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@@ -0,0 +1,7792 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Barlaam and Ioasaph, by St. John of Damascus + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Barlaam and Ioasaph + +Author: St. John of Damascus + +Posting Date: August 16, 2008 [EBook #749] +Release Date: December, 1996 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BARLAAM AND IOASAPH *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + +Barlaam and Ioasaph + + +by + +St. John Damascene (?) + +("St. John of Damascus") + +c. 676-749 A.D. + + + +It is not known where or when this story was written, but it is +believed to have been translated into Greek (possibly from a Georgian +original) sometime in the 11th Century A.D. Although the ultimate +author is usually referred to as "John the Monk", it has been +traditionally ascribed to St. John of Damascus. + +The text of this edition is based on that published as ST. JOHN +DAMASCENE: BARLAAM AND IOASAPH (Trans: G.R. Woodward and H. Mattingly; +Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1914). This text is in the +PUBLIC DOMAIN in he United States. + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B. +Killings (DeTroyes@EnterAct.COM), November, 1996. + +PREPARER'S NOTE: Readers of this work will note some startling +similarities between the story of Ioasaph and the traditional Tale of +Buddha. The work seems to be a retelling of the Buddha Legend from +within a Christian context, with the singular difference that the +"Buddha" in this tale reaches enlightenment through the love of Jesus +Christ. + +The popularity of the Greek version of this story is attested to by the +number of translations made of it throughout the Christian world, +including versions in Latin, Old Slavonic, Armenian, Christian Arabic, +English, Ethiopic, and French. Such was its popularity that both +Barlaam and Josaphat (Ioasaph) were eventually recognized by the Roman +Catholic Church as Saints, and churches were dedicated in their honor +from Portugal to Constantinople. It was only after Europeans began to +have increased contacts with India that scholars began to notice the +similarities between the two sets of stories. Modern scholars believe +that the Buddha story came to Europe from Arabic, Caucasus, and/or +Persian sources, all of which were active in trade between the European +and Indian worlds. + +--DBK + +***************************************************************** + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +ORIGINAL TEXT-- + +Woodward, G.R. & H. Mattingly (Ed. & Trans.): "St. John Damascene: +Barlaam and Ioasaph" (Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1914). +English translation with side-by-side Greek text. + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Lang, David Marshall (Trans.): "The Balavariani: A Tale from the +Christian East" (California University Press, Los Angeles, 1966). +Translation of the Georgian work that probably served as a basis for +the Greek text. + +***************************************************************** + +BARLAAM AND IOASAPH + +AN EDIFYING STORY FROM THE INNER LAND OF THE ETHIOPIANS, CALLED THE +LAND OF THE INDIANS, THENCE BROUGHT TO THE HOLY CITY, BY JOHN THE MONK +(AN HONOURABLE MAN AND A VIRTUOUS, OF THE MONASTERY OF SAINT SABAS); +WHEREIN ARE THE LIVES OF THE FAMOUS AND BLESSED BARLAAM AND IOASAPH. + + + +INTRODUCTION + +"As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are sons of God" saith +the inspired Apostle. Now to have been accounted worthy of the Holy +Spirit and to have become sons of God is of all things most to be +coveted; and, as it is written, "They that have become his sons find +rest from all enquiry." This marvellous, and above all else desirable, +blessedness have the Saints from the beginning won by the practice of +the virtues, some having striven as Martyrs, and resisted sin unto +blood, and others having struggled in self-discipline, and having +trodden the narrow way, proving Martyrs in will. Now, that one should +hand down to memory the prowess and virtuous deeds of these, both of +them that were made perfect by blood, and of them that by self-denial +did emulate the conversation of Angels, and should deliver to the +generations that follow a pattern of virtue, this hath the Church of +Christ received as a tradition from the inspired Apostles, and the +blessed Fathers, who did thus enact for the salvation of our race. For +the pathway to virtue is rough and steep, especially for such as have +not yet wholly turned unto the Lord, but are still at warfare, through +the tyranny of their passions. For this reason also we need many +encouragements thereto, whether it be exhortations, or the record of +the lives of them that have travelled on the road before us; which +latter draweth us towards it the less painfully, and doth accustom us +not to despair on account of the difficulty of the journey. For even +as with a man that would tread a hard and difficult path; by +exhortation and encouragement one may scarce win him to essay it, but +rather by pointing to the many who have already completed the course, +and at the last have arrived safely. So I too, "walking by this rule," +and heedful of the danger hanging over that servant who, having +received of his lord the talent, buried it in the earth, and hid out of +use that which was given him to trade withal, will in no wise pass over +in silence the edifying story that hath come to me, the which devout +men from the inner land Of the Ethiopians, whom our tale calleth +Indians, delivered unto me, translated from trustworthy records. It +readeth thus. + + + +I. + +The country of the Indians, as it is called, is vast and populous, +lying far beyond Egypt. On the side of Egypt it is washed by seas and +navigable gulphs, but on the mainland it marcheth with the borders of +Persia, a land formerly darkened with the gloom of idolatry, barbarous +to the last degree, and wholly given up to unlawful practices. But +when "the only-begotten Son of God, which is in the bosom of the +Father," being grieved to see his own handiwork in bondage unto sin, +was moved with compassion for the same, and shewed himself amongst us +without sin, and, without leaving his Father's throne, dwelt for a +season in the Virgin's womb for our sakes, that we might dwell in +heaven, and be re-claimed from the ancient fall, and freed from sin by +receiving again the adoption of sons; when he had fulfilled every stage +of his life in the flesh for our sake, and endured the death of the +Cross, and marvellously united earth and heaven; when he had risen +again from the dead, and had been received up into heaven, and was +seated at the right hand of the majesty of the Father, whence, +according to his promise, he sent down the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, +unto his eyewitnesses and disciples, in the shape of fiery tongues, and +despatched them unto all nations, for to give light to them that sat in +the darkness of ignorance, and to baptize them in the Name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, whereby it fell to the +lot of some of the Apostles to travel to the far-off East and to some +to journey to the West-ward, while others traversed the regions North +and South, fulfilling their appointed tasks then it was, I say, that +one of the company of Christ's Twelve Apostles, most holy Thomas, was +sent out to the land of the Indians, preaching the Gospel of Salvation. +"The Lord working with him and confirming the word with signs +following," the darkness of superstition was banished; and men were +delivered from idolatrous sacrifices and abominations, and added to the +true Faith, and being thus transformed by the hands of the Apostle, +were made members of Christ's household by Baptism, and, waxing ever +with fresh increase, made advancement in the blameless Faith and built +churches in all their lands. + +Now when monasteries began to be formed in Egypt, and numbers of monks +banded themselves together, and when the fame of their virtues and +Angelic conversation "was gone out into all the ends of the world" and +came to the Indians, it stirred them up also to the like zeal, insomuch +that many of them forsook everything and withdrew to the deserts; and, +though but men in mortal bodies, adopted the spiritual life of Angels. +While matters were thus prospering and many were soaring upward to +heaven on wings of gold, as the saying is, there arose in that country +a king named Abenner, mighty in riches and power, and in victory over +his enemies, brave in warfare, vain of his splendid stature and +comeliness of face, and boastful of all worldly honours, that pass so +soon away. But his soul was utterly crushed by poverty, and choked +with many vices, for he was of the Greek way, and sore distraught by +the superstitious error of his idol-worship. But, although he lived in +luxury, and in the enjoyment of the sweet and pleasant things of life, +and was never baulked of any of his wishes and desires, yet one thing +there was that marred his happiness, and pierced his soul with care, +the curse of childlessness. For being without issue, he took ceaseless +thought how he might be rid of this hobble, and be called the father of +children, a name greatly coveted by most people. Such was the king, +and such his mind. + +Meanwhile the glorious band of Christians and the companies of monks, +paying no regard to the king's majesty, and in no wise terrified by his +threats, advanced in the grace of Christ, and grew in number beyond +measure, making short account of the king's words, but cleaving closely +to everything that led to the service of God. For this reason many, +who had adopted the monastic rule, abhorred alike all the sweets of +this world, and were enamoured of one thing only, namely godliness, +thirsting to lay down their lives for Christ his sake, and yearning for +the happiness beyond. Wherefore they preached, not with fear and +trembling, but rather even with excess of boldness, the saving Name of +God, and naught but Christ was on their lips, as they plainly +proclaimed to all men the transitory and fading nature of this present +time, and the fixedness and incorruptibility of the life to come, and +sowed in men the first seeds, as it were, towards their becoming of the +household of God, and winning that life which is hid in Christ. +Wherefore many, profiting by this most pleasant teaching, turned away +from the bitter darkness of error, and approached the sweet light of +Truth; insomuch that certain of their noblemen and senators laid aside +all the burthens of life, and thenceforth became monks. + +But when the king heard thereof, he was filled with wrath, and, boiling +over with indignation, passed a decree forthwith, compelling all +Christians to renounce their religion. Thereupon he planned and +practised new kinds of torture against them, and threatened new forms +of death. So throughout all his dominions he sent letters to his +rulers and governors ordering penalties against the righteous, and +unlawful massacres. But chiefly was his displeasure turned against the +ranks of the monastic orders, and against them he waged a truceless and +unrelenting warfare. Hence, of a truth, many of the Faithful were +shaken in spirit, and others, unable to endure torture, yielded to his +ungodly decrees. But of the chiefs and rulers of the monastic order +some in rebuking his wickedness ended their lives by suffering +martyrdom, and thus attained to everlasting felicity; while others hid +themselves in deserts and mountains, not from dread of the threatened +tortures, but by a more divine dispensation. + + + +II. + +Now while the land of the Indians lay under the shroud of this moonless +night, and while the Faithful were harried on every side, and the +champions of ungodliness prospered, the very air reeking with the smell +of bloody sacrifices, a certain mall of the royal household, chief +satrap in rank, in courage, stature, comeliness, and in all those +qualities which mark beauty of body and nobility of soul, far above all +his Fellows, hearing of this iniquitous decree, bade farewell to all +the grovelling pomps and vanities of the world, joined the ranks of the +monks, and retired across the border into the desert. There, by +fastings and vigils, and by diligent study of the divine oracles, he +throughly purged his senses, and illumined a soul, set free from every +passion, with the glorious light of a perfect calm. + +But when the king, who loved and esteemed him highly, heard thereof, he +was grieved in spirit at the loss of his friend, but his anger was the +more hotly kindled against the monks. And so he sent everywhere in +search of him, leaving "no stone unturned," as the saying is, to find +him. After a long while, they that were sent in quest of him, having +learnt that he abode in the desert, after diligent search, apprehended +him and brought him before the king's judgement seat. When the king +saw him in such vile and coarse raiment who before had been clad in +rich apparel,--saw him, who had lived in the lap of luxury, shrunken +and wasted by the severe practice of discipline, and bearing about in +his body outward and visible signs of his hermit-life, he was filled +with mingled grief and fury, and, in speech blended of these two +passions, he spake unto him thus: + +"O thou dullard and mad man, wherefore hast thou exchanged thine honour +for shame, and thy glorious estate for this unseemly show? To what end +hath the president of my kingdom, and chief commander of my realm made +himself the laughingstock of boys, and not only forgotten utterly our +friendship and fellowship, but revolted against nature herself, and had +no pity on his own children, and cared naught for riches and all the +splendour of the world, and chosen ignominy such as this rather than +the glory that men covet? And what shall it profit thee to have chosen +above all gods and men him whom they call Jesus, and to have preferred +this rough life of sackcloth to the pleasures and delights of a life of +bliss." + +When the man of God heard these words, he made reply, at once courteous +and unruffled: "If it be thy pleasure, O king, to converse with me, +remove thine enemies out of mid court; which done, I will answer thee +concerning whatsoever thou mayest desire to learn; for while these are +here, I cannot speak with thee. But, without speech, torment me, kill +me, do as thou wilt, for "the world is crucified unto me, and I unto +the world,' as saith my divine teacher." The king said, "And who are +these enemies whom thou biddest me turn out of court?" The saintly man +answered and said, "Anger and Desire. For at the beginning these twain +were brought into being by the Creator to be fellow-workers with +nature; and such they still are to those 'who walk not after the flesh +but after the Spirit.' But in you who are altogether carnal, having +nothing of the Spirit, they are adversaries, and play the part of +enemies and foemen. For Desire, working in you, stirreth up pleasure, +but, when made of none effect, Anger. To-day therefore let these be +banished from thee, and let Wisdom and Righteousness sit to hear and +judge that which we say. For if thou put Anger and Desire out of +court, and in their room bring in Wisdom and Righteousness, I will +truthfully tell thee all." Then spake the king, "Lo I yield to thy +request, and will banish out of the assembly both Desire and Anger, and +make Wisdom and Righteousness to sit between us. So now, tell me +without fear, how wast thou so greatly taken with this error, to prefer +the bird in the bush to the bird already in the hand?" + +The hermit answered and said, "O king, if thou askest the cause how I +came to despise things temporal, and to devote my whole self to the +hope of things eternal, hearken unto me. In former days, when I was +still but a stripling, I heard a certain good and wholesome saying, +which, by its three took my soul by storm; and the remembrance of it, +like some divine seed, being planted in my heart, unmoved, was +preserved ever until it took root, blossomed, and bare that fruit which +thou seest in me. Now the meaning of that sentence was this: 'It +seemed good to the foolish to despise the things that are, as though +they were not, and to cleave and cling to the things that are not, as +though they were. So he, that hath never tasted the sweetness of the +things that are, will not be able to understand the nature of the +things that are not. And never having understood them, how shall he +despise them?' Now that saying meant by 'things that are' the things +eternal and fixed, but by 'things that are not' earthly life, luxury, +the prosperity that deceives, whereon, O king, thine heart alas! is +fixed amiss. Time was when I also clung thereto myself. But the force +of that sentence continually goading my heart, stirred my governing +power, my mind, to make the better choice. But 'the law of sin, +warring against the law of my mind,' and binding me, as with iron +chains, held me captive to the love of things present. + +"But 'after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour' was pleased +to deliver me from that harsh captivity, he enabled my mind to overcome +the law of sin, and opened mine eyes to discern good from evil. +Thereupon I perceived and looked, and behold! all things present are +vanity and vexation of spirit, as somewhere in his writings saith +Solomon the wise. Then was the veil of sin lifted from mine heart, and +the dullness, proceeding from the grossness of my body, which pressed +upon my soul, was scattered, and I perceived the end for which I was +created, and how that it behoved me to move upward to my Creator by the +keeping of his Commandments. Wherefore I left all and followed him, +and I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that he delivered me out +of the mire, and from the making of bricks, and from the harsh and +deadly ruler of the darkness of this world, and that he showed me the +short and easy road whereby I shall be able, in this earthen body, +eagerly to embrace the Angelic life. Seeking to attain to it the +sooner, I chose to walk the strait and narrow way, renouncing the +vanity of things present and the unstable changes and chances thereof, +and refusing to call anything good except the true good, from which +thou, O king, art miserably sundered and alienated. Wherefore also we +ourselves were alienated and separated from thee, because thou wert +falling into plain and manifest destruction, and wouldst constrain us +also to descend into like peril. But as long as we were tried in the +warfare of this world, we failed in no point of duty. Thou thyself +will bear me witness that we were never charged with sloth or +heedlessness. + +"But when thou hast endeavoured to rob us of the chiefest of all +blessings, our religion, and to deprive us of God, the worst of +deprivations, and, in this intent, dost remind us of past honours and +preferments, how should I not rightly tax thee with ignorance of good, +seeing that thou dost at all compare these two things, righteousness +toward God, and human friendship, and glory, that runneth away like +water? And how, in such ease, may we have fellowship with thee, and +not the rather deny ourselves friendship and honours and love of +children, and if there be any other tie greater than these? When we +see thee, O king, the rather forgetting thy reverence toward that God, +who giveth thee the power to live and breathe, Christ Jesus, the Lord +of all; who, being alike without beginning, and coeternal with the +Father, and having created the heavens and the earth by his word, made +man with his own hands and endowed him with immortality, and set him +king of all on earth and assigned him Paradise, the fairest place of +all, as his royal dwelling. But man, beguiled by envy, and (wo is me!) +caught by the bait of pleasure, miserably fell from all these +blessings. So he that once was enviable became a piteous spectacle, +and by his misfortune deserving of tears. Wherefore he, that had made +and fashioned us, looked again with eyes of compassion upon the work of +his own hands. He, not laying aside his God-head, which he had from +the beginning, was made man for our sakes, like ourselves, but without +sin, and was content to suffer death upon the Cross. He overthrew the +foeman that from the beginning had looked with malice on our race; he +rescued us from that bitter captivity; he, of his goodness, restored to +us our former freedom, and, of his tender love towards mankind, raised +us up again to that place from whence by our disobedience we had +fallen, granting us even greater honour than at the first. + +"Him therefore, who endured such sufferings for our sakes, and again +bestowed such blessings upon us, him dost thou reject and scoff at his +Cross? And, thyself wholly riveted to carnal delights and deadly +passions, dost thou proclaim the idols of shame and dishonour gods? +Not only hast thou alienated thyself from the commonwealth of heavenly +felicity but thou hast also severed from the same all others who obey +thy commands, to the peril of their souls. Know therefore that I will +not obey thee, nor join thee in such ingratitude to God-ward; neither +will I deny my benefactor and Saviour, though thou slay me by wild +beasts, or give me to the fire and sword, as thou hast the power. For I +neither fear death, nor desire the present world, having passed +judgement on the frailty and vanity thereof. For what is there +profitable, abiding or stable therein? Nay, in very existence, great +is the misery, great the pain, great and ceaseless the attendant care. +Of its gladness and enjoyment the yoke-fellows are dejection and pain. +Its riches is poverty; its loftiness die lowest humiliation; and who +shall tell the full tale of its miseries, which Saint John the Divine +hath shown me in few words? For he saith, 'The whole world lieth in +wickedness'; and, 'Love not the world, neither the things that are in +the world. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and +the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And the world passeth +away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth +for ever.' Seeking, then, this good will of God, I have forsaken +everything, and joined myself to those who possess the same desire, and +seek after the same God. Amongst these there is no strife or envy, +sorrow or care, but all run the like race that they may obtain those +everlasting habitations which the Father of lights hath prepared for +them that love him. Them have I gained for my fathers, my brothers, my +friends and mine acquaintances. But from my former friends and +brethren 'I have got me away far off, and lodged in the wilderness' +waiting for the God, who saveth me from faintness of spirit, and from +the stormy tempest." + +When the man of God had made answer thus gently and in good reason, the +king was stirred by anger, and was minded cruelly to torment the saint; +but again he hesitated and delayed, regarding his venerable and noble +mien. So he answered and said: + +"Unhappy man, that hast contrived thine own utter ruin, driven thereto, +I ween, by fate, surely thou hast made thy tongue as sharp as thy wits. +Hence thou hast uttered these vain and ambiguous babblings. Had I not +promised, at the beginning of our converse, to banish Anger from mid +court, I had now given thy body to be burned. But since thou hast +prevented and tied me down fast by my words, I bear with thine +effrontery, by reason of my former friendship with thee. Now, arise, +and flee for ever from my sight, lest I see thee again and miserably +destroy thee." + +So the man of God went out and withdrew to the desert, grieved to have +lost the crown of martyrdom, but daily a martyr in his conscience, and +'wrestling against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the +darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness'; as saith Blessed +Paul. But after his departure, the king waxed yet more wroth, and +devised a yet fiercer persecution of the monastic order, while treating +with greater honour the ministers and temple-keepers of his idols. + +While the king was under this terrible delusion and error, there was +born unto him a son, a right goodly child, whose beauty from his very +birth was prophetic of his future fortunes. Nowhere in that land, they +said, had there ever been seen so charming and lovely a babe. Full of +the keenest joy at the birth of the child, the king called him Ioasaph, +and in his folly went in person to the temples of his idols, for to do +sacrifice and offer hymns of praise to his still more foolish gods, +unaware of the real giver of all good things, to whom he should have +offered the spiritual sacrifice. He then, ascribing the cause Of his +son's birth to things lifeless and dumb, sent out into all quarters to +gather the people together to celebrate his son's birth-day: and thou +mightest have seen all the folk running together for fear of the king, +and bringing their offerings ready for the sacrifice, according to the +store at each man's hand, and his favour toward his lord. But chiefly +the king stirred them up to emulation. He brought full many oxen, of +goodly size, for sacrifice, and thus, making a feast for all his +people, he bestowed largesses on all his counsellors and officers, and +on all his soldiers, and all the poor, and men of low degree. + + + +III. + +Now on his son's birth-day feast there came unto the king some five and +fifty chosen men, schooled in the star-lore of the Chaldaeans. These +the king called into his presence, and asked them, severally, to tell +him the future of the new-born babe. After long counsel held, they said +that he should be mighty in riches and power, and should surpass all +that had reigned before him. But one of the astrologers, the most +learned of all his fellows, spake thus: "From that which I learn from +the courses of the stars, O king, the advancement of the child, now +born unto thee, will not be in thy kingdom, but in another, a better +and a greater one beyond compare. Methinketh also that he will embrace +the Christian religion, which thou persecutest, and I trow that he will +not be disappointed of his aim and hope." Thus spake the astrologer, +like Balaam of old, not that his star-lore told him true, but because +God signifieth the truth by the mouth of his enemies, that all excuse +may be taken from the ungodly. + +But when the king heard thereof, he received the tidings with a heavy +heart, and sorrow cut short his joy. Howsoever he built, in a city set +apart, an exceeding beautiful palace, with cunningly devised gorgeous +chambers, and there set his son to dwell, after he had ended his first +infancy; and he forbade any to approach him, appointing, for +instructors and servants, youths right seemly to behold. These he +charged to reveal to him none of the annoys of life, neither death, nor +old age, nor disease, nor poverty, nor anything else grievous that +might break his happiness: but to place before him everything pleasant +and enjoyable, that his heart, revelling in these delights, might not +gain strength to consider the future, nor ever hear the bare mention of +the tale of Christ and his doctrines. For