its
real force and character. For it is one thing to have a ready tongue
and elegant language, and quite another to penetrate into the very
heart and marrow of heavenly utterances and to gaze with pure eye of
the soul on profound and hidden mysteries; for this can be gained by
no learning of man's, nor condition of this world, only by purity of
soul, by means of the illumination of the Holy Ghost.
How to embrace the system of true knowledge.
YOU must then, if you want to get at the true knowledge of the
Scriptures, endeavour first to secure steadfast humility of heart, to
carry you on by the perfection of love not to the knowledge which
puffeth up, but to that which enlightens. For it is an impossibility
for an impure mind to gain the gift of spiritual knowledge. And
therefore with every possible care avoid this, lest through your zeal
for reading there arise in you not the light of knowledge nor the
lasting glory which is promised through the light that comes from
learning but only the instruments of your destruction from vain
arrogance. Next you must by all means strive to get rid of all anxiety
and worldly thoughts, and give yourself over assiduously or rather
continuously, to sacred reading, until continual meditation fills your
heart, and fashions you so to speak after its own likeness, making of
it, in a way, an ark of the testimony,[212] which has within it two tables of
stone, i.e., the constant assurance of the two testaments;[213] and a golden pot, i.e., a pure and
undefiled memory which preserves by a constant tenacity the manna
stored up in it, i.e., the enduring and heavenly sweetness of the
spiritual sense and the bread of angels; moreover also the rod of
Aaron, i.e., the saving standard of Jesus Christ our true High Priest,
that ever buds with the freshness of immortal memory. For this is the
rod which after it had been cut from the root of Jesse, died and
flourished again with a more vigorous life. But all these are guarded
by two Cherubim, i.e., the fulness of historical and spiritual
knowledge. For the Cherubim mean a multitude of knowledge: and these
continually protect the mercy seat of God, i.e., the peace of your
heart, and overshadow it from all the assaults of spiritual
wickedness. And so your soul will be carried forward not only to the
ark of the Divine Covenant, but also to the priestly kingdom, and
owing to its unbroken love of purity being as it were engrossed in
spiritual studies, will fulfil the command given to the priests,
enjoined as follows by the giver of the Law: "And he shall not go
forth from the sanctuary, lest he pollute the Sanctuary of
God,"[214] i.e., his heart, in
which the Lord promised that he would ever dwell, saying: "I will
dwell in them and will walk among them."[215] Wherefore the whole series of the
Holy Scriptures should be diligently committed to memory and
ceaselessly repeated. For this continual meditation will bring us a
twofold fruit: first, that while the attention of the mind is taken up
in reading and preparing the lessons it cannot possibly be taken
captive in any snares of bad thoughts: next that those things which
were conned over and frequently repeated and which while we were
trying to commit them to memory we could not understand as the mind
was at that time taken up, we can afterward see more clearly, when we
are free from the distraction of all acts and visions, and especially
when we reflect on them in silence in our meditation by night. So
that when we are at rest, and as it were plunged in the stupor of
sleep, there is revealed to us the understanding of the most secret
meanings, of which in our waking hours we had not the remotest
conception.
Of the manifold meaning of the Holy
Scriptures.
