The Great Letter

II.1 All, therefore, who dedicate themselves to God and strive to present their bodies as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God," for their rational service [Rom. 12:1], should above all keep continually before their eyes the goal and radiance of piety. Thus, surrendering themselves to every good work and zealously exercising themselves in every virtue, they may remain steadfast in faith according to the sacred promises of the Gospels and the other Scriptures. They must be firmly persuaded that through the grace of Christ and the power of God it is possible for us to attain complete deliverance and purification from the passions of dishonor that operate in soul and body. For what is impossible for us is possible for the God who has made the promises. [Matt. 19:26] The sinful passions came upon soul and body afterward, through the transgression of the first-formed man.

II.2 In order to be deemed worthy, wholly and completely, of adoption by the Spirit for the sanctification of soul and body, one must believe with full assurance, according to him who said: "Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know." [1 Thess. 1:5] And again: "May your spirit and soul and body be preserved whole and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Thess. 5:23]

II.3 We who believe received, through the holy and thrice-blessed invocation in baptism, the pledge of the Spirit's ineffable beneficence, so that we might grow and advance toward the perfect inheritance [Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27] and multiply the talent entrusted to us. For the divine Spirit, the Paraclete, who was given to the apostles and through them ministered to the one and true Church of God in diverse and manifold ways according to the measure of faith, remains from the hour of baptism with each person who approaches the mystery in sincere faith. For, as the Gospel says, each receives his mina that he may put it to work, increase it, and multiply it. [Luke 19:12-27; Matt. 25:14-30]

II.4 Just as an infant born in this age does not remain forever in infancy, but day by day grows by a necessary succession according to the ineffable laws of nature until he becomes a mature man and reaches the fullness of his rational powers, so too one who has been born from above of water and Spirit [John 3:3-5] ought not remain in the infancy of spiritual age. Rather, through many efforts, labors, and much endurance in the struggle against the spiritual adversary, he must advance and grow until he reaches the fullness of spiritual maturity, according to the Apostle: "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in schemes of error, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is Christ." [Eph. 4:13-15] Elsewhere the Apostle says: "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, the good and acceptable and perfect." [Rom. 12:2] He teaches that those who have come to mature stature and attained the rational perfection of the spirit must press on toward the perfect will of God.

II.5 When a child advances from bodily birth to adulthood by the necessary succession and law of nature, this comes about under the law of providence, which governs bodily growth by necessity and not by the choice of free will. But concerning the birth from above by the Spirit, God did not appoint such a necessary sequence. He ordained instead labor, struggle, and contest, freely chosen by the human person and endured with much patience, according to the Lord's words: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate." [Luke 13:24] And again: "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it." [Matt. 11:12] Also: "The one who endures to the end will be saved" [Matt. 10:22], and "By your endurance gain your souls." [Luke 21:19] The Apostle likewise says: "Let us run with endurance the race set before us" [Heb. 12:1], and "Run in such a way that you may obtain it" [1 Cor. 9:24], and again, "as servants of God, in much endurance" [2 Cor. 6:4]. Thus the grace of God has ordered matters so that each person acquires spiritual growth through his own will and desire, by labor and struggle.

III.1 Accordingly, in proportion as each person believes, strives, and in bodily and spiritual conflict gives himself to every form of obedience to the commandments, in that same proportion he acquires participation in the Spirit for spiritual growth and the renewal of the mind. [Rom. 12:2] Salvation is acquired by the grace and gift of God, while advancement and growth toward the measure of perfect spiritual maturity are appropriated through faith, love, and the struggle of free choice. Thus a person becomes an heir of eternal life both by grace and in righteousness. For just as it is impossible to acquire growth in perfection through the power and grace of God alone without the cooperation and diligence of the human person, so it is impossible to attain the perfect will of God and come to the full measure of freedom and purity by one's own power, diligence, and persistence without the cooperation and help of the Holy Spirit. "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain." [Ps. 126:1 LXX] And again: "They did not inherit the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them"—though they indeed fight with sword and arm—"but your right hand and your arm and the light of your countenance." [Ps. 43:4 LXX] This speaks of the power of God cooperating with their own struggle. At the same time the prophet teaches those who hope to obtain salvation by faith and love and with the aid of grace to cut away pride in a few virtues and reliance upon themselves alone.

III.2 What, then, is this will of God which the Apostle urges everyone diligently to attain? Is it not the blessedness of those of whom the Lord says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" [Matt. 5:8], and, "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"? [Matt. 5:48] These words proclaim perfect cleansing from sin, complete deliverance from the passions of dishonor, and the perfect possession of the highest virtue—that is, the purification and sanctification of the heart through participation in the perfect Spirit of God, accomplished in full assurance through the faith and love of a soul wholly offered to God. The Spirit reveals this perfect goal of truth through David. He teaches us to seek it from God and to believe that those who thirst for it are proclaimed sons of light and become heirs of life. For he says: "Let my heart be blameless in your ordinances, that I may not be put to shame." [Ps. 118:80 LXX] These words show that shame and disgrace cover those who have not yet acquired a blameless heart, cleansed from every stain and defilement of vice. Again he says: "Then I shall not be put to shame when I look upon all your commandments." [Ps. 118:6 LXX] Here the Holy Spirit teaches that all the commandments must be fulfilled, every transgression avoided, and perfect boldness before God acquired. [1 John 3:21-22] The prophet, praying, indicates the same goal: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me and uphold me with a governing Spirit." [Ps. 50:12, 14 LXX] He also asks, "Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place?" [Ps. 23:3 LXX], and answers: "He who is innocent in hands and pure in heart." [Ps. 23:4 LXX] Therefore, as the Spirit reveals by his own operation, we must cut off completely every sin committed in deed, word, thought, or inner reasoning and, praying earnestly and hoping in faith, hasten each day toward the perfect purity of God.

III.3 The Apostle, clearly teaching what souls ought to be who have withdrawn from marriage and been freed from the bonds of this world and who desire to strive in virginity, says: "The unmarried woman is concerned for the things of the Lord... that she may be holy both in body and in spirit." [1 Cor. 7:34] He commands such a person to be free from every transgression, both those committed in deed and those committed in thought—that is, from sins manifest and hidden—since she has desired to become the bride of Christ and to be joined in marriage to the spotless and pure heavenly King. For the soul that longs to be joined to him and desires to become "one spirit" with him [1 Cor. 6:17] must be made like his blameless and pure beauty, according to the blessed John: "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, as he is pure." [1 John 3:3] Paul likewise says: "Become imitators of me, as I am of Christ." [1 Cor. 11:1] The soul that has renounced bodily intercourse, withdrawn from the world, and strives in virginity so as to be espoused to the incorruptible Bridegroom must be purified not only from manifest transgressions—sexual immorality, theft, murder, gluttony, slander, falsehood, idle speech, shouting, laughter, jesting, love of money, and greed—but still more from the passions and secret sins that violate the soul: desire, vainglory, people-pleasing, hypocrisy, lust for authority, deceit, malice, hatred, unbelief, envy, self-exaltation, rivalry, self-satisfaction, self-love, conceit, and the other invisible passions of dishonor like them. Scripture, if we truly believe the words of the Spirit, knows these hidden sins of the soul and counts them equal and akin to manifest sins, since both spring from the same root. For it says, "The Lord has scattered the bones of those who please men" [Ps. 52:6 LXX], and, "The Lord abhors a man of blood and deceit" [Ps. 5:7 LXX], placing deceit and murder under the same condemnation. Again: "They speak peace with their neighbors, while evils are in their hearts. Give to them, Lord, according to their works." [Ps. 27:3-4 LXX] And again: "For in your heart you work lawlessness upon the earth." [Ps. 57:3 LXX] The Lord, reproaching those who seek to please men, says: "They do all their works in order to be seen by men." [Matt. 23:5] Therefore he commands: "Take heed that you do not perform your righteousness before men in order to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven." [Matt. 6:1] That is, one must not seek praise or glory from men for one's good conduct, but from God alone, from whom come true and eternal glory—and also eternal dishonor. Hence it is said: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you." [Luke 6:26] This concerns the desire to hear only good things from men and to rejoice in their praises and commendations.