he was heedful of the +astrologer's warning, and it was this most that he was minded to +conceal from his son. And if any of the attendants chanced to fall +sick, he commanded to have him speedily removed, and put another plump +and well-favoured servant in his place, that the boy's eyes might never +once behold anything to disquiet them. Such then was the intent and +doing of the king, for, 'seeing, he did not see, and hearing, he did +not understand.' + +But, learning that some monks still remained, of whom he fondly +imagined that not a trace was left, he became angry above measure, and +his fury was hotly kindled against them. And he commanded heralds to +scour all the city and all the country, proclaiming that after three +days no monk whatsoever should be found therein. But and if any were +discovered after the set time, they should be delivered to destruction +by fire and sword. "For," said he, "these be they that persuade the +people to worship the Crucified as God." Meanwhile a thing befell, +that made the king still more angry and bitter against the monks. + + + +IV. + +There was at court a man pre-eminent among the rulers, of virtuous life +and devout in religion. But while working out his own salvation, as +best he might, he kept it secret for fear of the king. Wherefore +certain men, looking enviously on his free converse with the king, +studied how they might slander him; and this was all their thought. On +a day, when the king went forth a-hunting with his bodyguard, as was +his wont, this good man was of the hunting party. While he was walking +alone, by divine providence, as I believe, he found a man in a covert, +cast to the ground, his foot grievously crushed by a wild-beast. +Seeing him passing by, the wounded man importuned him not to go his +way, but to pity his misfortune, and take him to his own home, adding +thereto: "I hope that I shall not be found unprofitable, nor altogether +useless unto thee." Our nobleman said unto him, "For very charity I +will take thee up, and render thee such service as I may. But what is +this profit which thou saidest that I should receive of thee?" The +poor sick man answered, "I am a physician of words. If ever in speech +or converse any wound or damage be found, I will heal it with befitting +medicines, that so the evil spread no further." The devout man gave no +heed to his word, but on account of the commandment, ordered him to be +carried home, and grudged him not that tending which he required. But +the aforesaid envious and malignant persons, bringing forth to light +that ungodliness with which they had long been in travail, slandered +this good man to the king; that not only did he forget his friendship +with the king, and neglect the worship of the gods, and incline to +Christianity, but more, that he was grievously intriguing against the +kingly power, and was turning aside the common people, and stealing all +hearts for himself. "But," said they, "if thou wilt prove that our +charge is not ungrounded, call him to thee privately; and, to try him, +say that thou desirest to leave thy fathers' religion, and the glory of +thy kingship, and to become a Christian, and to put on the monkish +habit which formerly thou didst persecute, having, thou shalt tell him, +found thine old course evil." The authors of this villainous charge +against the Christian knew the tenderness of his heart, how that, if he +heard such speech from the king, he would advise him, who had made this +better choice, not to put off his good determinations, and so they +would be found just accusers. + +But the king, not forgetful of his friend's great kindness toward him, +thought these accusations incredible and false; and because he might +not accept them without proof, he resolved to try the fact and the +charge. So he called the man apart and said, to prove him, "Friend, +thou knowest of all my past dealings with them that are called monks +and with all the Christians. But now, I have repented in this matter, +and, lightly esteeming the present world, would fain become partaker of +those hopes whereof I have heard them speak, of some immortal kingdom +in the life to come; for the present is of a surety cut short by death. +And in none other way, methinks, can I succeed herein and not miss the +mark except I become a Christian, and, bidding farewell to the glory of +my kingdom and all the pleasures and joys of life, go seek those +hermits and monks, wheresoever they be, whom I have banished, and join +myself to their number. Now what sayest thou thereto, and what is +thine advice? Say on; I adjure thee in the name of truth; for I know +thee to be true and wise above all men." + +The worthy man, hearing this, but never guessing the hidden pitfall, +was pricked in spirit, and, melting into tears, answered in his +simplicity, "O king, live for ever! Good and sound is the +determination that thou hast determined; for though the kingdom of +heaven be difficult to find, yet must a man seek it with all his might, +for it is written, 'He that seeketh shall find it.' The enjoyment of +the present life, though in seeming it give delight and sweetness, is +well thrust from us. At the very moment of its being it ceaseth to be, +and for our joy repayeth us with sorrow sevenfold. Its happiness and +its sorrow are more frail than a shadow, and, like the traces of a ship +passing over the sea, or of a bird flying through the air, quickly +disappear. But the hope of the life to come which the Christians preach +is certain, and as surety sure; howbeit in this world it hath +tribulation, whereas our pleasures now are short-lived, and in the +beyond they only win us correction and everlasting punishment without +release. For the pleasures of such life are temporary, but its pains +eternal; while the Christians' labours are temporary, but their +pleasure and gain immortal. Therefore well befall this good +determination of the king! for right good it is to exchange the +corruptible for the eternal." + +The king heard these words and waxed exceeding wroth: nevertheless he +restrained his anger, and for the season let no word fall. But the +other, being shrewd and quick of wit, perceived that the king took his +word ill, and was craftily sounding him. So, on his coming home, he +fell into much grief and distress in his perplexity how to conciliate +the king and to escape the peril hanging over his own head. But as he +lay awake all the night long, there came to his remembrance the man +with the crushed foot; so he had him brought before him, and said, "I +remember thy saying that thou weft an healer of injured speech." "Yea," +quoth he, "and if thou wilt I will give thee proof of my skill." The +senator answered and told him of his aforetime friendship with the +king, and of the confidence which he had enjoyed, and of the snare laid +for him in his late converse with the king; how he had given a good +answer, but the king had taken his words amiss, and by his change of +countenance betrayed the anger lurking within his heart. + +The sick beggar-man considered and said, "Be it known unto thee, most +noble sir, that the king harboureth against thee the suspicion, that +thou wouldest usurp his kingdom, and he spake, as he spake, to sound +thee. Arise therefore, and crop thy hair. Doff these thy fine +garments, and don an hair-shirt, and at daybreak present thyself before +the king. And when he asketh thee, 'What meaneth this apparel?' answer +him, 'It hath to do with thy communing with me yesterday, O king. +Behold, I am ready to follow thee along the road that thou art eager to +travel; for though luxury be desirable and passing sweet, God forbid +that I embrace it after thou art gone! Though the path of virtue, +which thou art about to tread, be difficult and rough, yet in thy +company I shall find it easy and pleasant, for as I have shared with +thee this thy prosperity so now will I share thy distresses, that in +the future, as in the past, I may be thy fellow.'" Our nobleman, +approving of the sick man's saying, did as he said. When the king saw +and heard him, he was delighted, and beyond measure gratified by his +devotion towards him. He saw that the accusations against his senator +were false, and promoted him to more honour and to a greater enjoyment +of his confidence. But against the monks he again raged above measure, +declaring that this was of their teaching, that men should abstain from +the pleasures of life, and rock themselves in visionary hopes. + +Another day, when he was gone a-hunting, he espied two monks crossing +the desert. These he ordered to be apprehended and brought to his +chariot. Looking angrily upon them, and breathing fire, as they say, +"Ye vagabonds and deceivers," he cried, "have ye not heard the plain +proclamation of the heralds, that if any of your execrable religion +were found, after three days, in any city or country within my realm, +he should be burned with fire?" The monks answered, "Lo! obedient to +thine order, we be coming out of thy cities and coasts. But as the +journey before us is long, to get us away to our brethren, being in +want of victuals, we were making provision for the way, that we perish +not with hunger." Said the king, "He that dreadeth menace of death +busieth not himself with the purveyante of victuals." "Well spoken, O +king," cried the monks. "They that dread death have concern how to +escape it. And who are these but such as cling to things temporary and +are enamoured of them, who, having no good hopes yonder, find it hard +to be wrenched from this present world, and therefore dread death? But +we, who have long since hated the world and the things of the world, +and are walking along the narrow and strait road, for Christ his sake, +neither dread death, nor desire the present world, but only long for +the world to come. Therefore, forasmuch the death that thou art +bringing upon us proveth but the passage to that everlasting and better +life, it is rather to be desired of us than feared." + +Hereupon the king, wishing to entrap the monks, as I ween, shrewdly +said, "How now? Said ye not but this instant, that ye were withdrawing +even as I commanded you? And, if ye fear not death, how came ye to be +fleeing? Lo! this is but another of your idle boasts and lies." The +monks answered, "Tis not because we dread the death wherewith thou dost +threaten us that we flee, but because we pity thee. 'Twas in order that +we might not bring on thee greater condemnation, that we were eager to +escape. Else for ourselves we are never a whit terrified by thy +threats." At this the king waxed wroth and bade burn them with fire. +So by fire were these servants of God made perfect, and received the +Martyr's crown. And the king published a decree that, should any be +found leading a monk's life, he should be put to death without trial. +Thus was there left in that country none of the monastic order, save +those that had hid them in mountains and caverns and holes of the +earth. So much then concerning this matter. + + + +V. + +But meanwhile, the king's son, of whom our tale began to tell, never +departing from the palace prepared for him, attained to the age of +manhood. He had pursued all the learning of the Ethiopians and +Persians, and was as fair and well favoured in mind as in body, +intelligent and prudent, and shining in all excellencies. To his +teachers he would propound such questions of natural history that even +they marvelled at the boy's quickness and understanding, while the king +was astounded at the charm of his countenance and the disposition of +his soul. He charged the attendants of the young prince on no account +to make known unto him any of the annoys of life, least of all to tell +him that death ensueth on the pleasures of this world. But vain was +the hope whereon he stayed, and he was like the archer in the tale that +would shoot at the sky. For how could death have remained unknown to +any human creature? Nor did it to this boy; for his mind was fertile +of wit, and he would reason within himself, why his father had +condemned him never to go abroad, and had forbidden access to all. He +knew, without hearing it, that this was his father's express command. +Nevertheless he feared to ask him; it was not to be believed that his +father intended aught but his good; and again, if it were so by his +father's will, his father would not reveal the true reason, for all his +asking. Wherefore he determined to learn the secret from some other +source. There was one of his tutors nearer and dearer to him than the +rest, whose devotion he won even further by handsome gifts. To him he +put the question what his father might mean by thus enclosing him +within those walls, adding, "If thou wilt plainly tell me this, of all +thou shalt stand first in my favour, and I will make with thee a +covenant of everlasting friendship." The tutor, himself a prudent man, +knowing how bright and mature was the boy's wit and that he would not +betray him, to his peril, discovered to him the whole matter the +persecution of the Christians and especially of the anchorets decreed +by the king, and how they were driven forth and banished from the +country round about; also the prophecies of the astrologers at his +birth. "'Twas in order," said he, "that thou mightest never hear of +their teaching, and choose it before our religion, that the king hath +thus devised that none but a small company should dwell with thee, and +hath commanded us to acquaint thee with none of the woes of life." +When the young prince heard this he said never a word more, but the +word of salvation took hold of his heart, and the grace of the +Comforter began to open wide the eyes of his understanding, leading him +by the hand to the true God, as our tale in its course shall tell. + +Now the king his father came oftentimes to see his boy, for he loved +him passing well. On a day his son said unto him, "There is something +that I long to learn from thee, my lord the king, by reason of which +continual grief and unceasing care consumeth my soul." His father was +grieved at heart at the very word, and said, "Tell me, darling child, +what is the sadness that constraineth thee, and straightway I will do +my diligence to turn it into gladness." The boy said, "What is the +reason of mine imprisonment here? Wily hast thou barred me within +walls and doors, never going forth and seen of none?" His father +replied, "Because I will not, my son, that thou shouldest behold +anything to embitter thy heart or mar thy happiness. I intend that +thou shalt spend all thy days in luxury unbroken, and in all manner joy +and pleasaunce." "But," said the son unto his father, "know well, Sir, +that thus I live not in joy and pleasaunce, but rather in affliction +and great straits, so that my very meat and drink seem distasteful unto +me and bitter. I yearn to see all that lieth without these gates. If +then thou wouldest not have me live in anguish of mind, bid me go +abroad as I desire, and let me rejoice my soul with sights hitherto +unseen by mine eyes." + +Grieved was the king to hear these words, but, perceiving that to deny +this request would but increase his boy's pain and grief, he answered, +"My son, I will grant thee thy heart's desire." And immediately he +ordered that choice steeds, and an escort fit for a king, be made +ready, and gave him license to go abroad whensoever he would, charging +his companions to suffer nothing unpleasant to come in his way, but to +show him all that was beautiful and gladsome. He bade them muster in +the way troops of folk intuning melodies in every mode, and presenting +divers mimic shows, that these might occupy and delight his mind. + +So thus it came to pass that the king's son often went abroad. One day, +through the negligence of his attendants, he descried two men, the one +maimed, and the other blind. In abhorrence of the sight, he cried to +his esquires, "Who are these, and what is this distressing spectacle?" +They, unable to conceal what he had with his own eyes seen, answered, +"These be human sufferings, which spring from corrupt matter, and from +a body full of evil humours." The young prince asked, "Are these the +fortune of all men?" They answered, "Not of all, but of those in whom +the principle of health is turned away by the badness of the humours." +Again the youth asked, "If then this is wont to happen not to all, but +only to some, can they be known on whom this terrible calamity shall +fall? or is it undefined and unforeseeable?" "What man," said they, +"can discern the future, and accurately ascertain it? This is beyond +human nature, and is reserved for the immortal gods alone." The young +prince ceased from his questioning, but his heart was grieved at the +sight that he had witnessed, and the form of his visage was changed by +the strangeness of the matter. + +Not many days after, as he was again taking his walks abroad, he +happened with an old man, well stricken in years, shrivelled in +countenance, feeble-kneed, bent double, grey-haired, toothless, and +with broken utterance. The prince was seized with astonishment, and, +calling the old man near, desired to know the meaning of this strange +sight. His companions answered, "This man is now well advanced in +years, and his gradual decrease of strength, with increase of weakness, +hath brought him to the misery that thou seest." "And," said he, "what +will be his end?" They answered, "Naught but death will relieve him." +"But," said he, "is this the appointed doom of all mankind? Or doth it +happen only to some?" They answered, "Unless death come before hand to +remove him, no dweller on earth, but, as life advanceth, must make +trial of this lot." Then the young prince asked in how many years this +overtook a man, and whether the doom of death was without reprieve, and +whether there was no way to escape it, and avoid coming to such misery. +They answered him, "In eighty or an hundred years men arrive at this +old age, and then they die, since there is none other way; for death is +a debt due to nature, laid on man from the beginning, and its approach +is inexorable." + +When our wise and sagacious young prince saw and heard all this, he +sighed from the bottom of his heart. "Bitter is this life," cried he, +"and fulfilled of all pain and anguish, if this be so. And how can a +body be careless in the expectation of an unknown death, whose approach +(ye say) is as uncertain as it is inexorable?" So he went away, +restlessly turning over all these things in his mind, pondering without +end, and ever calling up remembrances of death. Wherefore trouble and +despondency were his companions, and his grief knew no ease; for he +said to himself, "And is it true that death shall one day overtake me? +And who is he that shall make mention of me after death, when time +delivereth all things to forgetfulness? When dead, shall I dissolve +into nothingness? Or is there life beyond, and another world?" Ever +fretting over these and the like considerations, he waxed pale and +wasted away, but in the presence of his father, whenever he chanced to +come to him, he made as though he were cheerful and without trouble, +unwilling that his cares should come to his father's knowledge. But he +longed with an unrestrainable yearning, to meet with the man that might +accomplish his heart's desire, and fill his ears with the sound of good +tidings. + +Again he enquired of the tutor of whom we have spoken, whether he knew +of anybody able to help him towards his desire, and to establish a +mind, dazed and shuddering at its cogitations, and unable to throw off +its burden. He, recollecting their former communications, said, "I +have told thee already how thy father hath dealt with the wise men and +anchorets who spend their lives in such philosophies. Some hath he +slain, and others he hath wrathfully persecuted, and I wot not whether +any of this sort be in this country side." Thereat the prince was +overwhelmed with woe, and grievously wounded in spirit. He was like +unto a man that hath lost a great treasure, whose whole heart is +occupied in seeking after it. Thenceforth he lived in perpetual +conflict and distress of mind, and all the pleasures and delights of +this world were in his eyes an abomination and a curse. While the +youth was in this way, and his soul was crying out to discover that +which is good, the eye that beholdeth all things looked upon him, and +he that willeth that 'all men should be saved, and come to the +knowledge of the truth,' passed him not by, but showed this man also +the tender love that he hath toward mankind, and made known upon him +the path whereon he needs must go. Befel it thus. + + + +VI. + +There was at that time a certain monk, learned in heavenly things, +graced in word and deed, a model follower of every monastic rule. +Whence he sprang, and what his race, I cannot say, but he dwelt in a +waste howling wilderness in the land of Senaar, and had been perfected +through the grace of the priesthood. Barlaam was this elder's name. +He, learning by divine revelation the state of the king's son, left the +desert and returned to the world. Changing his habit, he put on lay +attire, and, embarking on ship board, arrived at the seat of the empire +of the Indians. Disguised as a merchant man, he entered the city, +where was the palace of the king's son. There he tarried many days, +and enquired diligently concerning the prince's affairs, and those that +had access to him. Learning that the tutor, of whom we have spoken, +was the prince's most familiar friend, he privily approached him, +saying, + +"I would have thee understand, my lord, that I am a merchant man, come +from a far country; and I possess a precious gem, the like of which was +never yet found, and hitherto I have shewed it to no man. But now I +reveal the secret to thee, seeing thee to be wise and prudent, that +thou mayest bring me before the king's son, and I will present it to +him. Beyond compare, it surpasseth all beautiful things; for on the +blind in heart it hath virtue to bestow the light of wisdom, to open +the ears of the deaf, to give speech to the dumb and strength to the +ailing. It maketh the foolish wise and driveth away devils, and +without stint furnisheth its possessor with everything that is lovely +and desirable." The tutor said, "Though, to all seeming, thou art a +man of staid and steadfast judgment, yet thy words prove thee to be +boastful beyond measure. Time would fail me to tell thee the full tale +of the costly and precious gems and pearls that I have seen. But gems, +with such power as thou tellest of, I never saw nor heard of yet. +Nevertheless shew me the stone; and if it be as thou affirmest, I +immediately bear it to the king's son, from whom thou shalt receive +most high honours and rewards. But, before I be assured by the certain +witness of mine own eyes, I may not carry to my lord and master so +swollen a tale about so doubtful a thing." Quoth Barlaam, "Well hast +thou said that thou hast never seen or heard of such powers and +virtues; for my speech to thee is on no ordinary matter, but on a +wondrous and a great. But, as thou desiredst to behold it, listen to +my words. + +"This exceeding precious gem, amongst these its powers and virtues, +possesseth this property besides. It cannot be seen out of hand, save +by one whose eyesight is strong and sound, and his body pure and +thoroughly undefiled. If any man, lacking in these two good qualities, +do rashly gaze upon this precious stone, he shall, I suppose lose even +the eyesight that he hath, and his wits as well. Now I, that am +initiated in the physician's art, observe that thine eyes are not +healthy, and I fear lest I may cause thee to lose even the eyesight +that thou hast. But of the king's son, I have heard that he leadeth a +sober life, and that his eyes are young and fair, and healthy. +Wherefore to him I make bold to display this treasure. Be not thou +then negligent herein, nor rob thy master of so wondrous a boon." The +other answered, "If this be so, in no wise show me the gem; for my life +hath been polluted by many sins, and also, as thou sayest, I am not +possest of good eyesight. But I am won by thy words, and will not +hesitate to make known these things unto my lord the prince." So +saying, he went in, and, word by word, reported everything to the +king's son. He, hearing his tutor's words, felt a strange joy and +spiritual gladness breathing into his heart, and, like one inspired, +bade bring in the man forthwith. + +So when Barlaam was come in, and had in due order wished him Peace!, +the prince bade him be seated. Then his tutor withdrew, and Ioasaph +said unto the elder, "Shew me the precious gem, concerning which, as my +tutor hath narrated, thou tellest such great and marvellous tales." +Then began Barlaam to discourse with him thus: "It is not fitting, O +prince, that I should say anything falsely or unadvisedly to thine +excellent majesty. All that hath been signified to thee from me is +true and may not be gainsaid. But, except I first make trial of thy +mind, it is not lawful to declare to thee this mystery; for my master +saith, 'There went out a sower to sow his seed: and, as he sowed, some +seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured +them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: +and forthwith they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: +and when the sun was up, they were scorched: and because they had no +root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns +sprung up and choked them: but others fell upon good ground, and +brought forth fruit an hundredfold.' Now, if I find in thine heart +fruit-bearing ground, and good, I shall not be slow to plant therein +the heavenly seed, and manifest to thee the mighty mystery. But and if +the ground be stony and thorny, and the wayside trodden down by all who +will, it were better never to let fall this seed of salvation, nor to +cast it for a prey to fowls and beasts, before which I have been +charged not to cast pearls. But I am 'persuaded better things of thee, +and things that accompany salvation,'--how that thou shalt see the +priceless stone, and it shall be given thee in the light of that stone +to become light, and bring forth fruit an hundredfold. Aye, for thy +sake I gave diligence and accomplished a long journey, to shew thee +things which thou hast never seen, and teach thee things which thou +hast never heard." + +Ioasaph said unto him, "For myself, reverend elder, I have a longing, +all irresistible passion to hear some new and goodly word, and in mine +heart there is kindled fire, cruelly burning and urging me to learn the +answer to some questions that will not rest. But until now I never +happened on one that could satisfy me as touching them. But if I meet +with some wise and understanding man, and hear the word of salvation, I +shall not deliver it to the fowls of the air, I trow, nor yet to the +beasts of the field; nor shall I be found either stony or +thorny-hearted, as thou saidest, but I shall receive the word kindly, +and guard it wisely. So if thou knowest any such like thing, conceal +it not from me, but declare it. When I heard that thou were come from +a far country, my spirit rejoiced, and I had good hope of obtaining +through thee that which I desire. Wherefore