BUT as the renewal of our soul grows by means of this study, Scripture
also will begin to put on a new face, and the beauty of the holier
meanings will somehow grow with our growth. For their form is adapted
to the capacity of man's understanding, and will appear earthly to
carnal people, and divine to spiritual ones, so that those to whom it
formerly appeared to be involved in thick clouds, cannot apprehend its
subtleties nor endure its light. But to make this which we are aiming
at somewhat clearer by an instance, it will be enough to produce a
single passage of the law, by which we can prove that all the heavenly
commands as well are applied to men in accordance with the measure of
our state. For it is written in the law: "Thou shalt not commit
adultery."[216] This is rightly
observed according to the simple meaning of the letter, by a man who
is still in bondage to foul passions. But by one who has already
forsaken these dirty acts and impure affections, it must be observed
in the spirit, so that he may forsake not only the worship of idols
but also all heathen superstitions and the observance of auguries and
omens and all signs and days and times, or at any rate that he be not
entangled in the conjectures of words and names which destroy the
simplicity of our faith. For by fornication of this kind we read that
Jerusalem was defiled, as she committed adultery "on every high
hill and under every green tree,"[217] whom also the Lord rebuked by the
prophet, saying: "Let now the astrologers stand and save thee,
they that gazed at the stars and counted the months, that from them
they might tell the things that shall come to thee,"[218] of which fornication elsewhere also
the Lord says in rebuking them: "The spirit of fornication
deceived them, and they went a whoring from their God."[219] But one who has forsaken both these
kinds of fornication, will have a third kind to avoid, which is
contained in the superstitions of the law and of Judaism; of which the
Apostle says: "Ye observe days and months and times and
years;" and again: "Touch not, taste not, handle
not."[220] And there is no doubt
that this is said of the superstitions of the law, into which one who
has fallen has certainly gone a whoring from Christ, and is not worthy
to hear this from the Apostle: "For I have espoused you to one
husband, to exhibit you as a chaste virgin to Christ."[221] But this that follows will be
directed to him by the words of the same Apostle: "But I am
afraid lest as the serpent by his cunning deceived Eve, so your minds
should be corrupted and fall from the simplicity which is in Christ
Jesus."[222] But if one has
escaped the uncleanness even of this fornication there will still be a
fourth, which is committed by adulterous intercourse with heretical
teaching. Of which too the blessed Apostle speaks: "I know that
after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not
sparing the flock, and of yourselves also shall arise men speaking
perverse things so as to lead astray the disciples after
them."[223] But if a man has
succeeded in avoiding even this, let him beware lest he fall by a more
subtle sin into the guilt of fornication. I mean that which consists
in wandering thoughts, because every thought which is not only
shameful but even idle, and departing in however small a degree from
God is regarded by the perfect man as the foulest fornication.
A question how we can attain to forgetfulness of
the cares of this world.
UPON this I was at first moved by a secret emotion, and then groaned
deeply and said, All these things which you have set forth so fully
have affected me with still greater despair than that which I had
previously endured: as besides those general captivities of the soul
whereby I doubt not that weak people are smitten from without, a
special hindrance to salvation is added by that knowledge of
literature which I seem already to have in some slight measure
attained, in which the efforts of my tutor, or my attention to
continual reading have so weakened me that now my mind is filled with
those songs of the poets so that even at the hour of prayer it is
thinking about those trifling fables, and the stories of battles with
which from its earliest infancy it was stored by its childish lessons:
and when singing Psalms or asking forgiveness of sins either some
wanton recollection of the poems intrudes itself or the images of
heroes fighting presents itself before the eyes, and an imagination of
such phantoms is always tricking me and does not suffer my soul to
aspire to an insight into things above, so that this cannot be got rid
of by my daily lamentations.
Of the method by which we can remove the dross from
our memory.
NESTEROS: From this very fact, from which there springs up for you the
utmost despair of your purification, a speedy and effectual remedy may
arise if only you will transfer to the reading of and meditation upon
the writings of the Spirit, the same diligence and earnestness which
you say that you showed in those secular studies of yours. For your
mind is sure to be taken up with those poems until it is gaining with
the same zeal and assiduity other matters for it to reflect upon, and
is in labour with spiritual and divine things instead of unprofitable
earthly ones. But when these are thoroughly and entirely conceived
and it has been nourished upon them, then by degrees the former
thoughts can be expelled and utterly got rid of. For the mind of man
cannot be emptied of all thoughts, and so as long as it is not taken
up with spiritual interests, is sure to be occupied with what it
learnt long since. For as long as it has nothing to recur to and
exercise itself upon unweariedly, it is sure to fall back upon what it
learnt in childhood, and ever to think about what it took in by long
use and meditation. In order then that this spiritual knowledge may
be strengthened in you with a lasting steadfastness, and that you may