III.4 But is it possible for those who do good not to become manifest to everyone? For the Lord himself says: "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." [Matt. 5:16] The meaning is this: while doing every good work, strive for the glory of God and not for your own glory. Do not seek the praise of mortal men or rejoice in it, but receive praise and glory from God alone, as blessed David says: "From you is my praise" [Ps. 21:26 LXX], and, "My soul shall boast in the Lord." [Ps. 33:3 LXX] The Apostle commands that everything be done for the glory of God, even eating and drinking: "Whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do all to the glory of God." [1 Cor. 10:31] But the Lord declares those who seek glory and praise from men to be unbelieving, saying: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that is from the only God?" [John 5:44]

III.5 John compares hatred with murder: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." [1 John 3:15] Thus he equates secret hatred of a brother with murder. Paul likewise, speaking of those who were handed over to shameful passions because of their senseless and disobedient heart, includes hidden and manifest sins together under the work of perdition. He says: "Since they did not see fit to have God in knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do what is improper; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, boastful, proud, inventors of evils, disobedient to parents, without understanding, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, without mercy. They know the righteous judgment of God, that those who do such things are worthy of death." [Rom. 1:28-32] You see that he condemns not only men's manifest sins but numbers with them the hidden passions of the soul: deceit, pride, hostility, malice, boasting, hatred, and senselessness. Again the Lord says: "What is exalted among men is an abomination before God" [Luke 16:15], and, "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." [Luke 14:11] Wisdom likewise says: "Everyone proud in heart is unclean before God." [Prov. 16:5 LXX] Many other sayings of holy Scripture could be gathered against the passions of dishonor concealed in the soul.

III.6 The Holy Spirit knows that the hidden sinful passions are especially tormenting to the soul and deeply rooted within it. Through David he teaches us how we may be delivered from them: "Cleanse me from my hidden faults, and from strangers spare your servant." [Ps. 18:13-14 LXX] These words mean that, by the power of the Spirit, we can overcome the hidden sinful passions through much prayer, fervent faith, and a good and perfect inclination toward God. For just as we strive to preserve the outer man—that is, the body—as a temple of God from manifest sins, according to the Apostle, "If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him" [1 Cor. 3:17], so we must also strive to preserve the inner man, that is the soul, from every defilement of impure thoughts, according to the saying: "With all vigilance guard your heart"—as the bride of Christ—"for from it are the issues of life." [Prov. 4:23]

III.7 We must attain this by continually fighting against and contradicting evil thoughts—thoughts of vainglory, hatred, conceit, deceit, lust, unbelief, envy, and ambition. We must also examine ourselves with all diligence, keeping the mind from friendship and harmony with the secret passions of the soul, while giving ourselves wholly to every good work. Such works must be accomplished with effort, labor, and struggle, because the adversary opposes us.

III.8 Blessed Moses hints figuratively at the single and undivided righteousness of life, showing that the soul must not obey two deliberate inclinations, one good and one evil, but must turn toward the good alone. We must not cultivate two kinds of fruit, bad and useful; rather, producing useful fruit in a single manner, we must turn wholly away from what is bad. "You shall not work your field by yoking together animals of different kinds, an ox and an ass; but by yoking animals of one kind you shall thresh your harvest." [Deut. 22:10, interpreted figuratively] By these words we are exhorted to labor in the field of our heart, not yoking vice together with virtue, but virtue alone. "Do not weave linen into a woolen garment, or wool into a linen garment" [Deut. 22:11], and "Do not sow in your field two different kinds of seed." [Deut. 22:9] Finally: "Do not mate animals of different kinds for generation, but join only those of one kind." [Lev. 19:19]

III.9 Through all these sayings Scripture mystically indicates that we must not cultivate both vice and virtue within ourselves, but by the divine birth bring forth from ourselves one kind of fruit—the fruits of virtue alone. The soul must not commune and unite with two spirits, the spirit of this world and the Spirit of God. It has been commanded to be united and cleave to the Spirit of God alone, and therefore to bear only the sacred shoots and fruits of the Spirit. Nor must free choice be brought into harmony with two forms, the worse and the better. Rather, giving itself to the good alone and wholly separating itself from evil, it must cultivate within the soul the single fruit of the virtues, according to the Scripture: "Therefore I directed myself toward all your commandments; every unrighteous way I hated" [Ps. 118:128 LXX], and, "I hated and abhorred unrighteousness, but I loved your law." [Ps. 118:163 LXX] Then the Lord, seeing the soul's struggle, may in his love for mankind work in us by the power of the Spirit a great and complete healing from the hidden passions and defend us from our spiritual enemies.

III.10 The Lord himself, in telling of the widow who was oppressed by her adversary and went to seek vindication from an unjust judge, and who at last obtained it through her persistent expectation, teaches that we must not grow weary in prayer. "He also told them a parable that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." [Luke 18:1] He shows that we must not become fainthearted or relax the intense expectation of prayer. Afterward he says: "Hear what the unjust judge says. And will not your heavenly Father much more vindicate those who cry to him day and night? I tell you that he will vindicate them speedily." [Luke 18:6-8]

III.11 How the Apostle contended for his disciples and labored in inward prayer for them, that they might come to the measure of spiritual maturity! At the same time he reveals the highest goal of Christianity to all who desire, without reluctance and with love of truth, to hasten toward it. He makes known the apostolic measure of the new creation for those zealous for spiritual progress, "admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, for which I also labor." [Col. 1:28-29] He also prays for those who have been deemed worthy to be sealed through baptism with the promised Spirit, desiring that they grow in spiritual progress: "Therefore I also, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, enlightening the eyes of your heart, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe." [Eph. 1:15-19]

III.12 By these words the Apostle precisely indicates the manner of participation in the Spirit, which takes place in full assurance. He continues: "according to the operation of his might, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead." [Eph. 1:19-20] That is, according to the operation of the Spirit, so that we too may receive full assurance. A little later in the same epistle, desiring his disciples to attain a still higher measure of growth and progress in spiritual perfection, he prays: "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that, rooted and grounded in love, you may be able with all the saints to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." [Eph. 3:14-19]

III.13 In another epistle the Apostle teaches the same thing, revealing to his disciples the abundance of spiritual riches and urging them to hasten toward the perfect measure: "Be zealous for the spiritual gifts, and I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I distribute all my possessions and hand over my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." [1 Cor. 12:31-13:3] Showing the fruits of love and how those who possess it are wholly freed from the evil passions, he says: "Love does not envy; love does not boast, is not puffed up, does not behave unseemly, does not seek its own ... does not reckon evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it covers all things, endures all things, believes all things, hopes all things." [1 Cor. 13:4-7] And again he says that "love never fails." [1 Cor. 13:8] These last words mean that those who possess the spiritual gifts named above but have not yet been delivered from the passions through the abundant and effective love of the Spirit are still in danger, struggle, and fear, because they wage war with the spirits of wickedness although they have received spiritual gifts. To those who desire to walk the way of grace, that is the way of Christianity, the Apostle points out the great measure of spiritual maturity which is no longer subject to the danger of moral fall and destruction through unclean passion. Therefore the tongues of angels and men, prophecy, faith, all knowledge, and gifts of healings are nothing in comparison with the highest virtue—the fullness and perfection of love—even though those gifts too are operations of the same Spirit.