I called thee straightway +into my presence, and received thee in friendly wise as one of my +companions and peers, if so be that I may not be disappointed of my +hope." Barlaam answered, "Fair are thy deeds, and worthy of thy royal +majesty; seeing that thou hast paid no heed to my mean show, but hast +devoted thyself to the hope that lieth within. + +"There was once a great and famous king: and it came to pass, when he +was riding on a day in his golden chariot, with his royal guard, that +there met him two men, clad in filthy rags, with fallen-in faces, and +pale as death. Now the king knew that it was by buffetings of the body +and by the sweats of the monastic life that they had thus wasted their +miserable flesh. So, seeing them, he leapt anon from his chariot, fell +on the ground, and did obeisance. Then rising, he embraced and greeted +them tenderly. But his noblemen and counsellors took offence thereat, +deeming that their sovran had disgraced his kingly honour. But not +daring to reprove him to the face, they bade the king's own brother +tell the king not thus to insult the majesty of his crown. When he had +told the king thereof, and had upbraided him for his untimely humility, +the king gave his brother an answer which he failed to understand. + +"It was the custom of that king, whenever he sentenced anyone to death, +to send a herald to his door, with a trumpet reserved for that purpose, +and at the sound of this trumpet all understood that that man was +liable to the penalty of death. So when evening was come, the king +sent the death-trumpet to sound at his brother's door; who, when he +heard its blast, despaired of his life, and all night long set his +house in order. At day-break, robed in black and garments of mourning, +with wife and children, he went to the palace gate, weeping and +lamenting. The king fetched him in, and seeing him in tears, said, 'O +fool, and slow of understanding, how didst thou, who hast had such +dread of the herald of thy peer and brother (against whom thy +conscience doth not accuse thee of having committed any trespass) blame +me for my humility in greeting the heralds of my God, when they warned +me, in gentler tones than those of the trumpet, of my death and fearful +meeting with that Master against whom I know that I have often +grievously offended? Lo! then, it was in reproof of thy folly that I +played thee this turn, even as I will shortly convict of vanity those +that prompted thy reproof.' Thus he comforted his brother and sent him +home with a gift. + +"Then he ordered four wooden caskets to be made. Two of these he +covered over all with gold, and, placing dead men's mouldering bones +therein, secured them with golden clasps. The other two he smeared +over with pitch and tar, but filled them with costly stones and +precious pearls, and all manner of aromatic sweet perfume. He bound +them fast with cords of hair, and called for the noblemen who had +blamed him for his manner of accosting the men by the wayside. Before +them he set the four caskets, that they might appraise the value of +these and those. They decided that the golden ones were of greatest +value, for, peradventure, they contained kingly diadems and girdles. +But those, that were be-smeared with pitch and tar, were cheap and of +paltry worth, said they. Then said the king to them, 'I know that such +is your answer, for with the eyes of sense ye judge the objects of +sense, but so ought ye not to do, but ye should rather see with the +inner eye the hidden worthlessness or value.' Whereupon he ordered the +golden chests to be opened. And when they were thrown open, they gave +out a loathsome smell and presented a hideous sight. + +"Said the king, 'Here is a figure of those who are clothed in glory and +honour, and make great display of power and glory, but within is the +stink of dead men's bones and works of iniquity.' Next, he commanded +the pitched and tarred caskets also to be opened, and delighted the +company with the beauty and sweet savour of their stores. And he said +unto them, 'Know ye to whom these are like? They are like those lowly +men, clad in vile apparel, whose outward form alone ye beheld, and +deemed it outrageous that I bowed down to do them obeisance. But +through the eyes of my mind I perceived the value and exceeding beauty +of their souls, and was glorified by their touch, and I counted them +more honourable than any chaplet or royal purple.' Thus he shamed his +courtiers, and taught them not to be deceived by outward appearances, +but to give heed to the things of the soul. After the example of that +devout and wise king hast thou also done, in that thou hast received me +in good hope, wherein, as I ween, thou shalt not be disappointed." +Ioasaph said unto him, "Fair and fitting hath been all thy speech; but +now I fain would learn who is thy Master, who, as thou saidest at the +first, spake concerning the Sower." + + + +VII. + +Again therefore Barlaam took up his parable and said, "If thou wilt +learn who is my Master, it is Jesus Christ the Lord, the only-begotten +Son of God, 'the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings, and +Lords of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which +no man can approach unto'; who with the Father and the Holy Ghost is +glorified. I am not one of those who proclaim from the house-top their +wild rout of gods, and worship lifeless and dumb idols, but one God do +I acknowledge and confess, in three persons glorified, the Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, but in one nature and substance, in one glory +and kingdom undivided. He then is in three persons one God, without +beginning, and without end, eternal and everlasting, increate, +immutable and incorporeal, invisible, infinite, incomprehensible, alone +good and righteous, who created all things out of nothing, whether +visible or invisible. First, he made the heavenly and invisible +powers, countless multitudes, immaterial and bodiless, ministering +spirits of the majesty of God. Afterward he created this visible +world, heaven and earth and sea, which also he made glorious with light +and richly adorned it; the heavens with the sun, moon and stars, and +the earth with all manner of herbs and divers living beasts, and the +sea in turn with all kinds of fishes. 'He spake the word and these all +were made; he commanded and they were created.' Then with his own +hands he created man, taking dust of the ground for the fashioning of +his body, but by his own in-breathing giving him a reasonable and +intelligent soul, which, as it is written, was made after the image and +likeness of God: after his image, because of reason and free will; +after his likeness, because of the likeness of virtue, in its degree, +to God. Him he endowed with free will and immortality and appointed +sovran over everything upon earth; and from man he made woman, to be an +helpmeet of like nature for him. + +"And he planted a garden eastward in Eden, full of delight and all +heart's ease, and set thereto the man whom he had formed, and commanded +him freely to eat of all the heavenly trees therein, but forbade him +wholly the taste of a certain one which was called the tree of the +knowledge of good and evil, thus saying, 'In the day that ye eat +thereof ye shall surely die.' But one of the aforesaid angel powers, +the marshall of one host, though he bore in himself no trace of natural +evil from his Maker's hand but had been created for good, yet by his +own free and deliberate choice turned aside from good to evil, and was +stirred up by madness to the desire to take up arms against his Lord +God. Wherefore he was cast out of his rank and dignity, and in the +stead of his former blissful glory and angelick name received the name +of the 'Devil' and 'Satan' for his title. God banished him as unworthy +of the glory above. And together with him there was drawn away and +hurled forth a great multitude of the company of angels under him, who +were evil of choice, and chose in place of good, to follow in the +rebellion of their leader. These were called Devils, as being deluders +and deceivers. + +"Thus then did the devil utterly renounce the good, and assume an evil +nature; and he conceived spite against man, seeing himself hurled from +such glory, and man raised to such honour; and he schemed to oust him +from that blissful state. So he took the serpent for the workshop of +his own guile. Through him he conversed with the woman, and persuaded +her to eat of that forbidden tree in the hope of being as God, and +through her he deceived Adam also, for that was the first man's name. +So Adam ate of the tree of disobedience, and was banished by his maker +from that paradise of delight, and, in lieu of those happy days and +that immortal life, fell alas! into this life of misery and woe, and +at the last received sentence of death. Thenceforth the devil waxed +strong and boastful through his victory; and, as the race of man +multiplied, he prompted them in all manner of wickedness. So, wishing +to cut short the growth of sin, God brought a deluge on the earth, and +destroyed every living soul. But one single righteous man did God find +in that generation; and him, with wife and children, he saved alive in +an Ark, and set him utterly desolate on earth. But, when the human +race again began to multiply, they forgat God, and ran into worse +excess of wickedness, being in subjection to divers sins and ruined in +strange delusions, and wandering apart into many branches of error. + +"Some deemed that everything moved by mere chance, and taught that +there was no Providence, since there was no master to govern. Others +brought in fate, and committed everything to the stars at birth. +Others worshipped many evil deities subject to many passions, to the +end that they might have them to advocate their own passions and +shameful deeds, whose forms they moulded, and whose dumb figures and +senseless idols they set up, and enclosed them in temples, and did +homage to them, 'serving the creature more than the Creator.' Some +worshipped the sun, moon and stars which God fixed, for to give light +to our earthly sphere; things without soul or sense, enlightened and +sustained by the providence of God, but unable to accomplish anything +of themselves. Others again worshipped fire and water, and the other +elements, things without soul or sense; and men, possest of soul and +reason, were not ashamed to worship the like of these. Others assigned +worship to beasts, creeping and four-footed things, proving themselves +more beastly than the things that they worshipped. Others made them +images of vile and worthless men, and named them gods, some of whom +they called males, and some females, and they themselves set them forth +as adulterers, murderers, victims of anger, jealousy, wrath, slayers of +fathers, slayers of brothers, thieves and robbers, lame and maim, +sorcerers and madmen. Others they showed dead, struck by thunderbolts, +or beating their breasts, or being mourned over, or in enslavement to +mankind, or exiled, or, for foul and shameful unions, taking the forms +of animals. Whence men, taking occasion by the gods themselves, took +heart to pollute themselves in all manner of uncleanness. So an +horrible darkness overspread our race in those times, and 'there was +none that did understand and seek after God.' + +"Now in that generation one Abraham alone was found strong in his +spiritual senses; and by contemplation of Creation he recognized the +Creator. When he considered heaven, earth and sea, the sun, moon and +the like, he marvelled at their harmonious ordering. Seeing the world, +and all that therein is, he could not believe that it had been created, +and was upheld, by its own power, nor did he ascribe such a fair +ordering to earthly elements or lifeless idols. But therein he +recognized the true God, and understood him to be the maker and +sustainer of the whole. And God, approving his fair wisdom and right +judgement, manifested himself unto him, not as he essentially is (for +it is impossible for a created being to see God), but by certain +manifestations in material forms, as he alone can, and he planted in +Abraham more perfect knowledge; he magnified him and made him his own +servant. Which Abraham in turn handed down to his children his own +righteousness, and taught them to know the true God. Wherefore also +the Lord was pleased to multiply his seed beyond measure, and called +them 'a peculiar people,' and brought them forth out of bondage to the +Egyptian nation, and to one Pharaoh a tyrant, by strange and terrible +signs and wonders wrought by the hand of Moses and Aaron, holy men, +honoured with the gift of prophecy; by whom also he punished the +Egyptians in fashion worthy of their wickedness, and led the Israelites +(for thus the people descended from Abraham were called) through the +Red Sea upon dry land, the waters dividing and making a wall on the +right hand and a wall on the left. But when Pharaoh and the Egyptians +pursued and went in after them, the waters returned and utterly +destroyed them. Then with exceeding mighty miracles and divine +manifestations by the space of forty years he led the people in the +wilderness, and fed them with bread from heaven, and gave the Law +divinely written on tables of stone, which he delivered unto Moses on +the mount, 'a type and shadow of things to come' leading men away from +idols and all manner of wickedness, and teaching them to worship only +the one true God, and to cleave to good works. By such wondrous deeds, +he brought them into a certain goodly land, the which he had promised +aforetime to Abraham the patriarch, that he would give it unto his +seed. And the task were long, to tell of all the mighty and marvellous +works full of glory and wonder, without number, which he shewed unto +them, by which it was his purpose to pluck the human race from all +unlawful worship and practice, and to bring men back to their first +estate. But even so our nature was in bondage by its freedom to err, +and death had dominion over mankind, delivering all to the tyranny of +the devil, and to the damnation of hell. + +"So when we had sunk to this depth of misfortune and misery, we were +not forgotten by him that formed and brought us out of nothing into +being, nor did he suffer his own handiwork utterly to perish. By the +good pleasure of our God and Father, and the co-operation of the Holy +Ghost, the only-begotten Son, even the Word of God, which is in the +bosom of the Father, being of one substance with the Father and with +the Holy Ghost, he that was before all worlds, without beginning, who +was in the beginning, and was with God even the Father, and was God, +he, I say, condescended toward his servants with an unspeakable and +incomprehensible condescension; and, being perfect God, was made +perfect man, of the Holy Ghost, and of Mary the Holy Virgin and Mother +of God, not of the seed of man, nor of the will of man, nor by carnal +union, being conceived in the Virgin's undefiled womb, of the Holy +Ghost; as also, before his conception, one of the Archangels was sent +to announce to the Virgin that miraculous conception and ineffable +birth. For without seed was the Son of God conceived of the Holy +Ghost, and in the Virgin's womb he formed for himself a fleshy body, +animate with a reasonable and intelligent soul, and thence came forth +in one substance, but in two natures, perfect God and perfect man, and +preserved undefiled, even after birth, the virginity of her that bore +him. He, being made of like passions with ourselves in all things, yet +without sin, took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. For, since +by sin death entered into the world, need was that he, that should +redeem the world, should be without sin, and not by sin subject unto +death. + +"When he had lived thirty years among men, he was baptized in the river +Jordan by John, an holy man, and great above all the prophets. And +when he was baptized there came a voice from heaven, from God, even the +Father, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,' +and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in likeness of a dove. From that +time forth he began to do great signs and wonders, raising the dead, +giving sight to the blind, casting out devils, healing the lame and +maim, cleansing lepers, and everywhere renewing our out-worn nature, +instructing men both by word and deed, and teaching the way of virtue, +turning men from destruction and guiding their feet toward life +eternal. Wherefore also he chose twelve disciples, whom he called +Apostles, and commanded them to preach the kingdom of heaven which he +came upon earth to declare, and to make heavenly us who are low and +earthly, by virtue of his Incarnation. + +"But, through envy of his marvellous and divine conversation and +endless miracles, the chief priests and rulers of the Jews (amongst +whom also he dwelt, on whom he had wrought his aforesaid signs and +miracles), in their madness forgetting all, condemned him to death, +having seized one of the Twelve to betray him. And, when they had taken +him, they delivered him to the Gentiles, him that was the life of the +world, he of his free will consenting thereto; for he came for our +sakes to suffer all things, that he might free us from sufferings. But +when they had done him much despite, at the last they condemned him to +the Cross. All this he endured in the nature of that flesh which he +took from us, his divine nature remaining free of suffering: for, being +of two natures, both the divine and that which he took from us, his +human nature suffered, while his Godhead continued free from suffering +and death. So our Lord Jesus Christ, being without sin, was crucified +in the flesh, for he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; +and he was not subject unto death, for by sin, as I have said before, +came death into the world; but for our sakes he suffered death in the +flesh, that he might redeem us from the tyranny of death. He descended +into hell, and having harrowed it, he delivered thence souls that had +been imprisoned therein for ages long. He was buried, and on the third +day he rose again, vanquishing death and granting us the victory over +death: and he, the giver of immortality, having made flesh immortal, +was seen of his disciples, and bestowed upon them peace, and, through +them, peace on the whole human race. + +"After forty days he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right +hand of the Father. And he shall come again to judge the quick and the +dead, and to reward every man according to his works. After his +glorious Ascension into heaven he sent forth upon his disciples the +Holy Ghost in likeness of fire, and they began to speak with other +tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. From thence by his grace +they were scattered abroad among all nations, and preached the true +Catholic Faith, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and teaching them to observe all the +commandments of the Saviour. So they gave light to the people that +wandered in darkness, and abolished the superstitious error of +idolatry. Though the enemy chafeth under his defeat, and even now +stirreth up war against us, the faithful, persuading the fools and +unwise to cling to the worship of idols, yet is his power grown feeble, +and his swords have at last failed him by the power of Christ. Lo, in +few words I have made known unto thee my Master, my God, and my +Saviour; but thou shalt know him more perfectly, if thou wilt receive +his grace into thy soul, and gain the blessing to become his servant." + + + +VIII. + +When the king's son had heard these words, there flashed a light upon +his soul. Rising from his seat in the fulness of his joy, he embraced +Barlaam, saying: "Most honoured sir, methinks this might be that +priceless stone which thou dost rightly keep secret, not displaying it +to all that would see it, but only to these whose spiritual sense is +strong. For lo, as these words dropped upon mine ear, sweetest light +entered into my heart, and the heavy veil of sorrow, that hath now this +long time enveloped my heart, was in an instant removed. Tell me if my +guess be true: or if thou knowest aught better than that which thou +hast spoken, delay not to declare it to me." + +Again, therefore, Barlaam answered, "Yea, my lord and prince, this is +the mighty mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but +in these last days hath been made known unto mankind; the manifestation +whereof, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, was foretold by many prophets +and righteous men, instructed at sundry times and in divers manners. +In trumpet tones they proclaimed it, and all looked forward to the +salvation that should be: this they desired to see, but saw it not. +But this latest generation was counted worthy to receive salvation. +Wherefore he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that +believeth not shall be damned." + +Said Ioasaph, "All that thou hast told me I believe without question, +and him whom thou declarest I glorify as God. Only make all plain to +me, and teach me clearly what I must do. But especially go on to tell +me what is that Baptism which thou sayest that the Faithful receive." + +The other answered him thus, "The root mid sure foundation of this holy +and perfect Christian Faith is the grace of heavenly Baptism, fraught +with the cleansing from all original sins, and complete purification of +all defilements of evil that come after. For thus the Saviour commanded +a man to be born again of water and of the spirit, and be restored to +his first dignity, to wit, by supplication and by calling on the Saving +Name, the Holy Spirit brooding on the water. We are baptized, then, +according to the word of the Lord, in the Name of the Father, and of +the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and thus the grace of the Holy Ghost +dwelleth in the soul of the baptized, illuminating and making it +God-like and renewing that which was made after his own image and +likeness. And for the time to come we cast away all the old works of +wickedness, and we make covenant with God of a second life and begin a +purer conversation, that we may also become fellow-heirs with them that +are born again to incorruption and lay hold of everlasting salvation. +But without Baptism it is impossible to attain to that good hope, even +though a man be more pious than piety itself. For thus spake God, the +Word, who was incarnate for the salvation of our race, 'Verily I say +unto you, except ye be born of water and of the Spirit, ye shall in no +wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.' Wherefore before all things I +require thee to receive faith within thy soul, and to draw near to +Baptism anon with hearty desire, and on no account to delay herein, for +delay is parlous, because of the uncertainty of the appointed day of +death." + +Ioasaph said unto him, "And what is this good hope whereto thou sayest +it is impossible without baptism to attain? And what this kingdom +which thou callest the kingdom of Heaven? And how cometh it that thou +hast heard the words of God incarnate? And what is the uncertain day +of death? For on this account much anxiety hath fallen on my heart, +and consumeth my flesh in pain and grief, and fasteneth on my very +bones. And shall we men, appointed to die, return to nothing, or is +there some other life after our departure hence? These and kindred +questions I have been longing to resolve." + +Thus questioned he; and Barlaam answered thus: "The good hope, whereof +I spake, is that of the kingdom of Heaven. But that kingdom is far +beyond the utterance of mortal tongue; for the Scripture saith, 'Eye +hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of +man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' But +when we have shuffled off this gross flesh, and attained to that +blessedness, then will that Master, which hath granted to us not to +fail of this hope, teach and make known unto us the glory of those good +things, whose glory passeth all understanding:--that light ineffable, +that life that hath no ending, that converse with Angels. For if it be +granted us to hold communion with God, so far as is attainable to human +nature, then shall we know all things from his lips which now we know +not. This doth my initiation into the teaching of the divine +Scriptures teach me to be the real meaning of the kingdom of Heaven; to +approach the vision of the blessed and life-giving Trinity, and to be +illumined with his unapproachable light, and with clearer and purer +sight, and with unveiled face, to behold as in a glass his unspeakable +glory. But, if it be impossible to express in language that glory, +that light, and those mysterious blessings, what marvel? For they had +not been mighty and singular, if they had been comprehended by reason +and expressed in words by us who are earthly, and corruptible, and +clothed in this heavy garment of sinful flesh. Holding then such +knowledge in simple faith, believe thou undoubtingly, that these are no +fictions; but by good works be urgent to lay hold on that immortal +kingdom, to which when thou hast attained, thou shalt have perfect +knowledge. + +"As touching thy question, How it is that we have heard the words of +the Incarnate God, know thou that we have been taught all that +appertaineth to the divine Incarnation by the Holy Gospels, for thus +that holy book is called, because it telleth us, who are corruptible +and earthly, the 'good spell' of immortality and incorruption, of life +eternal, of the remission of sins, and of the kingdom of heaven. This +book was written by the eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, and of +these I have already said that our Lord Jesus Christ chose them for +disciples and apostles; and they delivered it unto us in writing, after +the glorious Ascension of our Master into Heaven, a record of his life +on earth, his teachings and miracles, so far as it was possible to +commit them to writing. For thus, toward the end of his volume, saith +he that is the flower of the holy Evangelists, 'And there are also many +other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written +every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the +books that should be written.' + +"So in this heavenly Gospel, written by the Spirit of God, is recorded +the history of his Incarnation, his manifestation, his miracles and +acts. Afterward, it telleth of the innocent suffering which the Lord +endured for our sake, of his holy Resurrection on the third day, his +Ascent into the heavens, and of his glorious and dreadful second +coming; for the Son of God shall come again on earth, with unspeakable +glory, and with a multitude of the heavenly host to judge our race, and +to reward every man according to his works. For, at the beginning, God +created man out of earth, as I have already told thee, and breathed +into him breath, which is called a reasonable and understanding soul. +But since we were sentenced to death, we die all: and it is not +possible for this cup to pass any man by. Now death is the separation +of the soul from the body. And that body which was formed out of +earth, when severed from the soul, returneth to earth from whence also +it was taken, and, decaying, perisheth; but the soul, being immortal, +fareth whither her Maker calleth, or rather to the place where she, +while still in the body, hath prepared for herself lodgement. For as a +man hath lived here, so shall he receive reward there. + +"Then, after long seasons, Christ our God shall come to judge the world +in awful glory, beyond words to tell; and for fear of him the powers of +heaven shall be shaken, and all the angel hosts stand beside him in +dread. Then, at the voice of the archangel, and at the trump of God, +shall the dead arise and stand before his awful throne. Now the +Resurrection is the re-uniting of soul and body. So that very body, +which decayeth and perisheth, shall arise incorruptible. And +concerning this, beware lest the reasoning of unbelief overtake thee; +for it is not impossible for him, who at the beginning formed the body +out of earth, when according to its Maker's doom it hath returned to +earth whence it was taken, to raise the same again. If thou wilt but +consider how many things God hath made out of nothing, this proof shall +suffice thee. He took earth and made man, though earth was not man +before. How then did earth become man? And how was earth, that did +not exist, produced? And what foundation hath it? And how were +countless kind of things without reason, of seeds and plants, produced +out of it! Nay, now also consider the manner of our birth. Is not a +little seed thrown into the womb that receiveth it? Whence then cometh +such a marvellous fashioning of a living creature? + +"So for him, who hath made everything out of nothing, and still doth +make, it is not impossible to raise deadened and corrupt bodies from +the earth, that every man may be rewarded according to his works; for +he saith, 'The present is the time for work, the future for +recompense.' Else, where were the justice of God, if there were no +Resurrection? Many righteous men in this present life have suffered +much ill-usage and torment, and have died violent deaths; and the +impious and the law-breaker hath spent his days here in luxury and +prosperity. But God, who is good and just, hath appointed a day of +resurrection and inquisition, that each soul may receive her own body, +and that the wicked, who received his good things here, may there be +punished for his misdeeds, and that the good, who was here chastised +for his misdeeds, may there inherit his bliss. For, saith the Lord, +'They that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, +and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of +life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of doom.' +Then also shall thrones be set, and the Ancient of days and Maker of +all things shall sit as Judge, and there shall be opened books with +records of the deeds and words and thoughts of all of us, and a fiery +stream shall issue, and all hidden things shall be revealed. There can +no advocate, no persuasive words, no false excuse, no mightiness of +riches, no pomp of rank, no lavishment of bribes, avail to pervert +righteous judgement. For he, the uncorrupt and truthful Judge, shall +weigh everything in the balance of justice, every act, word and +thought. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, +into light unspeakable, rejoicing in the fellowship of the Angels, to +enjoy bliss ineffable, standing in purity before the Holy Trinity. But +they that have done evil, and all the ungodly and sinners, shall go +into everlasting punishment, which is called Gehenna, and outer +darkness, and the worm that dieth not, and the gnashing of teeth, and a +thousand other names of punishment; which meaneth rather--bitterest of +all,--alienation from God, the being cast away from the sweetness of +his presence, the being deprived of that glory which baffleth +description, the being made a spectacle unto the whole creation, and +the being put to shame, and shame that hath no ending. For, after the +passing of that terrible sentence, all things shall abide immutable and +unchangeable. The blissful life of the righteous shall have no close, +neither shall the misery and punishment of sinners find an end: +because, after him, there is no higher Judge, and no defence by +after-works, no time for amendment, no other way for them that are +punished, their vengeance being co-eternal with them. + +"Seeing that this is so, what manner of persons ought we to be in all +holy conversation and godliness, that we may be counted worthy to +escape the wrath to come, and to be ranged on the right hand of the Son +of God? For this is the station of the righteous: but to sinners is +allotted the station of misery on the left. Then shall the Lord call +the righteous 'Blessed,' and shall lead them into his everlasting +kingdom. But, as for sinners, with anger and curse he will banish them +from his serene and gentle countenance the bitterest and hardest lot of +all and will send them away into everlasting punishment." + + + +IX. + +Ioasaph said unto him, "Great and marvellous, sir, are the things +whereof thou tellest me, fearful and terrible, if indeed these things +be so, and, if there be after death and dissolution into dust and +ashes, a resurrection and re-birth, and rewards and punishments for the +deeds done during life. But what is the proof thereof? And how have +ye come to learn that which ye have not seen, that ye have so +steadfastly and undoubtingly believed it? As for things that have +already been done and made manifest in deed, though ye saw them not, +yet have ye heard them from the writers of history. But, when it is of +the future that ye preach tidings of such vast import, how have ye made +your conviction on these matters sure?" + +Quoth Barlaam, "From the past I gain certainty about the future; for +they that preached the Gospel, without erring from the truth, but +establishing their sayings by signs and wonders and divers miracles, +themselves also spake of the future. So, as in the one case they +taught us nothing amiss or false, but made all that they said and did +to shine clearer than the sun, so also in the other matter they gave us +true doctrine, even that which our Lord and Master Jesus Christ himself +confirmed both by word and deed. 'Verily,' he spake, 'I say unto you, +the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear +the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live:' and again, +'The hour cometh when the dead shall hear his voice, and shall come +forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they +that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.' And again he +said concerning the resurrection of the dead, 'Have ye not read that +which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and +the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead +but of the living.' 'For as the tares are gathered and burned in the +fire, so shall it be in the end of this age. The Son of God shall send +forth his Angels, and they shall gather all things that offend, and +them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; +there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous +shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father.' Thus spake he +and added this thereto, 'Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.' + +"In such words and many more did the Lord make manifest the +resurrection of our bodies, and confirm his words in deed, by raising +many that were dead. And, toward the end of his life upon earth, he +called from the grave one Lazarus his friend, that had already been +four days dead and stank, and thus he restored the lifeless to life. +Moreover, the Lord himself became the first-fruits of that resurrection +which is final and no longer subject unto death, after he had in the +flesh tasted of death; and on the third day he rose again, and became +the first-born from the dead. For other men also were raised from the +dead, but died once more, and might not yet attain to the likeness of +the future true resurrection. But he alone was the leader of that +resurrection, the first to be raised to the resurrection immortal. + +"This was the preaching also of them that from the beginning were +eye-witnesses and ministers of the word; for thus saith blessed Paul, +whose calling was not of men, but from heaven, 'Brethren, I declare +unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you. For I delivered unto +you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for +our sins according to the Scriptures. Now if Christ be preached that +he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no +resurrection of the dead? For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ +raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in +your sins. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all +men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become +the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by +man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, +even so in Christ shall all be made alive.' And after a little while, +'For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must +put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on +incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall +be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in +victory. O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?' +For then the power of death is utterly annulled and destroyed, no +longer working in us, but for the future there is given unto men +immortality and incorruption for evermore. + +"Beyond all question, therefore, there shall be a resurrection of the +dead, and this we believe undoubtingly. Moreover we know that there +shall be rewards and punishments for the deeds done in our life-time, +on the dreadful day of Christ's coming, 'wherein the heavens shall be +dissolved in fire and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,' as +saith one of the inspired clerks of God; 'nevertheless we, according to +his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth.' For that there +shall be rewards and punishments for men's works, and that absolutely +nothing, good or bad, shall be overlooked, but that there is reserved a +requital for words, deeds and thoughts, is plain. The Lord saith, +'Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of +cold water only, in the name of a disciple, he shall in no wise lose +his reward.' And again he saith, 'When the Son of man shall come in +his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then before him shall be +gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a +shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep +on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say +unto them on his right hand, 'Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the +kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was +anhungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I +was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was +sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.' +Wherefore saith he this, except he count the kind acts we do unto the +needy as done unto himself? And in another place he saith, 'Whosoever +shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father +which is in heaven.' + +"Lo, by all these examples and many more he proveth that the rewards of +good works are certain and sure. Further, that punishments are in +store for the bad, he foretold by parables strange and wonderful, which +he, the Well of Wisdom most wisely put forth. At one time he brought +into his tale a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine +linen, and fared sumptuously every day, but who was so niggardly and +pitiless toward the destitute as to overlook a certain beggar named +Lazarus laid at his gate, and not even to give him of the crumbs from +his table. So when one and other were dead, the poor man, full of +sores, was carried away, he saith, into Abraham's bosom, for thus he +describeth the habitation of the righteous--but the rich man was +delivered to the fire of bitter torment in hell. To him said Abraham, +'Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus +his evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." + +"And otherwhere he likeneth the kingdom of heaven to a certain king +which made a marriage-feast for his son and thereby he declared future +happiness and splendour. For as he was wont to speak to humble and +earthly minded men, he would draw his parables from homely and familiar +things. Not that he meant that marriages and feasts exist in that +world; but in condescension to men's grossness, he employed these names +when he would make known to them the future. So, as he telleth, the +king with high proclamation called all to come to the marriage to take +their fill of his wondrous store of good things. But many of them that +were bidden made light of it and came not, and busied themselves: some +went to their farms, some to their merchandize, and others to their +newly wedded wives, and thus deprived themselves of the splendour of +the bride chamber. Now when these had, of their own choice, absented +themselves from this joyous merriment, others were bidden thereto, and +the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see +the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment, and +he said unto him, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a +wedding garment?" And he was speechless. Then said the king to the +servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into +outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Now +they who made excuses and paid no heed to the call are they that hasten +not to the faith of Christ, but continue in idolatry or heresy. But he +that had no wedding garment is he that believeth, but hath soiled his +spiritual garment with unclean acts, and was rightly cast forth from +the joy of the bride chamber. + +"And he put forth yet another parable, in harmony with this, in his +picture of the Ten Virgins, 'five of whom were wise, and five were +foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with +them, but the wise took oil.' By the oil he signifieth the acquiring +of good works. 'And at midnight,' he saith, 'there was a cry made, +"Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."' By midnight he +denoteth the uncertainty of that time. Then all those virgins arose. +'They that were ready went forth to meet the bridegroom and went in +with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.' But they that were +un-ready (whom rightly he calleth foolish), seeing that their lamps +were going out, went forth to buy oil. Afterward they drew nigh, the +door being now shut, and cried, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But +he answered and said, 'Verily I say unto you, I know you not.' +Wherefore from all this it is manifest that there is a requital not +only for overt acts, but also for words and even secret thoughts; for +the Saviour said, 'I say unto you, that for every idle word that men +shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.' +And again he saith, 'But the very hairs of your head are numbered,' by +the hairs meaning the smallest and slightest phantasy or thought. And +in harmony herewith is the teaching of blessed Paul, 'For the word of +God,' saith he, 'is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged +sword, and piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, +and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and +intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not +manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid bare unto the +eyes of him with whom we have to do." + +"These things also were proclaimed with wondrous clearness by the +prophets of old time, illumined by the grace of the Spirit. For Esay +saith, 'I know their works and their thoughts,' and will repay them. +'Behold, I come to gather all nations and all tongues; and they shall +come and see my glory. And the heaven shall be new, and the earth, +which I make before me. And all flesh shall come to worship before me, +saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses +of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not +die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be a +spectacle unto all flesh." And again he saith concerning that day, +"And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all the +stars shall fall down as leaves from the vine. For behold, the day of +the Lord cometh, cruel with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the whole +world desolate and to destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of +heaven and Orion and all the constellations of heaven shall not give +their light, and there shall be darkness at the sun's rising, and the +moon shall not give her light. And I will cause the arrogancy of the +sinners to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the proud.' And +again he saith, 'Wo unto them that draw their iniquities as with a long +cord, and their sins as with an heifer's cart-rope! Wo unto them that +call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light +for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Wo unto +those of you that are mighty, that are princes, that mingle strong +drink, which justify the wicked for reward, and take justice from the +just, and turn aside the judgement from the needy, and take away the +right from the poor, that the widow may be their spoil and the +fatherless their prey! And what will they do in the day of visitation, +and to whom will they flee for help? And where will they leave their +glory, that they fall not into arrest? Like as stubble shall be burnt +by live coal of fire, and consumed by kindled flame, so their root +shall be as foam, and their blossom shall go up as dust, for they would +not the law of the Lord of hosts, and provoked the oracle of the Holy +One of Israel." + +"In tune therewith saith also another prophet, 'The great day of the +Lord is near, and hasteth greatly. The bitter and austere voice of the +day of the Lord hath been appointed. A mighty day of wrath is that +day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, +a day of blackness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, +a day of the trumpet and alarm. And I will bring distress upon the +wicked, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned +against the Lord. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to +deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; for the whole land shall +be devoured by the fire of his jealousy, for he shall make a riddance +of all them that dwell in the land.' Moreover David, the king and +prophet, crieth thus, 'God shall come visibly, even our God, and shall +not keep silence: a fire shall be kindled before him, and a mighty +tempest round about him. He shall call the heaven from above, and the +earth, that he may judge his people.' And again he saith, 'Arise, O +God, judge thou the earth, because "the fierceness of man shall turn to +thy praise." And thou shalt "reward every man according to his works."' +And many other such things have been spoken by the Psalmist, and all +the Prophets inspired by the Holy Ghost, concerning the judgement and +the recompense to come. Their words also have been most surely +confirmed by the Saviour who hath taught us to believe the resurrection +of the dead, and the recompense of the deeds done in the flesh, and the +unending life of the world to come." + + + +X + +But Ioasaph was filled hereby with deep compunction, and was melted +into tears; and he said to the elder, "Thou hast told me everything +plainly, and hast completed unerringly thy terrible and marvellous +tale. With such truths set before us, what must we do to escape the +punishments in store for sinners, and to gain the joy of the righteous?" + +Barlaam answered: "It is written of Peter, who was also called chief of +the Apostles, that once when he was preaching the people were pricked +in their heart, like thyself to-day: and when they asked, 'What shall +we do?', Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of +you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the +Holy Ghost. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to +all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call.' +Behold therefore upon thee also hath he poured forth the riches of his +mercy, and hath called thee that wert afar off from him in heart, and +didst serve others, not Gods, but pernicious devils and dumb and +senseless wooden images. Wherefore before all things approach thou him +who hath called thee, and from him shalt thou receive the true +knowledge of things visible and invisible. But if, after thy calling, +thou be loth or slack, thou shalt be disherited by the just judgement +of God, and by thy rejection of him thou shalt be rejected. For thus +too spake the same Apostle Peter to a certain disciple. But I believe +that thou hast heard the call, and that, when thou hast heard it more +plainly, thou wilt take up thy Cross, and follow that God and Master +that calleth thee, calleth thee to himself from death unto life, and +from darkness unto light. For, soothly, ignorance of God is darkness +and death of the soul; and to serve idols, to the destruction of all +nature, is to my thinking the extreme of all senselessness. + +"But idolaters--to whom shall I compare them, and to what likeness +shall I liken their silliness? Well, I will set before thee an example +which I heard from the lips of one most wise. + +"'Idol worshippers,' said he, 'are like a fowler who caught a tiny +bird, called nightingale. He took a knife, for to kill and eat her; +but the nightingale, being given the power of articulate speech, said +to the fowler, 'Man, what advantageth it thee to slay me? for thou +shalt not be able by my means to fill thy belly. Now free me of my +fetters, and I will give thee three precepts, by the keeping of which +thou shalt be greatly benefited all thy life long.' He, astonied at +her speech, promised that, if he heard anything new from her, he would +quickly free her from her captivity. The nightingale turned towards +our friend and said, 'Never try to attain to the unattainable: never +regret the thing past and gone: and never believe the word that passeth +belief. Keep these three precepts, and may it be well with thee.' The +man, admiring the lucidity and sense of her words, freed the bird from +her captivity, and sent her forth aloft. She, therefore, desirous to +know whether the man had understood the force of her words, and whether +he had gleaned any profit therefrom, said, as she flew aloft, 'Shame, +sir, on thy fecklessness! What a treasure that hast lost to-day! For +I have inside me a pearl larger than an ostrich-egg.' When the fowler +heard thereof, he was distraught with grief, regretting that the bird +had escaped out of his hands. And he would fain have taken her again. +'Come hither,' said he, 'into my house: I will make thee right welcome, +and send thee forth with honour.' But the nightingale said unto him, +'Now I know thee to be a mighty fool. Though thou didst receive my +words readily and gladly, thou hast gained no profit thereby. I bade +thee never regret the thing past and gone; and behold thou art +distraught with grief because I have escaped out of thy hands there +thou regrettest a thing past and gone. I charged thee not to try to +attain to the unattainable, and thou triest to catch me, though thou +canst not attain to my path. Besides which, I bade thee never believe +a word past belief, and behold thou hast believed that I had inside me +a pearl exceeding the measure of my size, and hadst not the sense to +see that my whole body doth not attain to the bulk of ostrich eggs. +How then could I contain such a pearl?"' + +"Thus senseless, then, are also they that trust in idols: for these be +their handiwork, and they worship that which their fingers made, +saying, 'These be our creators.' How then deem they their creators +those which have been formed and fashioned by themselves? Nay more, +they safeguard their gods, lest they be stolen by thieves, and yet they +call them guardians of their safety. And yet what folly not to know +that they, which be unable to guard and aid themselves, can in no wise +guard and save others! 'For' saith he, 'why, on behalf of the living, +should they seek unto the dead?' They expend wealth, for to raise +statues and images to devils, and vainly boast that these give them +good gifts, and crave to receive of their hands things which those +idols never possessed, nor ever shall possess. Wherefore it is +written, 'May they that make them be like unto them, and so be all such +as put their trust in them, who,' he saith, 'hire a goldsmith, and make +them gods, and they fall down, yea, they worship them. They bear them +upon the shoulders, and go forward. And if they set them in their +place, they stand therein: they shall not remove. Yea, one shall cry +unto them, yet call they not answer him, nor save him out of his +trouble.' 'Wherefore be ye ashamed with everlasting shame, ye that +trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our +gods.' 'For they sacrificed,' he saith, 'unto devils, and not to God; +to gods whom their fathers knew not. There came new and fresh gods; +because it is a froward generation, and there is no faith in them.' + +"Wherefore out of this wicked and faithless generation the Lord calleth +thee to him, saying, 'Come out from among them, and be thou separate, +and touch no unclean thing,' but 'save thyself from this untoward +generation.' 'Arise thou, and depart, for this is not thy rest;' for +that divided lordship, which your gods hold, is a thing of confusion +and strife and hath no real being whatsoever. But with us it is not +so, neither have we many gods and lords, but one God, the Father, of +whom are all things, and we unto him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by +whom are all things and we by him, 'who is the image of the invisible +God, the first born of every creature' and of all ages, 'for in him +were all things created that are in the heavens and that are upon the +earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or +principalities, or powers.' 