not enjoy it only for a time like those who just touch it not by their
own exertions but at the recital of another, and if I may use the
expression, perceive its scent in the air; but that it may be laid up
in your heart, and deeply noted in it, and thoroughly seen and
handled, it is well for you to use the utmost care in securing that,
even if perhaps you hear things that you know very well produced in
the Conference, you do not regard them in a scornful and disdainful
way because you already know them, but that you lay them to your heart
with the same eagerness, with which the words of salvation which we
are longing for ought to be constantly poured into our ears or should
ever proceed from our lips. For although the narration of holy things
be often repeated, yet in a mind that feels a thirst for true
knowledge the satiety will never create disgust, but as it receives it
every day as if it were something new and what it wanted however often
it may have taken it in, it will so much the more eagerly either hear
or speak, and from the repetition of these things will gain
confirmation of the knowledge it already possesses, rather than
weariness of any sort from the frequent Conference. For it is a sure
sign of a mind that is cold and proud, if it receives with disdain and
carelessness the medicine of the words of salvation, although it be
offered with the zeal of excessive persistence. For "a soul that
is full jeers at honeycomb: but to a soul that is in want even little
things appear sweet."[224] And
so if these things have been carefully taken in and stored up in the
recesses of the soul and stamped with the seal of silence, afterwards
like some sweet scented wine that maketh glad the heart of man, they
will, when mellowed by the antiquity of the thoughts and by
long-standing patience, be brought forth from the jar of your heart
with great fragrance, and like some perennial fountain will flow
abundantly from the veins of experience and irrigating channels of
virtue and will pour forth copious streams as if from some deep well
in your heart. For that will happen in your case, which is spoken in
Proverbs to one who has achieved this in his work: "Drink waters
from your own cisterns and from the fount of your own wells. Let
waters from your own fountain flow in abundance for you, but let your
waters pass through into your streets."[225] And according to the prophet
Isaiah: "Thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain
of water whose waters shall not fail. And the places that have been
desolate for ages shall be built in thee; thou shalt raise up the
foundations of generation and generation; and thou shalt be called the
repairer of the fences, turning the paths into rest."[226] And that blessedness shall come
upon thee which the same prophet promises: "And the Lord will not
cause thy teacher to flee away from thee any more, and thine eyes
shall see thy teacher. And thine ears shall hear the word of one
admonishing thee behind thy back: This is the way, walk ye in it, and
go not aside either to the right hand or to the left."[227] And so it will come to pass that
not only every purpose and thought of your heart, but also all the
wanderings and rovings of your imagination will become to you a holy
and unceasing pondering of the Divine law.
How an unclean soul can neither give nor receive
spiritual knowledge.
BUT it is, as we have already said, impossible for a novice either to
understand or to teach this. For if one is incapable of receiving it
how can he be fit to pass it on to another? But if he has had the
audacity to teach anything on these matters, most certainly his words
will be idle and useless and only reach the ears of his hearers,
without being able to touch their hearts, uttered as they were in
sheer idleness and unfruitful vanity, for they do not proceed from the
treasure of a good conscience, but from the empty impertinence of
boastfulness. For it is impossible for an impure soul (however
earnestly it may devote itself to reading) to obtain spiritual
knowledge. For no one pours any rich ointment or fine honey or any
precious liquid into a dirty and stinking vessel. For a jar that has
once been filled with foul odours spoils the sweetest myrrh more
readily than it receives any sweetness or grace from it, for what is
pure is corrupted much more quickly than what is corrupt is purified.
And so the vessel of our bosom unless it has first been purified from
all the foul stains of sin will not be worthy to receive that blessed
ointment of which it is said by the prophet: "Like the ointment
upon the head, which ran down upon the beard of Aaron, which ran down
upon the edge of his garment,"[228] nor will it keep undefiled that
spiritual knowledge and the words of Scripture which are "sweeter
than honey and the honeycomb."[229] "For what share hath
righteousness with iniquity? or what agreement hath light with
darkness? or what concord has Christ with Belial?"[230]
An objection owing to the fact that many impure
persons have knowledge while saints have not.
GERMANUS: This assertion does not seem to us founded on truth, or
based on solid reasoning. For if it is clear that all who either
never receive the faith of Christ at all or who corrupt it by the
wicked sin of heresy, are of unclean hearts, how is it that many Jews
and heretics, and Catholics also who are entangled in various sins,
have acquired perfect knowledge of the Scriptures and boast of the
greatness of their spiritual learning, and on the other hand countless
swarms of saintly men, whose heart has been purified from all stain of
sin, are content with the piety of simple faith and know nothing of
the mysteries of a deeper knowledge? How then will that opinion
stand, which attributes spiritual knowledge solely to purity of
heart?
The answer to the effect that bad men cannot
possess true knowledge.