III.14 If someone has been deemed worthy of such gifts, the Apostle nevertheless sets before him the goal of perfection, lest through a new operation of grace he suppose that he has already reached perfection and needs nothing further, and thus abandon the dispassion proper to the measure of the perfect while remaining content with lesser gifts. He sets before each person the goal of perfection so that each may continually recognize himself as poor before such immense riches, contend unwaveringly in the good struggle, and so run the spiritual race as to receive the prize, according to the saying: "Run in such a way that you may obtain it." [1 Cor. 9:24]

IV.1 You see, then, how by many exhortations the Apostle makes manifest to all the limit, goal, and rule of piety and perfection, praying for his disciples that they may hasten toward this goal. In another epistle, showing to the faithful who love the Lord the renewal and transformation that have taken place in Christ, he says: "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision is anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God." [Gal. 6:15-16] And again: "If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away." [2 Cor. 5:17] By the single expression "new creation" he has established and made manifest the apostolic rule. And what is this new creation except what he says elsewhere: "that he might present the Church to himself glorious, having neither spot nor blemish nor any such thing, but that she should be holy and blameless"? [Eph. 5:27] He teaches that the new creation in Christ is perfect purification from shame, complete deliverance from the passions, and the fullness of ineffable and mystical communion with the divine power of the Spirit, accomplished through sanctification in the hearts of the saints who, by means of the virtues, have been deemed worthy of a new spiritual tasting of grace beyond nature. The Apostle sets this same goal before believers when he says: "Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump" [1 Cor. 5:7], and, "Let us keep the feast not with old leaven but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." [1 Cor. 5:8]

IV.2 Because our resistance and warfare "against principalities, against powers, and against the spirits of wickedness" [Eph. 6:12] are not sufficient in themselves, the Apostle exhorts us to take up the whole armor of God. He tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness, to shod our feet with readiness for the gospel of peace, to gird our loins with truth, and above all to take the shield of faith, "with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one." [Eph. 6:14-16] The arrows of the evil one are the operations of the unclean passions. "Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." [Eph. 6:17] He shows that by these forms of spiritual armor we are able to stand against the dangerous schemes of the devil [Eph. 6:11], possessing a power beyond our nature.

IV.3 The manner in which we may acquire all these things he indicates in the words: "With every prayer and supplication pray at all times in the Spirit, and for this very purpose keep watch with all perseverance and supplication." [Eph. 6:18] Therefore he himself prays for all: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all." [2 Cor. 13:13] And again: "May your spirit and soul and body be preserved whole and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Thess. 5:23] Thus in many ways he plainly indicates the straight path of righteousness and the highest goal of Christianity, exhorting all and desiring that all hasten toward them. Those who truly love righteousness fix their gaze on this goal and strive toward it in every way with mature faith and hope; praying in a peaceful and virtuous disposition of soul, they thirst to attain it. Those who strive in this manner will be able, having been delivered from every evil, to fulfill purely, perfectly, and blamelessly the great commandments on which the Law and the Prophets depend: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37]

V.1 If we have been moved to continue our discourse concerning the goal of piety as the Lord, the apostles, and all the divinely inspired Scriptures hand it down to us, setting that goal before us by many testimonies, this seems both fitting and profitable. For thus we may be incontrovertibly and firmly assured what is "the hope of our calling" [Eph. 1:18], what its goal is, and what contest lies before us. This concerns especially those who have embraced the monastic life, withdrawn from worldly bonds and bodily intercourse, and chosen virginity in the Lord.

V.2 Let each man and woman among them consider carefully why they were called and what measure they ought to attain, so that they may restrain themselves from every pride arising from any success in spiritual progress. Because of the exceeding greatness of the perfect measure of the calling and the unsearchable riches of the love of Christ [Eph. 3:8], they ought to count themselves as nothing and, with every power and diligence, continually give themselves zealously to the good. According to the Lord's saying, they must renounce all that belongs to this age and even their own soul, taking up their cross each day with joy and gladness and following him. [Luke 9:23; 14:26] For they have the Lord himself as pattern and exemplar, since he has become for us both the Way and the Goal, according to the words: "Become imitators of me, as I am of Christ" [1 Cor. 11:1], and again: "Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." [Heb. 12:1-2]

V.3 We must not be satisfied and grow complacent because of certain gifts of the Spirit, or because we have advanced in some spiritual understanding, and, imagining ourselves to have reached perfection, be deceived by the craftiness of evil, cast into self-conceit by our supposed righteousness, and remain far from the great advances of the Spirit. Rather, as true lovers of righteousness, let us daily increase until the end our labor, affliction, struggle, and contest, always "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead" [Phil. 3:13], "hungering and thirsting for righteousness" [Matt. 5:6] at the Lord's exhortation, and possessing "a broken heart" [Ps. 50:19 LXX], as those who have not yet reached the calling to which we were called, have not attained the perfect measure of Christianity, and have not yet acquired maturity in the perfect love of Christ.

V.4 Those who truly thirst to reach the goal set before them, known beforehand and highest of all, are continually wounded by love for this ineffable calling of perfection. Until their final breath they are never satisfied with any lesser good or any lesser righteousness; they are not filled by fasts, vigils, almsgiving, or participation in the gifts of the Spirit. Rather, giving themselves wholly to every good, every excellence, and every virtue, and always regarding themselves as still in need with respect to virtue, they never suppose that they are filled with the law of Wisdom. Honored by God, they count themselves unworthy; having attained spiritual progress, they regard themselves as beginners; being great, they despise themselves and count themselves as nothing.

V.5 Because they have believed and loved God in this way, they will receive the recompense of the ineffable promises of the Kingdom. Such souls will be able to please God and become heirs of the Kingdom. Possessing a broken heart and being "poor in spirit" [Matt. 5:3], they always "hunger and thirst for righteousness" [Matt. 5:6], and, pressing on toward the perfect honors of the heavenly calling [Phil. 3:14], they will, because of their lofty love for God, be rewarded with the higher gifts.

VI.1 Enough has now been said concerning the goal of hope toward which those who have chosen the monastic life and loved virginity ought to strive. We must now speak of the assembly and sacred ordering of the monasteries of the brotherhood: how those who love the truth ought to live together with one another, and by what practices, labors, and contests they may attain the goal of piety already described, so that those zealous for virtue and full of courage, having learned the road that leads to the heavenly City and entered upon it, may walk it diligently until they attain the goal.

VI.2 First of all, the one who hastens toward the goal of piety and desires to follow in the footsteps of the Lord must withdraw from worldly life and fleshly pleasures and give himself wholly to the brotherhood. According to the Gospel, he must renounce father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, kindred, wealth, glory, and noble birth [Luke 14:26], and, entering the monastery as into the fullness of all good things, he must renounce even his own soul.