'All things were made by him, and without +him was not anything made that was made:' and one Holy Ghost, in whom +are all things, 'the Lord and Giver of life,' God and making God, the +good Spirit, the right Spirit, 'the Spirit the Comforter,' 'the Spirit +of adoption.' Of these each person, severally, is God. As the Father +is, so also is the Son, and as the Son, so also the Holy Ghost. And +there is one God in three, one nature, one kingdom, one power, one +glory, one substance, distinct in persons, and so only distinct. One +is the Father, whose property it is not to have been begotten; one is +the only-begotten Son, and his property it is to have been begotten; +and one is the Holy Ghost, and his property it is that he proceedeth. +Thus illuminated by that light, which is the Father, with that light, +which is the Son, in that light, which is the Holy Ghost, we glorify +one Godhead in three persons. And he is one very and only God, known +in the Trinity: for of him and through him, and unto him are all things. + +"By his grace also, I came to know thy ease, and was sent to teach thee +the lessons that I have learned and observed from my youth even to +these grey hairs. If then thou shalt believe and be baptized, thou +shalt be saved; but if thou believe not, thou shalt be damned. All the +things that thou seest to-day, wherein thou gloriest,--pomp, luxury, +riches, and all the deceitfulness of life,--quickly pass away; and they +shall cast thee hence whether thou wilt or no. And thy body will be +imprisoned in a tiny grave, left in utter loneliness, and bereft of all +company of kith and kin. And all the pleasant things of the world +shall perish; and instead of the beauty and fragrance of to-day, thou +shalt be encompassed with horror and the stink of corruption. But thy +soul shall they hurl into the nether-regions of the earth, into the +condemnation of Hades, until the final resurrection, when re-united to +her body, she shall be cast forth from the presence of the Lord and be +delivered to hell fire, which burneth everlastingly. These, and far +worse haps than these, shall be thy destiny, if thou continue in +unbelief. + +"But and if thou readily obey him that calleth thee to salvation, and +if thou run unto him with desire and joy, and be signed with his light, +and follow him without turn, renouncing every thing, and cleaving only +unto him, hear what manner of security and happiness shall be thine. +'When thou sittest down, thou shall not be afraid of sudden fear. When +thou liest down, sweet shall be thy sleep.' And thou shalt not be +afraid of terror coming or the assaults of evil spirits, but shalt go +thy way bold as any lion, and shalt live in bliss and everlasting +joyaunce. For joy and praise shall crown thy head, and gladness shall +befall thee there, where pain and sorrow and wailing shall flee away.' +'Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health +shall rise speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and +the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.' Then shalt thou call, and +the Lord shall answer; while thou art yet speaking, he shall say, 'Here +am I.' 'I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and +will not remember them. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: +declare thou thy sins that thou mayst be justified.' 'Though thy sins +be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow: though they be red as +crimson I will make them white as wool, for the mouth of the Lord hath +spoken it.'" + + + +XI. + +Ioasaph said unto him, "All thy words are fair and wonderful, and, +while thou spakest, I believed them and still believe them; and I hate +all idolatry with all my heart. And indeed, even before thy coming +hither, my soul was, in uncertain fashion, doubtful of it. But now I +hate it with a perfect hatred, since I have learned from thy lips the +vanity thereof, and the folly of those who worship idols; and I yearn +to become the servant of the true God, if haply he will not refuse me, +that am unworthy by reason of my sins, and I trust that he will forgive +me everything, because he is a lover of men, and compassionate, as thou +tellest me, and will count me worthy to become his servant. So I am +ready anon to receive baptism, and to observe all thy sayings. But +what must I do after baptism? And is this alone sufficient for +salvation, to believe and be baptized, or must one add other services +thereto?" + +Barlaam answered him, "Hear what thou must do after baptism. Thou must +abstain from all sin, and every evil affection, and build upon the +foundation of the Catholick Faith the practice of the virtues; for +faith without works is dead, as also are works without faith. For, +saith the Apostle, 'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the +lust of the flesh.' Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are +these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, +witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, +heresies, envyings, murders, love of money, railing, love of pleasure, +drunkenness, revelling, arrogance, and such like, of the which I tell +you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do +such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the +Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, +meekness, temperance, sanctification of soul and body, lowliness of +heart and contrition, almsgiving, forgiveness of injuries, +loving-kindness, watchings, perfect repentance of all past offences, +tears of compunction, sorrow for our own sins and those of our +neighbours, and the like. These, even as steps and ladders that +support one another and are clinched together, conduct the soul to +heaven. Lo, to these we are commanded to cleave after baptism, and to +abstain from their contraries. + +"But if, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, we again lay hold +on dead works, and, like a dog, return to our vomit, it shall happen +unto us according to the word of the Lord; 'for,' saith he, 'when the +unclean spirit is gone out of a man' (to wit, by the grace of baptism) +'he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none.' But +enduring not for long to wander homeless and hearthless, he saith, 'I +will return to my house whence I came out.' And, when he cometh, he +findeth it swept and garnished, but empty and unoccupied, not having +received the operation of grace, nor having filled itself with the +riches of the virtues. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other +spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: +and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first.' For +baptism burieth in the water and completely blotteth out the +hand-writing of all former sins, and is to us for the future a sure +fortress and tower of defence, and a strong weapon against the +marshalled host of the enemy; but it taketh not away free will, nor +alloweth the forgiving of sins after baptism, or immersion in the font +a second time. For it is one baptism that we confess, and need is that +we keep ourselves with all watchfulness that so we fall not into +defilement a second time, but hold fast to the commandments of the +Lord. For when he said to the Apostles, 'Go make disciples of all +nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and +of the Holy Ghost,' he did not stop there, but added, 'teaching them to +observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.' + +"Now he commanded men to be poor in spirit, and such he calleth blessed +and worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Again he chargeth us to mourn in +the present life, that we may obtain comfort hereafter, and to be meek, +and to be ever hungering and thirsting after righteousness: to be +merciful, and ready to distribute, pitiful and compassionate, pure in +heart, abstaining from all defilement of flesh and spirit, peacemakers +with our neighbours and with our own souls, by bringing the worse into +subjection to the better, and thus by a just decision making peace in +that continual warfare betwixt the twain; also to endure all +persecution and tribulation and reviling, inflicted upon us for +righteousness' sake in defence of his name, that we may obtain +everlasting felicity in the glorious distribution of his rewards. Ay, +and in this world he exhorteth us to let our 'light so shine before +men, that they may see,' he saith, 'your good works, and glorify your +Father which is in heaven.' + +"For the law of Moses, formerly given to the Israelites, saith, 'Thou +shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal; +thou shalt not bear false witness:' but Christ saith 'Whosoever is +angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the +judgement; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of +hell fire:' and, 'if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there +rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy +gift before the altar, and go thy way and first be reconciled to thy +brother.' And he also saith, 'Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust +after her, hath committed adultery with her in his heart.' And hereby +he calleth the defilement and consent of the affection adultery. +Furthermore, where the law forbade a man to forswear himself, Christ +commanded him to swear not at all beyond Yea and Nay. There we read, +'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth': here, 'Whosoever shall smite thee on +thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue +thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. +And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give +to him that asketh time, and from him that would borrow of thee turn +not thou away. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good +to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and +persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in +heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and +sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Judge not, that ye be not +judged. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Lay not up for yourselves +treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where +thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in +heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do +not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will +your heart be also. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, +or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: +for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these +things.' He therefore that gave life and body will assuredly give food +and raiment: he that feedeth the fowls of the air and arrayeth with +such beauty the lilies of the field. 'But, seek ye first,' saith +Christ, 'the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these +things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the +morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. +Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do +ye even so to them. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the +gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there +be which go in thereat. Strait and narrow is the way which leadeth +unto life and few there be that find it. Not every one that saith unto +me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that +doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. He that loveth father +or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son and +daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not up +his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.' Lo these and +the like of these be the things which the Saviour commanded his +Apostles to teach the Faithful: and all these things we are bound to +observe, if we desire to attain to perfection and receive the +incorruptible crowns of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous +judge, shall give at that day unto all them that have loved his +appearing." + +Ioasaph said unto the elder, "Well then, as the strictness of these +doctrines demandeth such chaste conversation, if, after baptism, I +chance to fail in one or two of these commandments, shall I therefore +utterly miss the goal, and shall all my hope be vain?" + +Barlaam answered, "Deem not so. God, the Word, made man for the +salvation of our race, aware of the exceeding frailty and misery of our +nature, hath not even here suffered our sickness to be without remedy. +But, like a skilful leech, he hath mixed for our unsteady and +sin-loving heart the potion of repentance, prescribing this for the +remission of sins. For after that we have received the knowledge of +the truth, and have been sanctified by water and the Spirit, and +cleansed without effort from all sin and all defilement, if we should +fortune to fall into any transgression, there is, it is true, no second +regeneration made within us by the spirit through baptism in the water +of the font, and wholly re-creating us (that gift is given once for +all); but, by means of painful repentance, hot tears, toils and sweats, +there is a purifying and pardoning of our offences through the tender +mercy of our God. For the fount of tears is also called baptism, +according to the grace of the Master, but it needeth labour and time; +and many hath it saved after many a fall; because there is no sin too +great for the clemency of God, if we be quick to repent, and purge the +shame of our offences, and death overtake us not, and depart us not +from this life still defiled; for in the grave there is no confession +nor repentance. But as long as we are 'among the living, while the +foundation of our true faith continueth unshattered, even if somewhat +of the outer roof-work or inner building be disabled, it is allowed to +renew by repentance the part rotted by sins. It is impossible to count +the multitude of the mercies of God, or measure the greatness of his +compassion: whereas sins and offences, of whatever kind, are subject to +measure and may be numbered. So our offences, being subject to measure +and number, cannot overcome the immeasurable compassion, and +innumerable mercies of God. + +"Wherefore we are commanded not to despair for our trespasses, but to +acknowledge the goodness of God, and condemn the sins whereof +forgiveness is offered us by reason of the loving-kindness of Christ, +who for our sins shed his precious blood. In many places of Scripture +we are taught the power of repentance, and especially by the precepts +and parables of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it saith, 'From that time +began Jesus to preach and to say, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven +is at hand."' Moreover he setteth before us, in a parable, a certain +son that had received his father's substance, and taken his journey +into a far country, and there spent all in riotous living. Then, when +there arose a famine in that land, he went and joined himself to one of +the citizens of that land of iniquity, who sent him into his fields to +feed swine,--thus doth he designate the most coarse and loathsome sin. +When, after much labour, he had come to the utmost misery, and might +not even fill his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, at last +he came to perceive his shameful plight, and, bemoaning himself, said, +'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, +and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will +say unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, +and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired +servants."' And he arose, and came to his father. But, when he was yet +a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and +embraced him, and kissed him tenderly, and, restoring him to his former +rank, made a feast of joyaunce because his son was found again, and +killed the fatted calf. Lo, this parable, that Jesus spake to us, +concerneth such as turn again from sin, and fall at his feet in +repentance. Again, he representeth a certain good shepherd that had an +hundred sheep, and, when one was lost, left the ninety and nine, and +went forth to seek that which was gone astray, until he found it: and +he laid it on his shoulders, and folded it with those that had not gone +astray, and called together his friends and neighbours to a banquet, +because that it was found. 'Likewise,' saith the Saviour, 'joy shall +be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and +nine just persons which need no repentance.' + +"And, in sooth, even the chief of the disciples, Peter, the Rock of the +Faith, in the very season of the Saviour's Passion, failing for a +little while in his stewardship, that he might understand the +worthlessness and misery of human frailty, fell under the guilt of +denial. Then he straightway remembered the Lord's words, and went out +and wept bitterly, and with those hot tears made good his defeat, and +transferred the victory to his own side. Like a skilful man of war, +though fallen, he was not undone, nor did he despair, but, springing to +his feet, he brought up, as a reserve, bitter tears from the agony of +his soul; and straightway, when the enemy saw that sight, like a man +whose eyes are scorched with a fierce flame, he leaped off and fled +afar, howling horribly. So the chief became chief again, as he had +before been chosen teacher of the whole world, being now become its +pattern of penitence. And after his holy resurrection Christ made good +this three-fold denial with the three-fold question, 'Peter, lovest +thou me?', the Apostle answering, 'Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love +thee.' + +"So from all these and many other examples beyond count we learn the +virtue of tears and repentance. Only the manner thereof must be noted +it must arise from a heart that abominateth sin and weepeth, as saith +the prophet David, 'I am weary of my groaning: every night will I wash +my bed and water my couch with my tears.' Again the cleansing of sins +will be wrought by the blood of Christ, in the greatness of his +compassion and the multitude of the mercies of that God who saith, +'Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow,' and +so forth. + +"Thus therefore it is, and thus we believe. But after receiving the +knowledge of the truth and winning regeneration and adoption as sons, +and tasting of the divine mysteries, we must strive hard to keep our +feet lest we fall. For to fall becometh not the athlete, since many +have fallen and been unable to rise. Some, opening a door to sinful +lusts, and clinging obstinately to them, have no more had strength to +hasten back to repentance; and others, being untimely snatched by +death, and having not made speed enough to wash them from the pollution +of their sin, have been damned. And for this cause it is parlous to +fall into any kind of sinful affection whatsoever. But if any man +fall, he must at once leap up, and stand again to fight the good fight: +and, as often as there cometh a fall, so often must there at once ensue +this rising and standing, unto the end. For, 'Turn ye unto me, and I +will turn unto you,' saith the Lord God." + + + +XII. + +To this said Ioasaph, "But how, after baptism, shall a man keep himself +clear from all sin? For even if there be, as thou sayest, repentance +for them that stumble, yet it is attended with toil and trouble, with +weeping and mourning; things which, methinks, are not easy for the many +to accomplish. But I desired rather to find a way to keep strictly the +commandments of God, and not swerve from them, and, after his pardoning +of my past misdeeds, never again to provoke that most sweet God and +Master." + +Barlaam answered, "Well said, my lord and king. That also is my +desire; but it is hard, nay quite impossible, for a man living with +fire not to be blackened with smoke: for it is an uphill task, and one +not easy of accomplishment, for a man that is tied to the matters of +this life and busied with its cares and troubles, and liveth in riches +and luxury, to walk unswervingly in the way of the commandments of the +Lord, and to preserve his life pure of these evils. 'For,' saith the +Lord, 'no man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one +and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the +other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.' So also writeth the beloved +Evangelist and Divine in his Epistle, thus saying, 'Love not the world, +neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, +the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, +the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, +is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, +and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for +ever.' + +"These things were well understood by our holy and inspired fathers; +and mindful of the Apostle's word that we must through much tribulation +enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, they strove, after holy baptism, to +keep their garment of immortality spotless and undefiled. Whence some +of them also thought fit to receive yet another baptism; I mean that +which is by blood and martyrdom. For this too is called baptism, the +most honourable, and reverend of all, inasmuch as its waters are not +polluted by fresh sin; which also our Lord underwent for our sakes, and +rightly called it baptism. So as imitators and followers of him, first +his eyewitness, disciples, and Apostles, and then the whole band of +holy martyrs yielded themselves, for the name of Christ, to kings and +tyrants that worshipped idols, and endured every form of torment, being +exposed to wild beasts, fire and sword, confessing the good confession, +running the course and keeping the faith. Thus they gained the prizes +of righteousness, and became the companions of Angels, and fellow-heirs +with Christ. Their virtue shone so bright that their sound went out +into all lands, and the splendour of their good deeds flashed like +lightning into the ends of the earth. Of these men, not only the words +and works, but even the very blood and bones are full of all sanctity, +mightily casting out devils, and giving to such as touch them in faith +the healing of incurable diseases: yea, and even their garments, and +anything else that hath been brought near their honoured bodies, are +always worthy of the reverence of all creation. And it were a long +tale to tell one by one their deeds of prowess. + +"But when those cruel and brutal tyrants brought their miserable lives +to a miserable end, and persecution ceased, and Christian kings ruled +throughout the world, then others too in succession emulated the +Martyrs' zeal and divine desire, and, wounded at heart with the same +love, considered well how they might present soul and body without +blemish unto God, by cutting off all the workings of sinful lusts and +purifying themselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit. But, as +they perceived that this could only be accomplished by the keeping of +the commandments of Christ, and that the keeping of his commandments +and the practice of the virtues was difficult to attain in the midst of +the turmoils of the world, they adopted for themselves a strange and +changed manner of life, and, obedient to the voice divine, forsook all, +parents, children, friends, kinsfolk, riches and luxury, and, hating +everything in the world, withdrew, as exiles, into the deserts, being +destitute, afflicted, evil entreated, wandering in wildernesses and +mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, self-banished from all +the pleasures and delights upon earth, and standing in sore need even +of bread and shelter. This they did for two causes: firstly, that +never seeing the objects of sinful lust, they might pluck such desires +by the root out of their soul, and blot out the memory thereof, and +plant within themselves the love and desire of divine and heavenly +things: and secondly, that, by exhausting the flesh by austerities, and +becoming Martyrs in will, they might not miss the glory of them that +were made perfect by blood, but might be themselves, in their degree, +imitators of the sufferings of Christ, and become partakers of the +kingdom that hath no end. Having then come to this wise resolve, they +adopted the quiet of monastic life, some facing the rigours of the open +air, and braving the blaze of the scorching heat and fierce frosts and +rain-storms and tempestuous winds, others spending their lives in the +hovels which they had builded them, or in the hiding of holes and +caverns. Thus, in pursuit of virtue, they utterly denied themselves +all fleshly comfort and repose, submitting to a diet of uncooked herbs +and worts, or acorns, or hard dry bread, not merely saying good-bye to +delights in their quality, but, in very excess of temperance, extending +their zeal to limit even the quantity of enjoyment. For even of those +common and necessary meats they took only so much as was sufficient to +sustain life. Some of them continued fasting the whole week, and +partook of victuals only of a Sunday: others thought of food twice only +in the week: others ate every other day, or daily at eventide, that is, +took but a taste of food. In prayers and watchings they almost +rivalled the life of Angels, bidding a long farewell to the possession +of gold and silver, and quite forgetting that buyings and sellings are +concerns of men. + +"But envy and pride, the evils most prone to follow good works, had no +place amongst them. He that was weaker in ascetic exercises +entertained no thought of malice against him of brighter example. Nor +again was he, that had accomplished great feats, deceived and puffed up +by arrogance to despise his weaker brethren, or set at nought his +neighbour, or boast of his rigours, or glory in his achievements. He +that excelled in virtue ascribed nothing to his own labours, but all to +the power of God, in humility of mind persuading himself that his +labours were nought and that he was debtor even for more, as saith the +Lord, 'When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded +you, say, "We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was +our duty to do."' Others again persuaded themselves that they had not +done even the things which they were commanded to do, but that the +things left undone outnumbered the things already well done. Again, he +that was far behind in austerity, perchance through bodily weakness, +would disparage and blame himself, attributing his failure to +slothfulness of mind rather than to natural frailty. So each excelled +each, and all excelled all in this sweet reasonableness. But the +spirit of vain glory and pleasing of men--what place had it among them? +For they had fled from the world, and were dwelling in the desert, to +the end that they might show their virtues not to men, but to God, from +whom also they hope to receive the rewards of their good deeds, well +aware that religious exercises performed for vain glory go without +recompense; for these are done for the praise of men and not for God. +Whence all that do thus are doubly defrauded: they waste their body, +and receive no reward. But they who yearn for glory above, and strive +thereafter, despise all earthly and human glory. + +"As to their dwellings, some monks finish the contest in utter +retirement and solitude, having removed themselves far from the haunts +of men throughout the whole of their earthly life-time, and having +drawn nigh to God. Others build their homes at a distance one from +another, but meet on the Lord's Day at one Church, and communicate of +the Holy Mysteries, I mean the unbloody Sacrifice of the undefiled Body +and precious Blood of Christ, which the Lord gave to the Faithful for +the remission of sins, for the enlightenment and sanctification of soul +and body. They entertain one another with the exercises of the divine +Oracles and moral exhortations, and make public the secret wiles of +their adversaries, that none, through ignorance of the manner of +wrestling, may be caught thus. Then turn they again, each to his own +home, eagerly storing the honey of virtue in the cells of their hearts, +and husbanding sweet fruits worthy of the heavenly board. + +"Others again spend their life in monasteries. These gather in +multitudes in one spot, and range themselves under one superior and +president, the best of their number, slaying all self-will with the +sword of obedience. Of their own free choice they consider themselves +as slaves bought at a price, and no longer live for themselves, but for +him, to whom, for Christ his sake, they have become obedient; or +rather, to speak more properly, they live no more for themselves, but +Christ liveth in them, whom to follow, they renounce all. This is +retirement, a voluntary hatred of the world, and denial of nature by +desire of things above nature. These men therefore live the lives of +Angels on earth, chanting psalms and hymns with one consent unto the +Lord, and purchasing for themselves the title of Confessors by labours +of obedience. And in them is fulfilled the word of the Lord, when he +saith, 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I +in the midst of them.' By this number he limiteth not the gathering +together in his name, but by 'two or three' signifieth that the number +is indefinite. For, whether there be many, or few, gathered together +because of his holy name, serving him with fervent zeal, there we +believe him to be present in the midst of his servants. + +"By these ensamples and such like assemblies men of earth and clay +imitate the life of heavenly beings, in fastings and prayers and +watchings, in hot tears and sober sorrow, as soldiers in the field with +death before their eyes, in meekness and gentleness, in silence of the +lips, in poverty and want, in chastity and temperance, in humbleness +and quietude of mind, in perfect charity toward God and their +neighbour, carrying their present life down to the grave, and becoming +Angels in their ways. Wherefore God hath graced them with miracles, +signs and various virtues and made the voice of their marvellous life +to be sounded forth to the ends of the world. If I open my mouth to +declare in every point the life of one of them who is said to have been +the founder of the monastic life, Antony by name, by this one tree thou +shalt assuredly know the sweet fruits of other trees of the like kind +and form, and shalt know what a foundation of religious life that great +man laid, and what a roof he built, and what gifts he merited to +receive from the Saviour. After him many fought the like fight and won +like crowns and guerdons. + +"Blessed, yea, thrice blessed, are they that have loved God, and, for +his love's sake, have counted every thing as nothing worth. For they +wept and mourned, day and night, that they might gain everlasting +comfort: they humbled themselves willingly, that there they might be +exalted: they afflicted the flesh with hunger and thirst and vigil, +that there they might come to the pleasures and joys of Paradise. By +their purity of heart they became a tabernacle of the Holy Ghost, as it +is written, 'I will dwell in them and walk in them.' They crucified +themselves unto the world, that they might stand at the right hand of +the Crucified: they girt their loins with truth, and alway had their +lamps ready, looking for the coming of the immortal bridegroom. The +eye of their mind being enlightened, they continually looked forward to +that awful hour, and kept the contemplation of future happiness and +everlasting punishment immovable from their hearts, and pained +themselves to labour, that they might not lose eternal glory. They +became passionless as the Angels, and now they weave the dance in their +fellowship, whose lives also they imitated. Blessed, yea, thrice +blessed are they, because with sure spiritual vision they discerned the +vanity of this present world and the uncertainty and inconstancy of +mortal fortune, and cast it aside, and laid up for themselves +everlasting blessings, and laid hold of that life which never faileth, +nor is broken by death. + +"These then are the marvellous holy men whose examples we, that are +poor and vile, strive to imitate, but cannot attain to the high level +of the life of these heavenly citizens. Nevertheless, so far as is +possible for our weakness and feeble power, we take the stamp of their +lives, and wear their habit: even though we fail to equal their works; +for we are assured that this holy profession is a means to perfection +and an aid to the incorruption given us by holy baptism. So, following +the teachings of these blessed Saints, we utterly renounce these +corruptible and perishable things of life, wherein may be found nothing +stable or constant, or that continueth in one stay; but all things are +vanity and vexation of spirit, and many are the changes that they bring +in a moment; for they are slighter than dreams and a shadow, or the +breeze that bloweth the air. Small and short-lived is their charm, +that is after all no charm, but illusion and deception of the +wickedness of the world; which world we have been taught to love not at +all, but rather to hate with all our heart. Yea, and verily it is +worthy of hatred and abhorrence; for whatsoever gifts it giveth to its +friends, these in turn in passion it taketh away, and shall hand over +its victims, stripped of all good things, clad in the garment of shame, +and bound under heavy burdens, to eternal tribulation. And those again +whom it exalteth, it quickly abaseth to the utmost wretchedness, making +them a foot-stool and a laughing stock for their enemies. Such are its +charms, such its bounties. For it is an enemy of its friends, and +traitor to such as carry out its wishes: dasheth to dire destruction +all them that lean upon it, and enervateth those that put their trust +therein. It maketh covenants with fools and fair false promises, only +that it may allure them to itself. But, as they have dealt +treacherously, it proveth itself treacherous and false in fulfilling +none of its pledges. To-day it tickleth their gullet with pleasant +dainties; to-morrow it maketh them nought but a gobbet for their +enemies. To-day it maketh a man a king: to-morrow it delivereth him +into bitter servitude. To-day its thrall is fattening on a thousand +good things; to-morrow he is a beggar, and drudge of drudges. To-day +it placeth on his head a crown of glory; to-morrow it dasheth his face +upon the ground. To-day it adorneth his neck with brilliant badges of +dignity; to-morrow it humbleth him with a collar of iron. For a little +while it causeth him to be the desire of all men; but after a time it +maketh him their hate and abomination. To-day it gladdeneth him: but +to-morrow it weareth him to a shadow with lamentations and wailings. +What is the end thereof, thou shalt hear. Ruthlessly it bringeth its +former lovers to dwell in hell. Such is ever its mind, such its +purposes. It lamenteth not its departed, nor pitieth the survivor. +For after that it hath cruelly duped and entangled in its meshes the +one party, it immediately transferreth the resources of its ingenuity +against the other, not willing that any should escape its cruel snares, + +"These men that have foolishly alienated themselves from a good and +kind master, to seek the service of so harsh and savage a lord, that +are all agog for present joys and are glued thereto, that take never a +thought for the future, that always grasp after bodily enjoyments, but +suffer their souls to waste with hunger, and to be worn with myriad +ills, these I consider to be like a man flying before the face of a +rampant unicorn, who, unable to endure the sound of the beast's cry, +and its terrible bellowing, to avoid being devoured, ran away at full +speed. But while he ran hastily, he fell into a great pit; and as he +fell, he stretched forth his hands, and laid hold on a tree, to which +he held tightly. There he established some sort of foot-hold and +thought himself from that moment in peace and safety. But he looked +and descried two mice, the one white, the other black, that never +ceased to gnaw the root of the tree whereon he hung, and were all but +on the point of severing it. Then he looked down to the bottom of the +pit and espied below a dragon, breathing fire, fearful for eye to see, +exceeding fierce and grim, with terrible wide jaws, all agape to +swallow him. Again looking closely at the ledge whereon his feet +rested, he discerned four heads of asps projecting from the wall +whereon he was perched. Then he lift up his eyes and saw that from the +branches of the tree there dropped a little honey. And thereat he +ceased to think of the troubles whereby he was surrounded; how, +outside, the unicorn was madly raging to devour him: how, below, the +fierce dragon was yawning to swallow him: how the tree, which he had +clutched, was all but severed; and how his feet rested on slippery, +treacherous ground. Yea, he forgat, without care, all those sights of +awe and terror, and his whole mind hung on the sweetness of that tiny +drop of honey. + +"This is the likeness of those who cleave to the deceitfulness of this +present life,--the interpretation whereof I will declare to thee anon. +The unicorn is the type of death, ever in eager pursuit to overtake the +race of Adam. The pit is the world, full of all manner of ills and +deadly snares. The tree, which was being continually fretted by the +two mice, to which the man clung, is the course of every man's life, +that spendeth and consuming itself hour by hour, day and night, and +gradually draweth nigh its severance. The fourfold asps signify the +structure of man's body upon four treacherous and unstable elements +which, being disordered and disturbed, bring that body to destruction. +Furthermore, the fiery cruel dragon betokeneth the maw of hell that is +hungry to receive those who choose present pleasures rather than future +blessings. The dropping of honey denoteth the sweetness of the +delights of the world, whereby it deceiveth its own friends, nor +suffereth them to take timely thought for their salvation." + + + +XIII. + +Ioasaph received this parable with great joy and said, "How true this +story is, and most apt! Grudge not, then, to shew me other such like +figures, that I may know for certain what the manner of our life is, +and what it hath in store for its friends." + +The elder answered, "Again, those who are enamoured of the pleasures of +life, and glamoured by the sweetness thereof, who prefer fleeting and +paltry objects to those which are future and stable, are like a certain +man who had three friends. On the first two of these he was +extravagantly lavish of his honours, and clave passionately to their +love, fighting to the death and deliberately hazarding his life for +their sakes. But to the third he bore himself right arrogantly, never +once granting him the honour nor the love that was his due, but only +making show of some slight and inconsiderable regard for him. Now one +day he was apprehended by certain dread and strange soldiers, that made +speed to hale him to the king, there to render account for a debt of +ten thousand talents. Being in a great strait, this debtor sought for +a helper, able to take his part in this terrible reckoning with the +king. So he ran to his first and truest friend of all, and said, 'Thou +wottest, friend, that I ever jeopardied my life for thy sake. Now +to-day I require help in a necessity that presseth me sore. In how +many talents wilt thou undertake to assist me now? What is the hope +that I may count upon at thy hands, O my dearest friend?' The other +answered and said unto him, 'Man, I am not thy friend: I know not who +thou art. Other friends I have, with whom I must needs make merry +to-day, and so win their friendship for the time to come. But, see, I +present thee with two ragged garments, that thou mayest have them on +the way whereon thou goest, though they will do thee no manner of good. +Further help from me thou mayest expect none.' The other, hearing +this, despaired of the succour whereon he had reckoned, and went to his +second friend, saying, 'Friend, thou rememberest how much honour and +kindness thou hast enjoyed at my hands. To-day I have fallen into +tribulation and sorrow, and need a helping hand. To what extent then +canst thou share my labour? Tell me at once.' Said he, 'I have on +leisure today to share thy troubles. I too have fallen among cares and +perils, and am myself in tribulation. Howbeit, I will go a little way +with thee, even if I shall fail to be of service to thee. Then will I +turn quickly homeward, and busy myself with mine own anxieties.' So +the man returned from him too empty-handed and baulked at every turn; +and he cried misery on himself for his vain hope in those ungrateful +friends, and the unavailing hardships that he had endured through love +of them. At the last he went away to the third friend, whom he had +never courted, nor invited to share his happiness. With countenance +ashamed and downcast, he said unto him, 'I can scarce open my lips to +speak with thee, knowing full well that I have never done thee service, +or shown thee any kindness that thou mightest now remember. But seeing +that a heavy misfortune hath overtaken me, and that I have found +nowhere among my friends any hope of deliverance, I address myself to +thee, praying thee, if it lie in thy power, to afford me some little +aid. Bear no grudge for my past unkindness, and refuse me not.' The +other with a smiling and gracious countenance answered, 'Assuredly I +own thee my very true friend. I have not forgotten those slight +services of thine: and I will repay them to-day with interest. Fear +not therefore, neither be afraid. I will go before thee and entreat +the king for thee, and will by no means deliver thee into the hands of +thine enemies. Wherefore be of good courage, dear friend, and fret not +thyself.' Then, pricked at heart, the other said with tears, 'Wo is me! +Which shall I first lament, or which first deplore? Condemn my vain +preference for my forgetful, thankless and false friends, or blame the +mad ingratitude that I have shown to thee, the sincere and true?'" + +Ioasaph heard this tale also with amazement and asked the +interpretation thereof. Then said Barlaam, "The first friend is the +abundance of riches, and love of money, by reason of which a man +falleth into the midst of ten thousand perils, and endureth many +miseries: but when at last the appointed day of death is come, of all +these things he carrieth away nothing but the useless burial cloths. +By the second friend is signified our wife and children and the remnant +of kinsfolk and acquaintance, to whom we are passionately attached, and +from whom with difficulty we tear ourselves away, neglecting our very +soul and body for the love of them. But no help did man ever derive +from these in the hour of death, save only that they will accompany and +follow him to the sepulchre, and then straightway turning them homeward +again they are occupied with their own cares and matters, and bury his +memory in oblivion as they have buried his body in the grave. But the +third friend, that was altogether neglected and held cheap, whom the +man never approached, but rather shunned and fled in horror, is the +company of good deeds,--faith, hope, charity, alms, kindliness, and the +whole band of virtues, that can go before us, when we quit the body, +and may plead with the Lord on our behalf, and deliver us from our +enemies and dread creditors, who urge that strict rendering of account +in the air, and try bitterly to get the mastery of us. This is the +grateful and true friend, who beareth in mind those small kindnesses +that we have shown him and repayeth the whole with interest." + + + +XIV. + +Again said Ioasaph, "The Lord God prosper thee, O thou Wisest of men! +For thou hast gladdened my soul with thine apt and excellent sayings. +Wherefore sketch me yet another picture of the vanity of the world, and +how a man may pass through it in peace and safety." + +Barlaam took up his parable and said, "Hear then a similitude of this +matter too. I once heard tell of a great city whose citizens had, from +old time, the custom of taking some foreigner and stranger, who knew +nothing of their laws and traditions, and of making him their king, to +enjoy absolute power, and follow his own will and pleasure without +hindrance, until the completion of a year. Then suddenly, while he was +living with never a care in rioting and wantonness, without fear, and +alway supposing that his reign would only terminate with his life, they +would rise up against him, strip him bare of his royal robes, lead him +in triumph up and down the city, and thence dispatch him beyond their +borders into a distant great island; there, for lack of food and +raiment, in hunger and nakedness he would waste miserably away, the +luxury and pleasure so unexpectedly showered upon him changed as +unexpectedly into woe. In accordance therefore with the unbroken +custom of these citizens, a certain man was ordained to the kingship. +But his mind was fertile of understanding, and he was not carried away +by this sudden access of prosperity, nor did he emulate the +heedlessness of the kings that had gone before him, and had been +miserably expelled, but his soul was plunged in care and trouble how he +might order his affairs well. After long and careful search, he +learned from a wise counsellor the custom of the citizens, and the +place of perpetual banishment, and was taught of him without guile how +to ensure himself against this fate. So with this knowledge that +within a very little while he must reach that island and leave to +strangers this chance kingdom among strangers, he opened the treasures +whereof he had awhile absolute and unforbidden use, and took a great +store of money and huge masses of gold and silver and precious stones +and delivered the same to trusty servants and sent them before him to +the island whither he was bound. When the appointed year came to an +end, the citizens rose against him, and sent him naked into banishment +like those that went before him. But while the rest of these foolish +kings, kings only for a season, were sore anhungred, he, that had +timely deposited his wealth, passed his time in continual plenty mid +dainties free of expense, and, rid of all fear of those mutinous and +evil citizens, could count himself happy on his wise forethought. + +"Understand thou, therefore, that the city is this vain and deceitful +world; that the citizens are the principalities and powers of the +devils, the rulers of the darkness of this world, who entice us by the +soft bait of pleasure, and counsel us to consider corruptible and +perishable things as incorruptible, as though the enjoyment that cometh +from them were co-existent with us, and immortal as we. Thus then are +we deceived; we have taken no thought concerning the things which are +abiding and eternal, and have laid up in store for ourselves no +treasure for that life beyond, when of a sudden there standeth over us +the doom of death. Then, then at last do those evil and cruel citizens +of darkness, that received us, dispatch us stript of all worldly +goods,--for all our time has been wasted on their service--and carry us +off 'to a dark land and a gloomy, to a land of eternal darkness, where +there is no light, nor can one behold the life of men.' As for that +good counsellor, who made known all the truth and taught that sagacious +and wise king the way of salvation, understand thou that I, thy poor +and humble servant, am he, who am come hither for to shew thee the good +and infallible way to lead thee to things eternal and unending, and to +counsel thee to lay up all thy treasure there; and I am come to lead +thee away from the error of this world, which, to my woe, I also loved, +and clave to its pleasures and delights. But, when I perceived, with +the unerring eyes of my mind how all human life is wasted in these +things that come and go; when I saw that no man hath aught that is +stable and steadfast, neither the rich in his wealth, nor the mighty in +his strength, nor the wise in his wisdom, nor the prosperous in his +prosperity, nor the luxurious in his wantonness, nor he that dreameth +of security of life in that vain and feeble security of his dreams, nor +any man in any of those things that men on earth commend ('tis like the +boundless rush of torrents that discharge themselves into the deep sea, +thus fleeting and temporary are all present things); then, I say, I +understood that all such things are vanity, and that their enjoyment is +naught; and, that even as the past is all buried in oblivion, be it +past glory, or past kingship, or the splendour of rank, or amplitude of +power, or arrogance of tyranny, or aught else like them, so also +present things will vanish in the darkness of the days to come. And, +as I am myself of the present, I also shall doubtless be subject to its +accustomed change; and, even as my fathers before me were not allowed +to take delight for ever in the present world, so also shall it be with +me. For I have observed how this tyrannical and troublesome world +treateth mankind, shifting men hither and thither, from wealth to +poverty, and from poverty to honour, carrying some out of life and +bringing others in, rejecting some that are wise and understanding, +making the honourable and illustrious dishonoured and despised, but +seating others who are unwise and of no understanding upon a throne of +honour, and making the dishonoured and obscure to be honoured of all. + +"One may see how the race of mankind may never abide before the face of +the cruel tyranny of the world. But, as when a dove fleeing from an +eagle or a hawk flitteth from place to place, now beating against this +tree, now against that bush, and then anon against the clefts of the +rocks and all manner of bramble-thorns, and, nowhere finding any safe +place of refuge, is wearied with continual tossing and crossing to and +fro, so are they which are flustered by the present world. They labour +painfully under unreasoning impulse, on no sure or firm bases: they +know not to what goal they are driving, nor whither this vain life +leadeth them this vain life, whereto they have in miserable folly +subjected themselves, choosing evil instead of good, and pursuing vice +instead of goodness; and they know not who shall inherit the cold +fruits of their many heavy labours, whether it be a kinsman or a +stranger, and, as oft times it haps, not even a friend or acquaintance +at all, but an enemy and foeman. + +"On all these things, and others akin to them, I held judgement in the +tribunal of my soul, and I came to hate my whole life that had been +wasted in these vanities, while I still lived engrossed in earthly +things. But when I had put off from my soul the lust thereof, and cast +it from me, then was there revealed unto me the true good, to fear God +and do his will; for this I saw to be the sum of all good. This also +is called the beginning of wisdom, and perfect wisdom. For life is +without pain and reproach to those that hold by her, and safe to those +who lean upon her as upon the Lord. So, when I had set my reason on +the unerring way of the commandments of the Lord, and had surely +learned that there is nothing froward or perverse therein, and that it +is not full of chasms and rocks, nor of thorns and thistles, but lieth +altogether smooth and even, rejoicing the eyes of the traveller with +the brightest sights, making beautiful his feet, and shoeing them with +'the preparation of the Gospel of peace,' that he may walk safely and +without delay, this way, then, I rightly chose above all others, and +began to rebuild my soul's habitation, which had fallen into ruin and +decay. + +"In such wise was I devising mine estate, and establishing mine +unstable mind, when I heard the words of a wise teacher calling loudly +to me thus, 'Come ye out,' said he, 'all ye that will to be saved. Be +ye separate from the vanity of the world, for the fashion thereof +quickly passeth away, and behold it shall not be. Come ye out, without +turning back, not for nothing and without reward, but winning supplies +for travelling to life eternal, for ye are like to journey a long road, +needing much supplies from hence, and ye shall arrive at the place +eternal that hath two regions, wherein are many mansions; one of which +places God hath prepared for them that love him and keep his +commandments, full of all manner of good things; and they that attain +thereto shall live for ever in incorruption, enjoying immortality +without death, where pain and sorrow and sighing are fled away. But +the other place is full of darkness and tribulation and pain, prepared +for the devil and his angels, wherein also shall be cast they who by +evil deeds have deserved it, who have bartered the incorruptible and +eternal for the present world, and have made themselves fuel for +eternal fire.' + +"When I heard this voice, and recognized the truth, I did my diligence +to attain to that abode, that is free from all pain and sorrow, and +full of security and all good things, whereof I have knowledge now only +in part, being but a babe in my spiritual life, and seeing the sights +yonder as through mirrors and riddles; but when that which is perfect +is come, and I shall see face to face, then that which is in part shall +be done away. Wherefore I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord; for +the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from +the law of sin and of death, and hath opened mine eyes to see clearly +that the will of the flesh is death, but the will of the Spirit is life +and peace. And even as I did discern the vanity of present things and +hate them with a perfect hatred, so likewise I counsel thee to decide +thereon, that thou mayest treat them as something alien and quickly +passing away, and mayest remove all thy store from earth and lay up for +thyself in the incorruptible world a treasure that can not be stolen, +wealth inexhaustible, in that place whither thou must shortly fare, +that when thou comest thither thou mayest not be destitute, but be +laden with riches, after the manner of that aptest of parables that I +lately showed thee." + + + +XV. + +Said Ioasaph unto the elder, "How then shall I be able to send before +me thither treasures of money and riches, that, when I depart hence, I +may find these unharmed and unwasted for my enjoyment? How must I show +my hatred for things present and lay hold on things eternal? This make +thou right plain unto me." Quoth Barlaam, "The sending before thee of +money to that eternal home is wrought by the hands of the poor. For +thus saith one of the prophets, Daniel the wise, unto the king of +Babylon, 'Wherefore, O Prince, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, +and redeem thy sins by almsgiving, and thine iniquities by showing +mercy to the poor.' The Saviour also saith, 'Make to yourselves +friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may +receive you into everlasting habitations.' And, in divers places, the +Master maketh much mention of almsgiving and liberality to the poor, as +we learn in the Gospel. Thus shalt thou most surely send all thy +treasure before thee by the hands of the needy, for whatsoever thou +shalt do unto these the Master counteth done unto himself, and will +reward thee manifold; for, in the recompense of benefits, he ever +surpasseth them that love him. So in this