NESTEROS: One who does not carefully weigh every word of the opinions
uttered cannot rightly discover the value of the assertion. For we
said to begin with that men of this sort only possess skill in
disputation and ornaments of speech; but cannot penetrate to the very
heart of Scripture and the mysteries of its spiritual meanings. For
true knowledge is only acquired by true worshippers of God; and
certainly this people does not possess it to whom it is said:
"Hear, O, foolish people, thou who hast no heart: ye who having
eyes see not, and having ears, hear not." And again:
"Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I also will reject thee
from acting as My priest."[231]
For as it is said that in Christ "all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge are hid,"[232] how can
we hold that he who has scorned to find Christ, or, when He is found
blasphemes Him with impious lips, or at least defiles the Catholic
faith by his impure deeds, has acquired spiritual knowledge?
"For the Spirit of God will avoid deception, and dwelleth not in
a body that is subject to sin."[233] There is then no way of arriving at
spiritual knowledge but this which one of the prophets has finely
described: "Sow to yourselves for righteousness: reap the hope of
life. Enlighten yourselves with the light of knowledge."[234] First then we must sow for
righteousness, i.e., by works of righteousness we must extend
practical perfection; next we must reap the hope of life, i.e., by the
expulsion of carnal sins must gather the fruits of spiritual virtues:
and so we shall succeed in enlightening ourselves with the light of
knowledge. And the Psalmist also sees that this system ought to be
followed, when he says: "Blessed are they that are undefiled in
the way: who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that seek
His testimonies."[235] For he
does not say in the first place: "Blessed are they that seek His
testimonies," and afterwards add: "Blessed are they that are
undefiled in the way;" but he begins by saying: "Blessed are
they that are undefiled in the way;" and by this clearly shows
that no one can properly come to seek God's testimonies unless he
first walks undefiled in the way of Christ by his practical life.
Those therefore whom you mentioned do not possess that knowledge which
the impure cannot attain, but yeudwnumon,
i.e., what is falsely so called, of which the blessed Apostle speaks:
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thee, avoiding
profane novelties of words, and oppositions of the knowledge that is
falsely so called;"[236] which is
in the Greek tas antiqeseis ths yeudwnumou
gnwsews. Of those then who seem to acquire some show of
knowledge or of those who while they devote themselves diligently to
reading the sacred volume and to committing the Scriptures to memory,
yet forsake not carnal sins, it is well said in Proverbs: "Like
as a golden ring in a swine's snout so is the beauty of an
evil-disposed woman."[237] For
what does it profit a man to gain the ornaments of heavenly eloquence
and the most precious beauty of the Scriptures if by clinging to
filthy deeds and thoughts he destroys it by burying it in the foulest
ground, or defiles it by the dirty wallowing of his own lusts? For
the result will be that which is an ornament to those who rightly use
it, is not only unable to adorn them, but actually becomes dirty by
the increased filth and mud. For "from the mouth of a sinner
praise is not comely;"[238] as to
him it is said by the prophet: "Wherefore dost thou declare My
righteous acts, and takest My covenant in thy lips?"[239] of souls like this, who never
possess in any lasting fashion the fear of the Lord of which it is
said: "the fear of the Lord is instruction and wisdom,"[240] and yet try to get at the meaning of
Scripture by continual meditation on them, it is appropriately asked
in Proverbs: "What use are riches to a fool? For a senseless man
cannot possess wisdom."[241] But
so far is this true and spiritual knowledge removed from that worldly
erudition, which is defiled by te stains of carnal sins, that we know
that it has sometimes flourished most grandly in some who were without
eloquence and almost illiterate. And this is very clearly shown by
the case of the Apostles and many holy men, who did not spread
themselves out with an empty show of leaves, but were bowed down by
the weight of the true fruits of spiritual knowledge: of whom it is
written in the Acts of the Apostles: "But when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were ignorant and
unlearned men, they were astonished."[242] And therefore if you are anxious to
attain to that never-failing fragrance, you must first strive with all
your might to obtain from the Lord the purity of chastity. For no
one, in whom the love of carnal passions and especially of fornication
still holds sway, can acquire spiritual knowledge. For "in a
good heart wisdom will rest;" and: "He that feareth the Lord
shall find knowledge with righteousness."[243] But that we must attain to
spiritual knowledge in the order of which we have already spoken, we
are taught also by the blessed Apostle. For when he wanted not merely
to draw up a list of all his own virtues, but rather to describe their
order, that he might explain which follows what, and which gives birth
to what, after some others he proceeds as follows: "In watchings,
in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long suffering, in
gentleness, in the Holy Ghost, in love unfeigned."[244] And by this enumeration of virtues
he evidently meant to teach us that we must come from watchings and
fastings to chastity, from chastity to knowledge, from knowledge to
long suffering, from long suffering to gentleness, from gentleness to
the Holy Ghost, from the Holy Ghost to the rewards of love unfeigned.