VI.3 What else does renunciation of one's own soul mean except giving oneself entirely to the brotherhood and completely abandoning one's own desires? Having wholly joined oneself to the Word of God, should one not continually adorn the soul with holy and pure thoughts and regard those that lead to salvation as one's own? Should a monk possess anything except the garment he wears, so that he may always remain free from worldly care and joyfully carry out only what is commanded him? Should he not, like a purchased and prudent servant, regard all the brothers—and especially those who preside—as his lords and masters for Christ's sake?

VI.4 For the Lord himself said: "Whoever wishes to be first and great among you, let him be last of all, servant of all, and slave of all." [Mark 9:35; 10:43-44] Let him not pursue glory, honor, or praise, but seek only service and life together with the brothers, according to the saying: serve "with all eagerness, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ." [Eph. 6:6-7] He gives himself to the narrow way and the constricted passage [Matt. 7:14]. As one zealous for the Kingdom, he willingly and joyfully takes upon himself the Lord's easy and good yoke [Matt. 11:29-30], and secures great salvation for himself if with long-suffering he remains to the end in this beautiful and soul-profiting servitude. Regarding all the brothers as masters, as kindred in Christ, and as heirs of the Kingdom, submitting himself in everything to each one, and especially to the superiors and those who bear the burdens of care for virtue, he always considers himself indebted to serve the brothers with love and simplicity, according to the saying: "Through love serve one another" [Gal. 5:13], and, "Owe no one anything except to love one another." [Rom. 13:8]

VI.5 But you also who are ascetics and superiors of the brotherhoods, having taken upon yourselves a great labor, must contend through humility of mind against the skillful schemes of evil. Though possessing authority over the brothers subject to you, do not become exalted and fall into the passion of pride, thereby inflicting great injury and harm upon your soul in place of great profit. Like compassionate fathers, prefer to give yourselves to the service of the brotherhood rather than to rule over the brothers. Care for them bodily and spiritually as children of God. Labor and take thought for the benefit of each soul, so that by continually increasing in this way the spiritual capital of the sacred fellowship of the brotherhood, you may receive from God the heavenly reward.

VI.6 Outwardly preserve the order of leadership: when necessary, direct and command; when appropriate, consult the more tested among the brothers; and when needed, reprove, rebuke, or exhort someone according to the apostolic counsel. [2 Tim. 4:2] Otherwise, under pretext of humility or gentleness and through ignorance, disorder might arise in the monasteries and overturn the proper sequence of rulers and those subject to them. Inwardly, however, in your mind, consider yourselves unworthy servants of all the brothers. Like good tutors to whom the children of masters have been entrusted, strive with all goodwill and fear of God to guide each brother toward every good work, knowing that for this difficult labor a great and inalienable reward awaits you from God.

VI.7 Just as wise tutors, for the instruction and strengthening of character, often do not spare the children who are their masters but discipline them with the rod, while greatly loving them and caring for them in hope that they will become prudent and distinguished men, so you who are ascetic superiors should correct the undisciplined and immature brothers not with the passion of anger or arrogance but with the compassion of Christ and for their spiritual benefit, hoping that your discipline will profit them for the Kingdom of heaven. With this disposition care for the infancy of the brothers, exhorting or rebuking each one, as has been said, for his own benefit. Let your concern spring solely from zeal for God and the mercy of Christ. Correct them without being carried away by an evil passion or acting as though avenging yourselves, so that by manifesting the perfect labor you have undertaken for God you may become heirs of the Kingdom of heaven.

VI.8 For only in this manner does a truly angelic life take place on earth: when rulers and those subject to them are of one mind in this disposition, and when all the brothers with great joy submit to one another, regarding one another as masters and "in honor preferring one another." [Rom. 12:10] The brothers should live together in simplicity and purity of heart, unanimity, peace, uprightness, and all humility. Let no one exalt himself above another or consider himself better and greater, even if he has advanced. Rather, as a disciple of Christ, let him regard himself as worse than all men, for the Lord says: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" [Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14], and again: "Whoever wishes to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all." [Mark 9:35; 10:43; Matt. 20:27] "For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his soul as a ransom for many." [Mark 10:45] The Apostle says: "We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." [2 Cor. 4:5]

VII.1 As those who desire to become imitators of Christ, we exhort you to peace with one another, mutual submission, and good service to one another. If possible, we ought even to prepare ourselves to die for our neighbor, having as pattern and example the Lord, who cooperates with you in every good thing, according to the saying: "For those who love God, all things work together for good." [Rom. 8:28] Thus through love, simplicity, freedom from pretension, and modesty, "the bond of peace" may be preserved in the brotherhood, in the one body and Spirit of Christ [Eph. 4:3-4], as we submit to one another in the fear and love of Christ.

VII.2 Therefore everyone who wishes to be established in such dispositions should always and above all strive in his heart, seeking it from God, to possess continually the holy love and fear of God, which constitute the first and great commandment. Through constant and uninterrupted remembrance of the Lord and heavenly desire, let each person daily increase and enlarge this love according to his progress through grace. For only through great diligence and labor, care and struggle, can we acquire love for God, which by the grace and gift of Christ takes visible form within us. As it is said concerning Wisdom: "If you seek her as silver and search for her as for treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." [Prov. 2:4-5 LXX] Having acquired divine love in this way, we are then able easily to fulfill the second commandment, the commandment of love for our neighbor. [Matt. 22:37-40]

VII.3 For what is first must be placed first and cared for as first; the second, which follows it, must then be carried out in its proper order. If someone were to neglect the great and first commandment, the love of God—which is formed from the inward good disposition and conscience, joined to sound thoughts concerning God and, of course, with the help of divine grace—and were instead to hurry to the second commandment, concerning himself only outwardly with service to others, it would be impossible for him to carry out even that second commandment in an uncorrupted and pure way.

VII.4 For a corrupt method of understanding, which searches for meaning apart from remembrance of God, love of God, and the seeking of God, makes the fulfillment of the divine commandments burdensome and grievous. It produces in the soul murmuring, sadness, and complaint against service to the brothers; or else, through self-conceit and pride, it causes a person to fall away from righteousness and to regard himself as worthy of every honor, as great, and as having reached the heights of obedience to the commandments.

VII.5 When a person prides himself on the thought that he does good and keeps the commandments, he sins, because he judges himself and does not receive the One who judges in truth. Only when, according to Paul's word, "the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit" [Rom. 8:16] are we truly worthy of Christ and children of God—not when, filled with self-conceit, we justify ourselves. For "it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." [2 Cor. 10:18] If a person does not guard remembrance of God and is outside the fear of God, he necessarily seeks glory and hunts for the praise of those whom he serves. Such a person proves himself unbelieving and is reproved by the Lord: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that is from the only God?" [John 5:44] He resembles one who cleans the outside of the cup and dish while inwardly he is full of plunder and every form of greed. [Matt. 23:25] But if the mind itself and the whole disposition of the soul are continually absorbed in contemplation of God and longing for him, then through remembrance of the good and the love of God a person continually adorns his thoughts, and they become true, reverent, and pious.