manner by seizing for awhile +the treasures of the darkness of this world, in whose slavery for a +long time past thou hast been miserable, thou shalt by these means make +good provision for thy journey, and by plundering another's goods thou +shalt store all up for thyself, with things fleeting and transient +purchasing for thyself things that are stable and enduring. +Afterwards, God working with thee, thou shalt perceive the uncertainty +and inconstancy of the world, and saying farewell to all, shalt remove +thy barque to anchor in the future, and, passing by the things that +pass away, thou shalt hold to the things that we look for, the things +that abide. Thou shalt depart from darkness and the shadow of death, +and hate the world and the ruler of the world; and, counting thy +perishable flesh thine enemy, thou shalt run toward the light that is +unapproachable, and taking the Cross on thy shoulders, shalt follow +Christ without looking back, that thou mayest also be glorified with +him, and be made inheritor of the life that never changeth nor +deceiveth." + +Ioasaph said, "When thou spakest a minute past of despising all things, +and taking up such a life of toil, was that an old tradition handed +down from the teaching of the Apostles, or is this a late invention of +your wits, which ye have chosen for yourselves as a more excellent way?" + +The elder answered and said, "I teach thee no law introduced but +yesterday, God forbid! but one given unto us of old. For when a +certain rich young man asked the Lord, 'What shall I do to inherit +eternal life?' and boasted that he had observed all that was written in +the Law, Jesus said unto him, 'One thing thou lackest yet. Go sell all +that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have +treasure in heaven, and come, take up thy cross and follow me. But +when the young man heard this he was very sorrowful, for he was very +rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, 'How +hardly shall they which have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For +it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a +rich man to enter into the kingdom of God!' So, when all the Saints +heard this command, they thought fit by all means to withdraw from this +hardness of riches. They parted with all their goods, and by this +distribution of their riches to the poor laid up for themselves eternal +riches; and they took up their Cross and followed Christ, some being +made perfect by martyrdom, even as I have already told thee; and some +by the practice of self-denial falling not a whit short of those others +in the life of the true philosophy. Know thou, then, that this is a +command of Christ our King and God, which leadeth us from things +corruptible and maketh us partakers of things everlasting." + +Said Ioasaph, "If, then, this kind of philosophy be so ancient and so +salutary, how cometh it that so few folk now-a-days follow it?" + +The elder answered, "Many have followed, and do follow it; but the +greatest part hesitate and draw back. For few, saith the Lord, are the +travellers along the strait and narrow way, but along the wide and +broad way many. For they that have once been taken prisoners by the +love of money, and the evils that come from the love of pleasure, and +are given up to idle and vain glory, are hardly to be torn therefrom, +seeing that they have of their own free will sold themselves as slaves +to a strange master, and setting themselves on the opposite side to +God, who gave these commands, are held in bondage to that other. For +the soul that hath once rejected her own salvation, and given the reins +to unreasonable lusts, is carried about hither and thither. Therefore +saith the prophet, mourning the folly that encompasseth such souls, and +lamenting the thick darkness that lieth on them, 'O ye sons of men, how +long will ye be of heavy heart? Why love ye vanity, and seek after +leasing?' And in the same tone as he, but adding thereto some thing of +his own, one of our wise teachers, a most excellent divine, crieth +aloud to all, as from some exceeding high place of vantage, 'O ye sons +of men, how long will ye be of heavy heart? Why love ye vanity and +seek after leasing? Trow ye that this present life, and luxury, and +these shreds of glory, and petty lordship and false prosperity are any +great thing?'--things which no more belong to those that possess them +than to them that hope for them, nor to these latter any more than to +those who never thought of them: things like the dust carried and +whirled about to and fro by the tempest, or vanishing as the smoke, or +delusive as a dream, or intangible as a shadow; which, when absent, +need not be despaired of by them that have them not, and, when present, +cannot be trusted by their owners. + +"This then was the commandment of the Saviour; this the preaching of +the Prophets and Apostles; in such wise do all the Saints, by word and +deed, constrain us to enter the unerring road of virtue. And though few +walk therein and more choose the broad way that leadeth to destruction, +yet not for this shall the life of this divine philosophy be minished +in fame. But as the sun, rising to shine on all, doth bounteously send +forth his beams, inviting all to enjoy his light, even so doth our true +philosophy, like the sun, lead with her light those that are her +lovers, and warmeth and brighteneth them. But if any shut their eyes, +and will not behold the light thereof, not for that must the sun be +blamed, or scorned by others: still less shall the glory of his +brightness be dishonoured through their silliness. But while they, +self-deprived of light, grope like blind men along a wall, and fall +into many a ditch, and scratch out their eyes on many a bramble bush, +the sun, firmly established on his own glory, shall illuminate them +that gaze upon his beams with unveiled face. Even so shineth the light +of Christ on all men abundantly, imparting to us of his lustre. But +every man shareth thereof in proportion to his desire and zeal. For +the Sun of righteousness disappointeth none of them that would fix +their gaze on him, yet doth he not compel those who willingly choose +darkness; but every man, so long as he is in this present life, is +committed to his own free will and choice." + +Ioasaph asked, "What is free will and what is choice?" The elder +answered, "Free will is the willing of a reasonable soul, moving +without hindrance toward whatever it wisheth, whether to virtue or to +vice, the soul being thus constituted by the Creator. Free will again +is the sovran motion of an intelligent soul. Choice is desire +accompanied by deliberation, or deliberation accompanied by desire for +things that lie in our power; for in choosing we desire that which we +have deliberately preferred. Deliberation is a motion towards enquiry +about actions possible to us; a man deliberateth whether he ought to +pursue an object or no. Then he judgeth which is the better, and so +ariseth judgement. Then he is inclined towards it, and loveth that +which was so judged by the deliberative faculty, and this is called +resolve; for, if he judge a thing, and yet be not inclined toward the +thing that he hath judged, and love it not, it is not called resolve. +Then, after inclination toward it, there ariseth choice or rather +selection. For choice is to choose one or other of two things in view, +and to select this rather than that. And it is manifest that choice is +deliberation plus discrimination, and this from the very etymology. +For that which is the 'object of choice' is the thing chosen before the +other thing. And no man preferreth a thing without deliberation, nor +makeeth a choice without having conceived a preference. For, since we +are not zealous to carry into action all that seemeth good to us, +choice only ariseth and the deliberately preferred only becometh the +chosen, when desire is added thereto. Thus we conclude that choice is +desire accompanied by deliberation for things that lie in our power; in +choosing we desire that which we have deliberately preferred. All +deliberation aimeth at action and dependeth on action; and thus +deliberation goeth before all choice, and choice before all action. +For this reason not only our actions, but also our thoughts, inasmuch +as they give occasion for choice, bring in their train crowns or +punishments. For the beginning of sin and righteous dealing is choice, +exercised in action possible to us. Where the power of activity is +ours, there too are the actions that follow that activity in our power. +Virtuous activities are in our power, therefore in our power are +virtues also; for we are absolute masters over all our souls' affairs +and all our deliberations. Since then it is of free will that men +deliberate, and of free will that men choose, a man partaketh of the +light divine, and advanceth in the practice of this philosophy in exact +measure of his choice, for there are differences of choice. And even +as water-springs, issuing from the hollows of the earth, sometimes gush +forth from the surface soil, and sometimes from a lower source, and at +other times from a great depth, and even as some of these waters bubble +forth continuously, and their taste is sweet, while others that come +from deep wells are brackish or sulphurous, even as some pour forth in +abundance while others flow drop by drop, thus, understand thou, is it +also with our choices. Some choices are swift and exceeding fervent, +others languid and cold: some have a bias entirely toward virtue, while +others incline with all their force to its opposite. And like in +nature to these choices are the ensuing impulses to action." + + + +XVI. + +Ioasaph said unto the elder, "Are there now others, too, who preach the +same doctrines as thou? Or art thou to-day the only one that teacheth +this hatred of the present world?" + +The other answered and said, "In this your most unhappy country I know +of none: the tyranny of thy father hath netted all such in a thousand +forms of death; and he hath made it his aim that the preaching of the +knowledge of God be not once heard in your midst. But in all other +tongues these doctrines are sung and glorified, by some in perfect +truth, but by others perversely; for the enemy of our souls hath made +them decline from the straight road, and divided them by strange +teachings, and taught them to interpret certain sayings of the +Scriptures falsely, and not after the sense contained therein. But the +truth is one, even that which was preached by the glorious Apostles and +inspired Fathers, and shineth in the Catholick Church above the +brightness of the sun from the one end of the world unto the other; and +as an herald and teacher of that truth have I been sent to thee." + +Ioasaph said unto him, "Hath my father then, learned naught of these +things?" + +The elder answered, "Clearly and duly he hath learned naught; for he +stoppeth up his senses, and will not admit that which is good, being of +his own free choice inclined to evil." + +"Would God," said Ioasaph, "that he too were instructed in these +mysteries?" The elder answered, "The things that are impossible with +men are possible with God. For how knowest thou whether thou shalt +save thy sire, and in wondrous fashion be styled the spiritual father +of thy father? + +"I have heard that, once upon a time, there was a king who governed his +kingdom right well, and dealt kindly and gently with his subjects, only +failing in this point, that he was not rich in the light of the +knowledge of God, but held fast to the errors of idolatry. Now he had +a counsellor, which was a good man and endued with righteousness toward +God and with all other virtuous wisdom. Grieved and vexed though he +was at the error of the king, and willing to convince him thereof, he +nevertheless drew back from the attempt, for fear that he might earn +trouble for himself and his friends, and cut short those services which +he rendered to others. Yet sought he a convenient season to draw his +sovereign toward that which was good. One night the king said unto +him, "Come now, let us go forth and walk about the city, if haply we +may see something to edify us." Now while they were walking about the +city, they saw a ray of light shining through an aperture. Fixing +their eyes thereon, they descried an underground cavernous chamber, in +the forefront of which there sat a man, plunged in poverty, and clad in +rags and tatters. Beside him stood his wife, mixing wine. When the man +took the cup in his hands, she sung a clear sweet melody, and delighted +him by dancing and cozening him with flatteries. The king's companions +observed this for a time, and marvelled that people, pinched by such +poverty as not to afford house and raiment, yet passed their lives in +such good cheer. The king said to his chief counsellor, 'Friend, how +marvellous a thing it is, that our life, though bright with such honour +and luxury, hath never pleased us so well as this poor and miserable +life doth delight and rejoice these fools: and that this life, which +appeareth to us so cruel and abominable, is to them sweet and +alluring!' The chief counsellor seized the happy moment and said, 'But +to thee, O king, how seemeth their life?' 'Of all that I have ever +seen,' quoth the king, 'the most hateful and wretched, the most +loathsome and abhorrent.' Then spake the chief counsellor unto him, +"Such, know thou well, O king, and even more unendurable is our life +reckoned by those who are initiated into the sight of the mysteries of +yonder everlasting glory, and the blessings that pass all +understanding. Your palaces glittering with gold, and these splendid +garments, and all the delights of this life are more loathsome than +dung and filth in the eyes of those that know the unspeakable beauties +of the tabernacles in heaven made without hands, and the apparel woven +by God, and the incorruptible diadems which God, the Creator and Lord +of all, hath prepared for them that love him. For like as this couple +were accounted fools by us, so much the more are we, who go astray in +this world and please ourselves in this false glory and senseless +pleasure, worthy of lamentation and tears in the eyes of those who have +tasted of the sweets of the bliss beyond.' + +"When the king heard this, he became as one dumb. He said, 'Who then +are these men that live a life better than ours?' 'All,' said the +chief-counsellor 'who prefer the eternal to the temporal.' Again, when +the king desired to know what the eternal might be the other replied, +'A kingdom that knoweth no succession, a life that is not subject unto +death, riches that dread no poverty: joy and gladness that have no +share of grief and vexation; perpetual peace free from all hatred and +love of strife. Blessed, thrice blessed are they that are found worthy +of these enjoyments! Free from pain and free from toil is the life +that they shall live for ever, enjoying without labour all the sweets +and pleasaunce of the kingdom of God, and reigning with Christ world +without end.' + +"'And who is worthy to obtain this?' asked the king. The other +answered, 'All they that hold on the road that leadeth thither; for +none forbiddeth entrance, if a man but will.' + +"Said the king, 'And what is the way that beareth thither?' That +bright spirit answered, 'To know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, +his only-begotten Son, and the Holy and quickening Spirit.' + +"The king, endowed with understanding worthy of the purple, said unto +him, 'What hath hindered thee until now from doing me to wit of these +things? For they appear to me too good to be put off or passed over, +if they indeed be true; and, if they be doubtful, I must search +diligently, until I find the truth without shadow of doubt.' + +"The chief counsellor said, 'It was not from negligence or indifference +that I delayed to make this known unto thee, for it is true and beyond +question, but 'twas because I reverenced the excellency of thy majesty, +lest thou mightest think me a meddler. If therefore thou bid thy +servant put thee in mind of these things for the future, I shall obey +thy behest.' 'Yea,' said the king, 'not every day only, but every +hour, renew in me the remembrance thereof: for it behoveth us not to +turn our mind inattentively to these things, but with very fervent +zeal.' + +"We have heard," said Barlaam, "that this king lived, for the time to +come, a godly life, and, having brought his days without tempest to an +end, failed not to gain the felicity of the world to come. If then at +a convenient season one shall call these things to thy father's mind +also, peradventure he shall understand and know the dire evil in which +he is held, and turn therefrom and choose the good; since, for the +present at least, 'he is blind and cannot see afar off,' having +deprived himself of the true light and being a deserter of his own +accord to the darkness of ungodliness." + +Ioasaph said unto him, "The Lord undertake my father's matters, as he +ordereth! For, even as thou sayest, the things that are impossible +with men, are possible with him. But for myself, thanks to thine +unsurpassable speech, I renounce the vanity of things present, and am +resolved to withdraw from them altogether, and to spend the rest of my +life with thee, lest, by means of these transitory and fleeting things, +I lose the enjoyment of the eternal and incorruptible." + +The elder answered him, "This do, and thou shalt be like unto a youth +of great understanding of whom I have heard tell, that was born of rich +and distinguished parents. For him his father sought in marriage the +exceeding fair young daughter of a man of high rank and wealth. But +when he communed with his son concerning the espousals, and informed +him of his plans, the son thought it strange and ill-sounding, and cast +it off, and left his father and went into exile. On his journey he +found entertainment in the house of a poor old man, where he rested +awhile during the heat of the day. + +"Now this poor man's daughter, his only child, a virgin, was sitting +before the door, and, while she wrought with her hands, with her lips +she loudly sang the praises of God with thanksgiving from the ground of +her heart. The young man heard her hymn of praise and said, 'Damsel, +what is thine employment? and wherefore, poor and needy as thou art, +givest thou thanks as though for great blessings, singing praise to the +Giver?' She answered, 'Knowest thou not that, as a little medicine +often times delivereth a man from great ailments, even so the giving of +thanks to God for small mercies winneth great ones? Therefore I, the +daughter of a poor old man, thank and bless God for these small +mercies, knowing that the Giver thereof is able to give even greater +gifts. And this applieth but to those external things that are not our +own from whence there accrueth no gain to those who possess much (not +to mention the loss that often ariseth), nor cometh there harm to those +who have less; for both sorts journey along the same road, and hasten +to the same end. But, in things most necessary and vital, many and +great the blessings I have enjoyed of my Lord, though indeed they are +without number and beyond compare. I have been made in the image of +God, and have gained the knowledge of him, and have been endowed with +reason beyond all the beasts, and have been called again from death +unto life, through the tender mercy of our God, and have received power +to share in his mysteries; and the gate of Paradise hath been opened to +me, allowing me to enter without hindrance, if I will. Wherefore for +gifts so many and so fine, shared alike by rich and poor, I can indeed +in no wise praise him as I ought, yet if I fail to render to the Giver +this little hymn of praise, what excuse shall I have?' + +"The youth, astonished at her wit, called to her father, and said unto +him, 'Give me thy daughter: for I love her wisdom and piety.' But the +elder said, 'It is not possible for thee, the son of wealthy parents, +to take this a beggar's daughter.' Again the young man said, 'Yea, but +I will take her, unless thou forbid: for a daughter of noble and +wealthy family hath been betrothed unto me in marriage, and her I have +cast off and taken to flight. But I have fallen in love with thy +daughter because of her righteousness to God-ward, and her discreet +wisdom, and I heartily desire to wed-her.' But the old man said unto +him, 'I cannot give her unto thee, to carry away to thy father's house, +and depart her from mine arms, for she is mine only child.' 'But,' said +the youth, 'I will abide here with your folk and adopt your manner of +life.' Thereupon he stripped him of his own goodly raiment, and asked +for the old man's clothes and put them on. When the father had much +tried his purpose, and proved him in manifold ways, and knew that his +intent was fixed, and that it was no light passion that led him to ask +for his daughter, but love of godliness that constrained him to embrace +a life of poverty, preferring it to his own glory and noble birth, he +took him by the hand, and brought him into his treasure-house, where he +showed him much riches laid up, and a vast heap of money, such as the +young man had never beheld. And he said unto him, 'Son, all these +things give I unto thee, forasmuch as thou hast chosen to become the +husband to my daughter, and also thereby the heir of all my substance.' +So the young man acquired the inheritance, and surpassed all the famous +and wealthy men of the land." + + + +XVII. + +Said Ioasaph unto Barlaam, "This story also fitly setteth forth mine +own estate. Whence also me thinketh that thou hadst me in mind when +thou spakest it. But what is the proof whereby thou seekest to know +the steadfastness of my purpose?" + +Said the elder, "I have already proved thee, and know how wise and +steadfast is thy purpose, and how truly upright is thine heart. But +the end of thy fortune shall confirm it. For this cause I bow my knees +unto our God glorified in Three Persons, the Maker of all things +visible and invisible, who verily is, and is for ever, that never had +beginning of his glorious being, nor hath end, the terrible and +almighty, the good and pitiful, that he may enlighten the eyes of thine +heart, and give thee the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the +knowledge of him, that thou mayest know what is the hope of his +calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the +Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who +believe; that thou mayest be no more a stranger and sojourner, but a +fellow-citizen with the Saints, and of the household of God, being +built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ +our Lord himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building +fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." + +Ioasaph, keenly pricked at the heart, said, "All this I too long to +learn: and I beseech thee make known to me the riches of the glory of +God, and the exceeding greatness of his power." + +Barlaam said unto him, "I pray God to teach thee this, and to plant in +thy soul the knowledge of the same; since with men it is impossible +that his glory and power be told, yea, even if the tongues of all men +that now are and have ever been were combined in one. For, as saith +the Evangelist and Divine, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only +begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared +him.' But the glory and majesty of the invisible and infinite God, +what son of earth shall skill to comprehend it, save he to whom he +himself shall reveal it, in so far as he will, as he hath revealed it, +to his Prophets and Apostles? But we learn it, so far as in us lieth, +by their teaching, and from the very nature of the world. For the +Scripture saith, 'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the +firmament sheweth his handiwork;' and, 'The invisible things of him +from the creation Of the world are clearly understood by the things +that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.' + +"Even as a man, beholding an house splendidly and skilfully builded, or +a vessel fairly framed, taketh note of the builder or workman and +marvelleth thereat, even so I that was fashioned out of nothing and +brought into being, though I cannot see the maker and provider, yet +from his harmonious and marvellous fashioning of me have come to the +knowledge of his wisdom, not to the full measure of that wisdom, but to +the full compass of my powers; yea I have seen that I was not brought +forth by chance, nor made of myself, but that he fashioned me, as it +pleased him, and set me to have dominion over his creatures, howbeit +making me lower than some; that, when I was broken, he re-created me +with a better renewal; and that he shall draw me by his divine will +from this world and place me in that other life that is endless and +eternal; and that in nothing I could withstand the might of his +providence, nor add anything to myself nor take anything away, whether +in stature or bodily form, and that I am not able to renew for myself +that which is waxen old, nor raise that which hath been destroyed. For +never was man able to accomplish aught of these things, neither king, +nor wise man, nor rich man, nor ruler, nor any other that pursueth the +tasks of men. For he saith, 'There is no king, or mighty man, that had +any other beginning of birth. For all men have one entrance into life, +and the like going out.' + +"So from mine own nature, I am led by the hand to the knowledge of the +mighty working of the Creator; and at the same time I think upon the +well-ordered structure and preservation of the whole creation, how that +in itself it is subject everywhere to variableness and change, in the +world of thought by choice, whether by advance in the good, or +departure from it, in the world of sense by birth and decay, increase +and decrease, and change in quality and motion in space. And thus all +things proclaim, by voices that cannot be heard, that they were +created, and are held together, and preserved, and ever watched over by +the providence of the uncreate, unturning and unchanging God. Else how +could diverse elements have met, for the consummation of a single +world, one with another, and remained inseparable, unless some almighty +power had knit them together, and still were keeping them from +dissolution? 