When then by this system and in this order you too have come to
spiritual knowledge, you will certainly have, as we said, not barren
or idle learning but what is vigorous and fruitful; and the seed of
the word of salvation which has been committed by you to the hearts of
your hearers, will be watered by the plentiful showers of the Holy
Ghost that will follow; and, according to this that the prophet
promised, "the rain will be given to your seed, wherever you
shall sow in the land, and the bread of the corn of the land shall be
most plentiful and fat."[245]
To whom the method of perfection should be laid
open.
TAKE care too, when your riper age leads you to teach, lest you be led
astray by the love of vainglory, and teach at random to the most
impure persons these things which you have learnt not so much by
reading as by the effects of experience, and so incur what Solomon,
that wisest of men, denounced: "Attach not a wicked man to the
pastures of the just, and be not led astray by the fulness of the
belly," for "delicacies are not good for a fool, nor is
there room for wisdom where sense is wanting: for folly is the more
led on, because a stubborn servant is not improved by words, for even
though he understands, he will not obey." And "Do not say
anything in the ears of an imprudent man, lest haply he mock at thy
wise speeches."[246] And
"give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls
before swine, lest haply they trample them under foot and turn again
and rend you."[247] It is right
then to hide the mysteries of spiritual meanings from men of this
sort, that you may effectually sing: "Thy words have I hid within
my heart: that I should not sin against Thee."[248] But you will perhaps say: And to
whom are the mysteries of Holy Scripture to be dispensed? Solomon,
the wisest of men, shall teach you: "Give, says he, strong drink
to those who are in sorrow, and give wine to drink, to those who are
in pain, that they may forget their poverty, and remember their pain
no more,"[249] i.e., to those who
in consequence of the punishment of their past actions are oppressed
with grief and sorrow, supply richly the joys of spiritual knowledge
like "wine that maketh glad the heart of man,"[250] and restore them with the strong
drink of the word of salvation, lest haply they be plunged in
continual sorrow and a despair that brings death, and so those who are
of this sort be "swallowed up in overmuch sorrow."[251] But of those who remain in coldness
and carelessness, and are smitten by no sorrow of heart we read as
follows: "For one who is kindly and without sorrow, shall be in
want."[252] With all possible
care therefore avoid being puffed up with the love of vainglory, and
so failing to become a partaker with him whom the prophet praises,
"who hath not given his money upon usury."[253] For every one who, from love of the
praise of men dispenses the words of God, of which it is said
"the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried by the
fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times,"[254] puts out his money upon usury, and
will deserve for this not merely no reward, but rather punishment.
For this reason he chose to use up his Lord's money that he might be
the garner from a temporal profit, and not that the Lord, as it is
written, might "when He comes, receive His own with
usury."[255]
Of the reasons for which spiritual learning is
unfruitful.
BUT it is certain that for two reasons the teaching of spiritual
things is ineffectual. For either the teacher is commending what he
has no experience of, and is trying with empty-sounding words to
instruct his hearer, or else the hearer is a bad man and full of
faults and cannot receive in his hard heart the holy and saving
doctrine of the spiritual man; and of these it is said by the prophet:
"For the heart of this people is blinded, and their ears are dull
of hearing and their eyes have they closed: lest at any time they
should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart and be converted and I should heal them."[256]
How often even those who are not worthy can receive
the grace of the saving word.
BUT sometimes in the lavish generosity of God in His Providence,
"Who willeth all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of
the truth,"[257] it is granted
that one who has not shown himself by an irreproachable life to be
worthy of the preaching of the gospel attains the grace of spiritual
teaching for the good of many. But by what means the gifts of healing
are granted by the Lord for the expulsion of devils it follows that we
must in a similar discussion explain, which as we are going to rise
for supper we will keep for the evening, because that is always more
effectually grasped by the heart which is taken in by degrees and
without excessive bodily efforts.
Next
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