VII.6 This is attained through much struggle and labor of the mind, because the adversary in every way hinders the mind in the good. He does not want the mind, through remembrance of the good, to be lifted upward by love, but rather to be enticed by earthly desires and to dedicate all its free choice to them. When the mind dedicates itself wholly to remembrance of God and the love of God, this becomes the defeat and death of the evil one. And from remembrance of God and love of God there always follows pure love for the brother. Likewise from them are born true simplicity, gentleness, humility, blamelessness, goodness, prayer, and all the other holy commandments, which are fulfilled in their true fullness only through the one, unique, and first commandment: the love of God.

VII.7 With much struggle and with hidden and invisible labor we must continually give ourselves to the examination of thoughts. We must always exercise the weakened faculties of our soul in discerning good and evil, continually reviving them by the diligence of the mind and compelling them to hasten toward God, so that, according to Paul's word, we may become "one spirit with the Lord" [1 Cor. 6:17], continually cleaving our mind to him.

VII.8 This hidden struggle, continual meditation on the Lord, and labor by night and day must accompany our fulfillment of the commandment. We must practice it when we pray, when we serve, when we eat, when we drink, and whenever we do anything, so that every good work of virtue may be done by us for the glory of God and not for our own glory. Every observance of the commandments is sanctified when it is carried out by us in purity of heart through unceasing remembrance of the Lord, the fear of God, diligence, and love for God. Only then do we stand outside the power of the evil one, who is accustomed to defile and soil the commandment of God. In this way the whole requirement of the commandments becomes light and accessible to us, because love for God makes the commandments easy and weakens the difficulty of fulfilling them. Thus through our love for God all the other commandments become light, accessible, and simple.

VII.9 As has been said, the whole earnest warfare of the adversary is directed toward one thing alone: to draw the mind away from remembrance of God, from the fear of God, and from love for the Lord. Therefore he uses every earthly enticement to lead a person away from the true good toward what only appears to be good. Whatever good a person does, the evil one desires to defile and stain it, striving to mix into the commandment the later-sown seed of vainglory, self-conceit, murmuring, or something similar, so that the good may not arise solely because of God and the person's good zeal. Therefore every Christian must possess much knowledge and the power of spiritual discernment, so as to recognize the snares and artifices of the evil one and to separate himself completely from evil.

VII.10 So that it may not seem that we say these things merely from ourselves, let us set forth testimony from holy Scripture. It is written that Abel offered to God from the firstborn of his sheep and from their fat, while Cain brought a gift from the fruits of the earth. God looked upon Abel's gifts, but did not accept Cain's offering. [Gen. 4:3-5] From this we learn that if some good work is done carelessly, negligently, or for some vain purpose, it will not be pleasing to God; but if it is done according to the will of God, with diligence, watchfulness, faith, and for God alone, it will be acceptable to him. Likewise the patriarch Abraham gave a tithe from the best of the spoils to Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, and thus received his blessing. [Heb. 7:1-6; Gen. 14:17-20]

VII.11 By these sayings the Spirit, revealing the higher spiritual sense of Scripture, indicates that the best, richest, and first elements of our whole nature—the mind itself, the conscience itself, our right understanding itself, the loving power of the soul itself, and, in general, the firstfruits of our entire human nature—must always and above all be offered to God as the sacred sacrifice of the heart, as a tithe from the best spoils and as the firstfruits of right thoughts. Along with this we must continually give ourselves to remembrance of God, meditation on him, and love for him. Only in this way can we daily grow and advance in divine love, while the divine power of Christ assists us. The burden of the righteousness of the commandments will appear light to us when we fulfill them purely and blamelessly, if the Lord himself, through faith and love, joins us to himself by our longing for him and by our good desire for all his commandments.

VIII.1 As for the inward side of ascetic practice and the question which of the good exercises is best and first, know, beloved brothers, that all the virtues are bound together and depend upon one another, linked one to another like a sacred and spiritual chain. Prayer depends upon love; love upon joy; joy upon gentleness; gentleness upon humility; humility upon service; service upon hope; hope upon faith; faith upon obedience; and obedience upon simplicity.

VIII.2 Likewise, but in the opposite direction, the vices are bound together with one another: hatred depends upon anger, anger upon pride, vainglory upon unbelief, unbelief upon hardness of heart, hardness of heart upon negligence, negligence upon idleness, idleness upon contempt, contempt upon despondency, despondency upon impatience, and impatience upon love of pleasure. All the other forms of evil depend on one another in the same way that, in the portion of the good, the virtues are connected with one another.

VIII.3 The substance of every good zeal and the summit of spiritual achievement is patient perseverance in prayer, through which, by petitioning God, we can acquire the other virtues as well. In the prayer of those who have been deemed worthy of these things, the operation of holiness is directed toward God alone; through such spiritual operation there comes about a certain mystical communion with the Lord in ineffable love, taking place in the inward disposition of the mind. Therefore the one who each day constrains himself to patient persistence in prayer is drawn, through God's fiery love, toward divine love and a burning longing for the Lord. Freely choosing the way of perfection, he also receives the grace of the Spirit given him by God, according to the saying: "You have given gladness in my heart." [Ps. 4:8 LXX] And the Lord says: "The kingdom of heaven is within you." [Luke 17:21]

VIII.4 What else can this kingdom within us mean except the heavenly gladness of the Spirit made effective in worthy souls? For the saints will taste in the Kingdom spiritual joy and gladness in the eternal Light; yet worthy and faithful souls are already deemed worthy here, through active communion with the Spirit, to receive its pledge and firstfruits. For the Apostle says that God is the one "who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in every affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." [2 Cor. 1:4] It is also said: "My heart and my flesh rejoiced in the living God" [Ps. 83:3 LXX], and, "As with marrow and fatness let my soul be filled." [Ps. 62:6 LXX] By these and similar words the gladness and consolation of the Spirit already made effective here are indicated. All the commandments that follow are related to prayer as the members of the body are related to the head, and those who give themselves to God must, as far as possible, fulfill them.

IX.1 We have spoken, then, of the goal of piety set before us, the one goal common to all, and have confirmed what we said by many testimonies from holy Scripture. It must also be remembered that faithful and God-fearing souls are deemed worthy, through faith and great diligence in all the virtues, of the fullness of the Spirit, acquiring perfect deliverance from the passions—that is, attaining purification of the heart through the sanctifying operation of the Spirit. Therefore let each person give himself to the good to the extent that the love of his soul reaches out toward God.

IX.2 If anyone wishes to pray unceasingly and with endurance, and also to exercise himself in fasting, he must attend to Paul's words: "Pray without ceasing" [1 Thess. 5:17], and, "Continue steadfastly in prayer." [Col. 4:2; Rom. 12:12] He must also attend to the Lord's sayings: "How much more will God vindicate those who cry to him day and night?" [Luke 18:7], and, "He also told them a parable that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." [Luke 18:1] Concerning the way in which those who thirst for God and believe in him are deemed worthy to be clothed in the heavenly armor, the Apostle says: "With every prayer and supplication pray at all times in the Spirit, and for this very purpose keep watch with all perseverance and supplication." [Eph. 6:18] If one of the brothers who struggles in faith, prayer, and repentance desires to take part in the contest of love for the heavenly goods, he is praiseworthy and pleasing both to men and to God.

IX.3 The monastic brotherhood should therefore gladly allow the one who struggles with patient persistence in prayer to be a member of the brotherhood and should assist him in every way. Through their unanimity with that brother and their good cooperation with him, the monks may themselves receive a reward from God. The brother who prays with all watchfulness, however, must examine his conscience, maintain unceasing concern for God, and live in continual struggle. Each day he must resist the mass of many and abundant evil thoughts, compelling the mind always to stretch out in loving desire toward the Lord and, in return, receive from the Lord the perception of grace, so that the fruits of his endurance and steadfastness may become manifest day by day for the edification of all.

IX.4 For the one who has been wounded by love and burning desire for God exerts himself in prayer, struggles, and compels his free choice toward spiritual labor, giving himself to it wholly even if he had never previously practiced such labor. He longs to receive from God heavenly love and true spiritual prayer, according to the saying: "He gives prayer to the one who prays." [1 Sam. 2:9 LXX] The other brothers should gladly allow him to devote himself to this spiritual labor, encouraging and helping him as faithful assistants. They should see the brother's spiritual progress as a benefit to themselves also, and should not be governed by contentiousness or envy, should not act under the suggestion of evil, should neither hinder nor obstruct his good longing for God, nor cut off at its beginning the brother's contest of good zeal. In this way God, seeing the good impulse toward mutual love in the soul of each of them, will grant his holy recompense in response to the petitions of all and give each person full assurance, seeing their right and good disposition toward one another.

IX.5 Above all, the superiors of the brothers must carry this out with every diligence and discernment, striving to dispose both themselves and the brothers to such a way of thinking, so that no obstacle may be placed before anyone in the freely chosen contest of spiritual struggle.

IX.6 The one who continually devotes himself to prayer performs the chief work and must undertake a special contest, with much labor and unceasing diligence, because evil places many obstacles in the path of continual prayer: drowsiness, despondency, heaviness of body, wandering thoughts, disturbance of mind, negligence, impatience, slackness, and the rest. Then come afflictions and assaults from the evil spirits themselves, which fight against the soul and oppose it even to blood when it begins truly and unceasingly to seek God, for they desire to prevent it from drawing near to him.

IX.7 Therefore the one who continually abides in prayer must take courage with all watchfulness and diligence, struggling bodily and spiritually with every kind of endurance. As one who truly bears the cross, let him remain without ceasing in much struggle, labor, contrition, and much affliction for the sake of the Kingdom, without vainglory, without surrendering to wandering evil thoughts, confused dreams, despondency, or slackness. He must not use improper words that cause disturbance in others, nor even entertain anything of this kind in thought. Nor should he, as though lacking discernment, be satisfied merely with bodily bending of the knees while the mind remains confused and wandering.

IX.8 For unless a person prepares himself for the strictest watchfulness and continually examines his mind with all attention, always stretching out by desire toward the Lord, evil can secretly deceive and beguile him in many ways, making him boast before the other brothers who are not yet able to remain continually in prayer. Through such crafty snares of evil he will lose his good work and hand it over to the evil demon. On the contrary, because he has undertaken the greatest work—prayer—he must also acquire greater labors, cares, and contests than the other brothers, lest he suffer any robbery by evil. For the evil one fights more fiercely against those who have taken up the greater and better work, desiring to outwit them.

IX.9 We must therefore daily cultivate within ourselves, through continual prayer, the fruit of love, humility of mind, simplicity, goodness, and discernment. Manifesting our spiritual progress, let us struggle in such a way that those who are still infants in Christ and cannot persevere in prayer may, on seeing our good fruits, themselves desire to dedicate themselves willingly and zealously to the same contest. For if our prayer is not adorned with love, simplicity, and goodness, it will profit us nothing and will be merely the appearance of prayer.

IX.10 We say this not only of prayer but of every ascetic labor and effort. Whether it is virginity or prayer, fasting or vigil, psalmody or service, or any other effort and work undertaken by us for virtue—if we do not find within ourselves the fruits of love, peace, joy, gentleness, humility, simplicity, sincerity, faith, long-suffering, and freedom from envy, our labors and efforts are vain and useless. They are likewise vain if we do not share these fruits with all our brothers. Every work and every effort must be performed for the sake of these fruits; if we do not acquire them within ourselves, all our labor is vain and useless.

IX.11 For those who do not possess these fruits will be found on the Day of Judgment like the five foolish virgins [Matt. 25:1-12], who had not stored spiritual oil in the vessels of their hearts—that is, had not acquired and fulfilled here, through the Holy Spirit, the virtues named above. Therefore they were called foolish and were not admitted into the spiritual bridal chamber of the Kingdom. Their labor of virginity was not reckoned to them, because the virtues were lacking and they had been deprived of the effective indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

IX.12 As in the cultivation of a vine the farmer undertakes labors and cares for the sake of tasting the fruit, and if no fruit is found all his toil proves vain and useless, so too with us: if through the operation of the Spirit we do not come to know within ourselves, in full assurance and spiritual perception, the fruits of love, peace, joy, humility, long-suffering, faith, and all the other fruits enumerated by the Apostle [Gal. 5:22], then our efforts will prove empty and our labor in virginity, prayer, psalmody, fasting, and vigil will be in vain. For these labors and efforts must be undertaken in hope of the spiritual fruits to come. The fruit-bearing of the Spirit is a spiritual tasting accompanied by incorruptible delight, brought about by the Spirit only in the hearts of the faithful and humble.

IX.13 All the labors, exercises, and efforts of human nature must therefore be judged with much discernment and understanding, and only those things should be recognized as the true fruits of virtue which, through faith and hope, are cultivated by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the worthy. If, through lack of knowledge, someone counts his own work and effort alone as the fruits of the Spirit, this shows that he has acquired only empty self-conceit and has voluntarily fallen away from the great spiritual goods. He has trusted that progress in the virtues can be achieved by himself alone, without the operation of the Holy Spirit. But the one who dedicates himself wholly to God and applies, as far as possible, his own diligence and labor, receives grace from God, is freed from the passions, and is deemed worthy to reach the heights above and the purity of virtue.

IX.14 Just as a person who lives according to the world and has given himself wholly to sin satisfies with great pleasure the passions of dishonor that are contrary to nature—debauchery, fornication, drunkenness, greed, envy, deceit, lack of restraint, hostility, hatred, and love of money—and performs other evil deeds with pleasure and sweetness as though they were natural, so the perfect Christian performs all the virtues and all the perfect fruits of the Spirit that are beyond our nature—true and unfailing love, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, endurance, faith, humility of mind, and the other works of virtue—with great pleasure and spiritual delight as though they were natural. He does them easily and without effort, no longer being occupied with the evil passions or fighting against them. Completely redeemed by the Lord and deemed worthy to become his pure dwelling, he is moved toward the virtues by the power of God, filled with joy and gladness from the worshipful Holy Spirit and possessing the perfect peace of Christ ruling in his heart. [Col. 3:15] He is the one who has truly "cleaved to the Lord" and become "one spirit" with him. [1 Cor. 6:17] For through the operation of the Spirit and the holiness of the virtues he can suppress within himself the filthy passions and operations of vice.

IX.15 Such a perfect Christian, because of the effective indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not only performs the works of virtue with great pleasure and without effort, but easily and freely accepts what is most difficult: the sufferings of Christ. Strengthened by the Spirit, he prays with great desire that he may suffer together with Christ. Just as people who live according to the flesh desire with great pleasure and joy to be honored, glorified, and admired, strive to become rich, live in luxury, exercise authority, and enjoy the other pleasures of this life, so those who have been deemed worthy to attain the highest measure of Christianity, with spiritual delight, pleasure, and joy, in the blessed hope of the Resurrection, readily accept as desirable nakedness, hunger, and the endurance of every hardship for the sake of the Lord. They are ready to be hated, dishonored, and reviled, to become as the refuse of this world [cf. 1 Cor. 4:11-13], to be crucified and subjected to every punishment.

IX.16 For the glory, wealth, luxury, treasure, and boasting of Christians consist in the sufferings of Christ, according to the apostolic saying: "Not only so, but we also boast in afflictions." [Rom. 5:3] And according to the Lord himself: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say every evil thing against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven." [Matt. 5:11-12] Blessed Paul, taking great delight in sufferings for Christ, cries out: "Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, necessities, pressures, beatings, imprisonments... for when I am weak, then I am strong." [2 Cor. 12:9-10; 6:4-5]

IX.17 The fullest indwelling of the Holy Spirit in them and his incorruptible and effective consolation prepare them, through the immortal hope of the future Resurrection, to accept the sufferings of Christ with the sweetest assurance and great delight. Thus even the reception of those sufferings becomes light and easy for them. Those who have not yet been deemed worthy of this, and have not yet received the operation of the Spirit, should continually meditate with diligence and desire, in hope and faith, on the commandments and sufferings of the Lord. Compelling themselves, let them exercise themselves as far as possible in spiritual labor, hoping that with the help of the Spirit they too will one day attain perfection in progress. This is necessary so that, in the labor of hope, in the meditation of the mind, and with desire, we may receive the Spirit operating in power, joyfully take up the practice of the Gospel commandments and the endurance of the sufferings of Christ, and thus, through the effective indwelling and communion of the Spirit within us, be deemed worthy to become perfect Christians and heirs of eternal life.

IX.18 Strive, therefore, in precisely this way; train yourselves in this way; and together prepare yourselves for every good work. Above all compel yourselves to remain continually in prayer, keeping before you the goal of attaining such great goods, so that this may serve as an example that edifies both yourselves and your neighbors. Take care lest through negligence or heedlessness you harm both yourselves and those near you.

X.1 Those who, because they are still in spiritual infancy, are not yet able to devote themselves wholly to the work of prayer should prepare themselves, with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, for service, obedience, or any task that brings relief to the brothers. Let them fulfill it as a commandment of God and as a spiritual work. They must not expect honor or gratitude from men, for it is not from men that they receive their reward; rather, with watchfulness let them give themselves wholly to these services as works belonging to God. Let them serve joyfully as slaves of Christ, never allowing wickedness, through people-pleasing, murmuring, arrogance, conceit, negligence, or contempt, to defile their good work and poison it with the venom of its deceit. Let them sanctify their manner of life by reverence, the fear of God, and love for God, and it will become well-pleasing to him.

X.2 For the Lord descended to the human race with great love for mankind and boundless goodness. He therefore permits no one to remain idle with respect to virtue or any good work, but gives each person a labor proportionate to the strength of his free choice, while in his generosity calling everyone each day toward greater commandments and virtues.

X.3 For he says: "Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, shall not lose his reward." [Matt. 10:42] See how easy the Lord has made the commandment, so that no one, even one whose free choice is weak and relaxed, should be deprived of participation in the good. And again he says: "Whoever does this to one of these, does it to me." [Matt. 25:40] Only let what is done be done for God's sake and not for human glory. He adds, "in the name of a disciple," that is, so that the good may be done in the fear of God and with the love of Christ.

X.4 For those who do anything for display, for human glory and praise, the Lord reproves and condemns, saying: "They do all their works in order to be seen by men" [Matt. 23:5]; and then he adds with solemn assurance: "Truly I say to you, they have received their reward." [Matt. 6:2] Therefore he commands his disciples: "Take heed that you do not perform your almsgiving, your fasting, and your prayer before men... otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." [Matt. 6:2, 5, 16] He exhorts us to reject glory, honor, and praise that come from men and not even to admit them into the mind, but, as has been said above, to receive true glory and praise from God alone. For the Lord teaches that whatever good is done by us should not be done for the sake of becoming known to men. Yet how is this to be understood when he himself counsels that our good works, done for the glory of God, should shine before men like a light, saying: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven"? [Matt. 5:16]

X.5 The apostles also, legislating by the Holy Spirit, determined that those turning from the Gentiles should not be troubled with everything at once, commanding them to abstain from what was most necessary to avoid: sexual immorality, things sacrificed to idols, things strangled, and blood. [Acts 15:19, 28-29] In their great and immeasurable goodness and compassion they were silent for the time about the multitude of the commandments. Lightening the burden of their spiritual infancy, the apostles wished them first simply to come to faith and abandon idolatrous worship; afterward, by gradually attending to the Word of Truth, they could be deemed worthy of instruction concerning the greater commandments and be stirred to advance toward spiritual maturity.

X.6 But if someone is sluggish in prayer and also displays softness, negligence, and carelessness in service or in any other work undertaken for the relief of the brothers, without striving, as becomes a true man, diligently to fulfill the work entrusted to him, let him hear the Apostle, who calls such a person idle. Showing that such a man does not work but merely wastes his time, the Apostle does not deem him worthy even of bread, saying: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat." [2 Thess. 3:10] Elsewhere it is said that God also hates the idle, and that the idle man cannot be faithful. And in the book of Wisdom it is said: "Idleness has taught much evil." [Sir. 33:28] Everyone is obliged to bear fruit in whatever work he performs for the Lord and to be diligent, even if only in one service, lest by being fruitless he be deprived of eternal life.

XI.1 Although one and the same goal, of which we spoke above, stands before all the brothers who follow the same manner of life, let each contend according to the measure of his strength and trust the God who does not lie, so that through all his good zeal and continual exercise in virtue he may attain the perfect measure of Christian adoption. Simplicity, sincerity, mutual love, joy, and humility in everything should always remain among you as unshakable foundations of the brotherhood. Otherwise, if you exalt yourselves over one another, or become puffed up, or grumble against one another, your labor will become fruitless. For it is when we are filled with humility of mind, regarding our neighbors as surpassing us and as our masters, that we become imitators of Christ, who became poor for our sake.

XI.2 Let the one who continually persists in prayer neither exalt himself nor become puffed up over those who are not yet able to do the same, so that his work may prosper before God and men. And let the one who gives himself to service or obedience for the brothers neither murmur nor, yielding to malice, speak evil of the one who devotes all his time to prayers and fasts, so that he himself may obtain grace before God and his work may be well-pleasing to him. Since we are members of one another, we ought also to give rest to one another, doing nothing from rivalry or vainglory [Phil. 2:3], as the Apostle commanded.

XI.3 Just as the members of the body, governed by one soul, serve one another without envy—the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor the head to the feet, "I have no need of you"; rather, upon those members of the body that seem weaker we bestow more abundant care and cherish them more [1 Cor. 12:21-23]—so we also, being members of one another, as has been said, ought to act in the same way. Being members of one another, governed by the one Spirit and nourished by the one living Word of Truth, we ought, for the sake of our common rest, to be brought into harmony by love, simplicity, goodness, and joy. For it is for this that we were made, according to the saying: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." [Eph. 2:10]

XI.4 If we live in this way, God rejoices in the free choice of each person, receiving the work performed for him alone. When simplicity of disposition toward one another is preserved, the abundance of those who persevere in prayer makes up what is lacking in those who serve and labor for the rest of the brothers; and conversely, the abundance of those who serve and labor makes up what is lacking in those who devote themselves wholly to prayer. Thus there comes to be, according to the Apostle, an equality, as it is written: "The one who gathered much had nothing over, and the one who gathered little had no lack." [2 Cor. 8:14-15; Exod. 16:18] Only let simplicity, love, humility, and freedom from pretension be firmly established among the brothers, and let each, according to the measure of his strength, travel joyfully along the course of the good, fighting the good fight, so that, walking the straight road of piety, each may advance daily according to the measure of his faith, love, and labor and be deemed worthy of the Kingdom.

XI.5 This is truly an angelic life upon earth. It is signified by the words: "Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth." [Matt. 6:10] Living in this way, we do not exalt ourselves over one another, but are united to one another in freedom from pretension and envy, in simplicity, love, peace, and joy, regarding the progress of our neighbor as our own gain and his infirmity, weakness, and affliction as our own loss. For it is said: "Let each look not only to his own things, but each also to those of his neighbor." [Phil. 2:4] Thus, having compassion on one another and bearing one another's burdens—especially the strong bearing the burdens of the weak and the vigorous those of the infirm—we shall be able to fulfill the law of Christ according to Paul's exhortation. [Gal. 6:2]

XI.6 Living together in this way, we shall truly be able to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy [Luke 10:19], crushing by unanimity and the grace of Christ the heads of the spiritual serpents, treading upon the asp and basilisk, and trampling the lion and the serpent. [Ps. 90:13 LXX]

XI.7 For when the brothers, as was said above, remain with one another in love, simplicity, and purity, the one who has reached higher degrees of spiritual progress and continually devotes himself to prayer makes still greater progress and growth through the cooperation and concord of the brothers. Likewise, the one who stands at a lower degree, lovingly encouraged by those who are more perfect, advances daily, laboring with joy, and moves toward greater perfection. But if you are not thus disposed toward one another, and murmuring, reproaches, slander, and exaltation over one another arise among you, then even those who seem to devote themselves to prayers and fasts cannot become better because of the discord and harmfulness of their companions and because of their own pride; and those who serve the bodily rest of the brothers cannot obtain grace in their service because they murmur against those engaged in prayer and because hatred exists among the brothers. When there is division in the body, it is impossible for us to receive spiritual edification, and the will of God cannot be accomplished in us.

XI.8 The Apostle, gathering the distribution of many spiritual gifts into one harmonious whole like the unity of the members of one body, says: "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith; or service, in serving; or the one who teaches, in teaching; the one who exhorts, in exhortation; the one who gives, in simplicity; the one who leads, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy" [Rom. 12:6-9], and so forth. Again: "Each of you has a psalm... has a revelation, has knowledge, has prophecy: let all things be done for edification." [1 Cor. 14:26] That is, let each receive mutually from the gifts of the other through unanimity and concord with one another. So also you, brothers, who in the monasteries have given yourselves to the Lord and to one another, whether strong in body or in understanding, bear the burdens of the weak [Gal. 6:2] through blessed hope in Christ. Whatever good each possesses by nature—strength, understanding, courage, some good intention, or zeal—let him give it wholly for the other. And if, by the grace of Christ, we have been deemed worthy of spiritual gifts, let us become sharers with one another in every good thing for the edification and benefit both of ourselves and of our neighbors and, indeed, of all people. By thus fulfilling the law of Christ [Gal. 6:2], we shall become worthy of eternal life.

XI.9 That the work of prayer and of the word, when properly performed, is preferable to every virtue and every commandment is witnessed by the Lord himself. When he entered the house of Martha and Mary, and Martha occupied herself with service while Mary, sitting at the Lord's feet, nourished her soul with saving teaching, Martha reproached her sister for not helping and said to the Lord: "Lord, tell my sister to come and help me, because she has left me alone." But the Lord, judging Mary's attention to be first and principal, answered: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed; Mary has chosen the good part." [Luke 10:38-42] By saying this, the Lord indicated the work that is first of all and better than the works of the virtues.

XI.10 Yet he did not regard the work of service as insignificant. For if he had considered it so, why did he accept Martha's service and himself perform her work by washing the feet of the disciples? And, exhorting them, he taught: "If I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought ... to do as I have done to you." [John 13:14-15] Again: "Whoever wishes to be first among you, let him be servant and slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his soul as a ransom for many." [Mark 10:43-45] And again: "Whoever does this to one of these ... does it to me." [Matt. 25:40] Nevertheless, when the apostles, as Acts relates, were occupied with bodily service at the tables, they judged the work of prayer and the word to be better for themselves. They said: "It is not right for us to leave the word of God and serve tables. But let us choose men full of the Holy Spirit ... whom we may appoint over this service. We, however, will devote ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." [Acts 6:2-4]

XI.11 You see how the first is preferred to the second, though both are shoots from one good root. Let prayer, therefore, draw your zeal, be valued above the other commandments, and be preferred to them. Only let everything be done out of love for God and be determined by the goal of attaining, with the help of grace, passionless purity. Let us not do these things merely from bodily habit, casually and indifferently; nor let us suppose that by outward expressions of prayer, psalmody, or service not performed for God alone, or by other outward achievements, we have realized the Truth itself, which is the love of God sought by him in the inner man and brought into operation by the Spirit. Otherwise, through ignorance, we may conceal this Truth from ourselves while placing our confidence only in bodily observances. Rather, above all the commandments let the goal of love for God from a sincere conscience and a pure disposition rule in us. For when this goal continually points out the way, when it is prepared and brought to fulfillment in us by the Holy Spirit working together with our great desire, then inward prayer is accomplished in full correspondence with outward bending of the knees, service is performed in a manner well-pleasing to God, and the practice of all the commandments can, through the cooperation of the Spirit, be accomplished by us purely and without blemish.

XII.1 For the goal and hope of Christians is to become sons of Light, to be deemed worthy to be children and heirs of God, to become fellow heirs with Christ, to become sons of the heavenly bridal chamber, and, by the grace of God, to be called brothers of Christ, according to the ineffable promises of the divinely inspired and holy Scriptures. [Heb. 2:11-12] This is attained not by some other spiritual achievements or by some other manner of life, but by those things of which we have spoken, adducing many testimonies from Scripture.

XII.2 Having therefore learned from these testimonies the highest and perfect goal of the pious life, let us believe, with love, hope, and zeal in every virtue, the God who does not lie: that according to his good pleasure and goodness he will deem us worthy of those promises that surpass our nature and power. Let us grow daily in the Lord and make our progress in the Lord manifest to all, so that we may perhaps receive the Spirit of adoption, placing our whole and complete hope in God with the full assurance of faith. Through him alone can we be delivered from the passions of dishonor, whether manifest or hidden, from sins committed in deed and from evil thoughts carried out within; through him alone can we be deemed worthy to acquire a pure heart, according to one of the Lord's beatitudes: "Blessed are the pure in heart." [Matt. 5:8] Voluntarily taking upon ourselves the labor of the contest in the manner already described, and being deemed worthy through communion and mingling with the Holy Spirit to become children of God, sons of the Kingdom, and brothers of Christ, we shall find rest and reign together with him for endless ages.