'For how could anything have endured, if it had not been +his will? or been preserved, if not called by him?' as saith the +Scripture. + +"A ship holdeth not together without a steersman, but easily +foundereth; and a small house shall not stand without a protector. How +then could the world have subsisted for long ages, a work so great, and +so fair and wondrous,--without some glorious mighty and marvellous +steersmanship and all-wise providence? Behold the heavens, how long +they have stood, and have not been darkened: and the earth hath not +been exhausted, though she hath been bearing offspring so long. The +water-springs have not failed to gush out since they were made. The +sea, that receiveth so many rivers, hath not exceeded her measure. The +courses of Sun and Moon have not varied: the order of day and night +hath not changed. From all these objects is declared unto us the +unspeakable power and magnificence of God, witnessed by Prophets and +Apostles. But no man can fitly conceive or sound forth his glory. For +the holy Apostle, that had Christ speaking within him, after perceiving +all objects of thought and sense, still said, 'We know in part, and we +prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that +which is in part shall be done away.' Wherefore also, astonied at the +infinite riches of his wisdom and knowledge, he cried for all to +understand, 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge +of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding +out!' + +"Now, if he, that attained unto the third heaven and heard such +unspeakable words, uttered such sentences, what man of my sort shall +have strength to look eye to eye upon the abysses of such mysteries, or +speak rightly thereof, or think meetly of the things whereof we speak, +unless the very giver of wisdom, and the amender of the unwise, +vouchsafe that power? For in his hand are we and our words, and all +prudence and knowledge of wisdom is with him. And he himself hath +given us the true understanding of the things that are; to know the +structure of the world, the working of the elements, the beginning, end +and middle of times, the changes of the solstices, the succession of +seasons, and how he hath ordered all things by measure and weight. For +he can shew his great strength at all times, and who may withstand the +power of his arm? For the whole world before him is as a little grain +of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down +upon the earth. But he hath mercy upon all; for he can do all things, +and winketh at the sins of men, because they should amend. For he +abhorreth nothing, nor turneth away from them that run unto him, he, +the only good Lord and lover of souls. Blessed be the holy name of his +glory, praised and exalted above all for ever! Amen." + + + +XVIII. + +Ioasaph said unto him, "If thou hadst for a long time considered, most +wise Sir, how thou mightest best declare to me the explanation of the +questions that I propounded, methinks thou couldest not have done it +better than by uttering such words as thou hast now spoken unto me. +Thou hast taught me that God is the Maker and preserver of all things; +and in unanswerable language thou hast shown me that the glory of his +majesty is incomprehensible to human reasonings, and that no man is +able to attain thereto, except those to whom, by his behest, he +revealeth it. Wherefore am I lost in amaze at thine eloquent wisdom. + +"But tell me, good Sir, of what age thou art, and in what manner of +place is thy dwelling, and who are thy fellow philosophers; for my soul +hangeth fast on thine, and fain would I never be parted from thee all +the days of my life." + +The elder said, "Mine age is, as I reckon, forty and five years, and in +the deserts of the land of Senaar do I dwell. For my fellow combatants +I have those who labour and contend together with me on the course of +the heavenly journey." + +"What sayest thou?" quoth Ioasaph. "Thou seemest to me upwards of +seventy years old. How speakest thou of forty and five? Herein +methinks thou tellest not the truth." + +Barlaam said unto him, "If it be the number of years from my birth that +thou askest, thou hast well reckoned them at upwards of seventy. But, +for myself, I count not amongst the number of my days the years that I +wasted in the vanity of the world. When I lived to the flesh in the +bondage of sin, I was dead in the inner man; and those years of +deadness I can never call years of life. But now the world hath been +crucified to me, and I to the world, and I have put off the old man, +which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and live no longer +to the flesh, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I live, I live +by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. +And the years, that have passed since then, I may rightly call years of +life, and days of salvation. And in numbering these at about forty and +five, I reckoned by the true tale, and not off the mark. So do thou +also alway hold by this reckoning; and be sure that there is no true +life for them that are dead to all good works, and live in sin, and +serve the world-ruler of them that are dragged downward, and waste +their time in pleasures and lusts: but rather be well assured that +these are dead and defunct in the activity of life. For a wise man +hath fitly called sin the death of the immortal soul. And the Apostle +also saith, 'When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from +righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are +now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made +free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, +but the gift of God is eternal life.'" + +Ioasaph said unto him, "Since thou reckonest not the life in the flesh +in the measure of life, neither canst thou reckon that death, which all +men undergo, as death." + +The elder answered, "Without doubt thus think I of these matters also, +and fear this temporal death never a whit, nor do I call it death at +all, if only it overtake me walking in the way of the commandments of +God, but rather a passage from death to the better and more perfect +life, which is hid in Christ, in desire to obtain which the Saints were +impatient of the present. Wherefore saith the Apostle, 'We know that if +our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building +of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in +this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house +which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found +naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: +not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality +might be swallowed up of life.' And again, 'O wretched man that I am! +who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' And once more, 'I +desire to depart and be with Christ.' And the prophet saith, 'When +shall I come and appear before the presence of God?' Now that I the +least of all men, choose not to fear bodily death, thou mayest learn by +this, that I have set at nought thy father's threat, and come boldly +unto thee, and have preached to thee the tidings of salvation, though I +knew for sure that, if this came to his knowledge, he would, were that +possible, put me to a thousand deaths. But I, honouring the word of +God afore all things, and longing to win it, dread not temporal death, +nor reek on it at all worthy of such an appellation, in obedience to my +Lord's command, which saith, 'Fear not them which kill the body, but +are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to +destroy both soul and body in hell.'" + +"These then," said Ioasaph, "are the good deeds of that true +philosophy, that far surpass the nature of these earthly men who cleave +fast to the present life. Blessed are ye that hold to so noble a +purpose! But tell me truly what is thy manner of life and that of thy +companions in the desert, and from whence cometh your raiment and of +what sort may it be? Tell me as thou lovest truth." + +Said Barlaam, "Our sustenance consisteth of acorns and herbs that we +find in the desert, watered by the dew of heaven, and in obedience to +the Creator's command; and for this there is none to fight and quarrel +with us, seeking by the rule and law of covetousness to snatch more +than his share, but in abundance for all is food provided from +unploughed lands, and a ready table spread. But, should any of the +faithful brethren in the neighbourhood bring a blessed dole of bread, +we receive it as sent by providence, and bless the faith that brought +it. Our raiment is of hair, sheepskins or shirts of palm fibre, all +thread-bare and much patched, to mortify the frailty of the flesh. We +wear the same clothing winter and summer, which, once put on, we may on +no account put off until it be old and quite outworn. For by thus +afflicting our bodies with the constraints of cold and heat we purvey +for ourselves the vesture of our future robes of immortality." + +Ioasaph said, "But whence cometh this garment that thou wearest?" The +elder answered, "I received it as a loan from one of our faithful +brethren, when about to make my journey unto thee; for it behoved me +not to arrive in mine ordinary dress. If one had a beloved kinsman +carried captive into a foreign land, and wished to recover him thence, +one would lay aside one's own clothing, and put on the guise of the +enemy, and pass into their country and by divers crafts deliver one's +friend from that cruel tyranny. Even so I also, having been made aware +of thine estate, clad myself in this dress, and came to sow the seed of +the divine message in thine heart, and ransom thee from the slavery of +the dread ruler of this world. And now behold by the power of God, as +far as in me lay, I have accomplished my ministry, announcing to thee +the knowledge of him, and making known unto thee the preaching of the +Prophets and Apostles, and teaching thee unerringly and soothly the +vanity of the present life, and the evils with which this world teems, +which cruelly deceiveth them that trust therein, and taketh them in +many a gin. Now must I return thither whence I came, and thereupon +doff this robe belonging to another, and don mine own again." + +Ioasaph therefore begged the elder to shew himself in his wonted +apparel. Then did Barlaam strip off the mantle that he wore, and lo, a +terrible sight met Ioasaph's eyes: for all the fashion of his flesh was +wasted away, and his skin blackened by the scorching sun, and drawn +tight over his bones like an hide stretched over thin canes. And he +wore an hair shirt, stiff and rough, from his loins to his knees, and +over his shoulders there hung a coat of like sort. + +But Ioasaph, being sore amazed at the hardship of his austere life, and +astonished at his excess of endurance, burst into tears, and said to +the elder, "Since thou art come to deliver me from the slavery of the +devil, crown thy good service to me, and 'bring my soul out of prison,' +and take me with thee, and let us go hence, that I may be fully +ransomed from this deceitful world and then receive the seal of saving +Baptism, and share with thee this thy marvellous philosophy, and this +more than human discipline." + +But Barlaam said unto him, "A certain rich man once reared the fawn of +a gazelle; which, when grown up, was impelled by natural desire to long +for the desert. So on a day she went out and found an herd of gazelles +browsing; and, joining them, she would roam through the glades of the +forest, returning at evenfall, but issuing forth at dawn, through the +heedlessness of her keepers, to herd with her wild companions. When +these removed, to graze further afield, she followed them. But the +rich man's servants, when they learned thereof, mounted on horseback, +and gave chase, and caught the pet fawn, and brought her home again, +and set her in captivity for the time to come. But of the residue of +the herd, some they killed, and roughly handled others. Even so I fear +that it may happen unto us also if thou follow me; that I may be +deprived of thy fellowship, and bring many ills to my comrades, and +everlasting damnation to thy father. But this is the will of the Lord +concerning time; thou now indeed must be signed with the seal of holy +Baptism, and abide in this country, cleaving to all righteousness, and +the fulfilling of the commandments of Christ; but when the Giver of all +good things shall give thee opportunity, then shalt thou come to us, +and for the remainder of this present life we shall dwell together; and +I trust in the Lord also that in the world to come we shall not be +parted asunder." + +Again Ioasaph, in tears, said unto him, "If this be the Lord's +pleasure, his will be done! For the rest, perfect me in holy Baptism. +Then receive at my hands money and garments for the support and +clothing both of thyself and thy companions, and depart to the place of +thy monastic life, and the peace of God be thy guard! But cease not to +make supplications on my behalf, that I may not fall away from my hope, +but may soon be able to reach thee, and in peace profound may enjoy thy +ministration." + +Barlaam answered, "Nought forbiddeth thee to receive the seal of +Christ. Make thee ready now; and, the Lord working with thee, thou +shalt be perfected. But as concerning the money that thou didst +promise to bestow on my companions, how shall this be, that thou, a +poor man, shouldest give alms to the rich? The rich always help the +poor, not the needy the wealthy. And the least of all my comrades is +incomparably richer than thou. But I trust in the mercies of God that +thou too shalt soon be passing rich as never afore: and then thou wilt +not be ready to distribute." + +Ioasaph said unto him, "Make plain to me this saying; how the least of +all thy companions surpasseth me in riches--thou saidest but now that +they lived in utter penury, and were pinched by extreme poverty and why +thou callest me a poor man, but sayest that, when I shall be passing +rich, I, who am ready to distribute, shall be ready to distribute no +more." + +Barlaam answered, "I said not that these men were pinched by poverty, +but that they plume themselves on their inexhaustible wealth. For to +be ever adding money to money, and never to curb the passion for it, +but insatiably to covet more and more, betokeneth the extreme of +poverty. But those who despise the present for love of the eternal and +count it but dung, if only they win Christ, who have laid aside all +care for meat and raiment and cast that care on the Lord, and rejoice +in penury as no lover of the world could rejoice, were he rolling in +riches, who have laid up for themselves plenteously the riches of +virtue, and are fed by the hope of good things without end, may more +fitly be termed rich than thou, or any other earthly kingdom. But, God +working with thee, thou shalt lay hold on such spiritual abundance +that, if thou keep it in safety and ever rightfully desire more, thou +shalt never wish to dispend any part of it. This is true abundance: but +the mass of material riches will damage rather than benefit its +friends. Meetly therefore called I it the extreme of poverty, which +the lovers of heavenly blessings utterly renounce and eschew, and flee +from it, as a man fleeth from an adder. But if I take from thee and so +bring back to life that foe, whom my comrades in discipline and battle +have slain and trampled under foot, and carry him back to them, and so +be the occasion of wars and lusts, then shall I verily be unto them an +evil angel, which heaven forfend! + +"Let the same, I pray thee, be thy thoughts about raiment. As for them +that have put off the corruption of the old man, and, as far as +possible, cast away the robe of disobedience, and put on Christ as a +coat of salvation and garment of gladness, how shall I again clothe +these in their coats of hide, and gird them about with the covering of +shame? But be assured that my companions have no need of such things, +but are content with their hard life in the desert, and reckon it the +truest luxury; and bestow thou on the poor the money and garments which +thou promisedst to give unto our monks, and lay up for thyself, for the +time to come, treasure that cannot be stolen, and by the orisons of +these poor folk make God thine ally; for thus shalt thou employ thy +riches as an help toward noble things. Then also put on the whole +armour of the Spirit, having thy loins girt about with truth, and +having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and wearing the helmet of +salvation, and having thy feet shod with the preparation of the gospel +of peace, and taking in thine hands the shield of faith, and the sword +of the spirit, which is the word of God. And, being thus excellently +armed and guarded on every side, in this confidence go forth to the +warfare against ungodliness, until, this put to flight, and its prince, +the devil, dashed headlong to the earth, thou be adorned with the +crowns of victory from the right hand of thy master, the Lord of life." + + + +XIX. + +With such like doctrines and saving words did Barlaam instruct the +king's son, and fit him for holy Baptism, charging him to fast and +pray, according to custom, several days: and he ceased not to resort +unto him, teaching him every article of the Catholick Faith and +expounding him the holy Gospel. Moreover he interpreted the Apostolick +exhortations and the sayings of the Prophets: for, taught of God, +Barlaam had alway ready on his lips the Old and New Scripture; and, +being stirred by the Spirit, he enlightened his young disciple to see +the true knowledge of God. But on the day, whereon the prince should be +baptized, he taught him, saying, "Behold thou art moved to receive the +seal of Christ, and be signed with the light of the countenance of the +Lord: and thou becomest a son of God, and temple of the Holy Ghost, the +giver of life. Believe thou therefore in the Father, and in the Son, +and in the Holy Ghost, the holy and life-giving Trinity, glorified in +three persons and one Godhead, different indeed in persons and personal +properties, but united in substance; acknowledging one God unbegotten, +the Father; and one begotten Lord, the Son, light of light, very God of +very God, begotten before all worlds; for of the good Father is +begotten the good Son, and of the unbegotten light shone forth the +everlasting light; and from very life came forth the life-giving +spring, and from original might shone forth the might of the Son, who +is the brightness of his glory and the Word in personality, who was in +the beginning with God, and God without beginning and without end, by +whom all things, visible and invisible, were made: knowing also one +Holy Ghost, which proceedeth from the Father, perfect, life-giving and +sanctifying God, with the same will, the same power, coeternal and +impersonate. Thus therefore worship thou the Father, and the Son, and +the Holy Ghost, in three persons or properties and one Godhead. For +the Godhead is common of the three, and one is their nature, one their +substance, one their glory, one their kingdom, one their might, one +their authority; but it is common of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that +they are of the Father; and it is proper of the Father that he is +unbegotten, and of the Son that he is begotten, and of the Holy Ghost +that he proceedeth. + +"This therefore be thy belief; but seek not to understand the manner of +the generation or procession, for it is incomprehensible. In +uprightness of heart and without question accept the truth that the +Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are in all points one except +in the being unbegotten, and begotten, and proceeding; and that the +only begotten Son, the Word of God, and God, for our salvation came +down upon earth, by the good pleasure of the Father, and, by the +operation of the Holy Ghost, was conceived without seed in the womb of +Mary the holy Virgin and Mother of God, by the Holy Ghost, and was born +of her without defilement and was made perfect man and that he is +perfect God and perfect man, being of two natures, the Godhead and the +manhood, and in two natures, endowed with reason, will, activity, and +free will, and in all points perfect according to the proper rule and +law in either case, that is in the Godhead and the manhood, and in one +united person. And do thou receive these things without question, +never seeking to know the manner, how the Son of God emptied himself, +and was made man of the blood of the Virgin, without seed and without +defilement; or what is this meeting in one person of two natures. For +by faith we are taught to hold fast those things that have been +divinely taught us out of Holy Scripture; but of the manner we are +ignorant, and cannot declare it. + +"Believe thou that the Son of God, who, of his tender mercy was made +man, took upon him all the affections that are natural to man, and are +blameless (he hungered and thirsted and slept and was weary and endured +agony in his human nature, and for our transgressions was led to death, +was crucified and was buried, and tasted of death, his Godhead +continuing without suffering and without change; for we attach no +sufferings whatsoever to that nature which is free from suffering, but +we recognize him as suffering and buried in that nature which he +assumed, and in his heavenly glory rising again from the dead, and in +immortality ascending into heaven); and believe that he shall come +again, with glory, to judge quick and dead, and by the words which +himself knoweth, of that diviner body, and to reward every man by his +own just standards. For the dead shall rise again, and they that are +in their graves shall awake: and they that have kept the commandments +of Christ, and have departed this life in the true faith shall inherit +eternal life, and they, that have died in their sins, and have turned +aside from the right faith, shall go away into eternal punishment. +Believe not that there is any true being or kingdom of evil, nor +suppose that it is without beginning, or self-originate, or born of +God: out on such an absurdity! but believe rather that it is 'the work +of us and the devil, come upon us through our heedlessness, because we +were endowed with free-will, and we make our choice, of deliberate +purpose, whether it be good or evil. Beside this, acknowledge one +Baptism, by water and the Spirit, for the remission of sins. + +"Receive also the Communion of the spotless Mysteries of Christ, +believing in truth that they are the Body and Blood of Christ our God, +which he hath given unto the faithful for the remission of sins. For +in the same night in which he was betrayed he ordained a new testament +with his holy disciples and Apostles, and through them for all that +should believe on him, saying, 'Take, eat: this is my Body, which is +broken for you, for the remission of sins.' After the same manner also +he took the cup, and gave unto them saying, 'Drink ye all of this: this +is my Blood, of the new testament, which is shed for you for the +remission of sins: this do in remembrance of me.' He then, the Word of +God, being quick and powerful, and, working all things by his might, +maketh and transformeth, through his divine operation, the bread and +wine of the oblation into his own Body and Blood, by the visitation of +the Holy Ghost, for the sanctification and enlightenment of them that +with desire partake thereof. + +"Faithfully worship, with honour and reverence, the venerable likeness +of the features of the Lord, the Word of God, who for our sake was made +man, thinking to behold in the Image thy Creator himself. 'For the +honour of the Image, saith one of the Saints, passeth over to the +original.' The original is the thing imaged, and from it cometh the +derivation. For when we see the drawing in the Image, in our mind's +eye we pass over to the true form of which it is an Image, and devoutly +worship the form of him who for our sake was made flesh, not making a +god of it, but saluting it as an image of God made flesh, with desire +and love of him who for us men emptied himself, and even took the form +of a servant. Likewise also for this reason we salute the pictures of +his undefiled Mother, and of all the Saints. In the same spirit also +faithfully worship and salute the emblem of the life-giving and +venerable Cross, for the sake of him that hung thereon in the flesh, +for the salvation of our race, Christ the God and Saviour of the world, +who gave it to us as the sign of victory over the devil; for the devil +trembleth and quaketh at the virtue thereof, and endureth not to behold +it. In such doctrines and in such faith shalt thou be baptized, +keeping thy faith unwavering and pure of all heresy until thy latest +breath. But all teaching and every speech of doctrine contrary to this +blameless faith abhor, and consider it an alienation from God. For, as +saith the Apostle, 'Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any +other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let +him be accursed.' For there is none other Gospel or none other Faith +than that which hath been preached by the Apostles, and established by +the inspired Fathers at divers Councils, and delivered to the Catholick +Church." + +When Barlaam had thus spoken, and taught the king's son the Creed which +was set forth at the Council of Nicaea, he baptized him in the name of +the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, in the pool of water +which was in his garden. And there came upon him the grace of the Holy +Spirit. Then did Barlaam come back to his chamber, and offer the holy +Mysteries of the unbloody Sacrifice, and communicate him with the +undefiled Mysteries of Christ: and Ioasaph rejoiced in spirit, giving +thanks to Christ his God. + +Then said Barlaam unto him, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten thee +again unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and +undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven in Christ Jesus our +Lord by the Holy Ghost; for to-day thou hast been made free from sin, +and hast become the servant of God, and hast received the earnest of +everlasting life: thou hast left darkness and put on light, being +enrolled in the glorious liberty of the children of God. For he saith, +'As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of +God, even to them that believe on his name.' Wherefore thou art no +more a servant, but a son and an heir of God through Jesus Christ in +the Holy Ghost. Wherefore, beloved, give diligence that thou mayest be +found of him without spot and blameless, working that which is good +upon the foundation of faith: for faith without works is dead, as also +are works without faith; even as I remember to have told thee afore. +Put off therefore now all malice, and hate all the works of the old +man, which are corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and, as +new-born babe, desire to drink the reasonable and sincere milk of the +virtues, that thou mayest grow thereby, and attain unto the knowledge +of the commandments of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the +measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that thou mayest +henceforth be no more a child in mind, tossed to and fro, and carried +about on the wild and raging waves of thy passions: or rather in malice +be a child, but have thy mind settled and made steadfast toward that +which is good, and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith thou wast +called, in the keeping of the commandments of the Lord, casting off and +putting far from thee the vanity of thy former conversation, henceforth +walking not as the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having +their understanding darkened, alienated from the glory of God, in +subjection to their lusts and unreasonable affections. But as for +thee, even as thou hast approached the living and true God, so walk +thou as a child of light; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all +goodness and righteousness and truth; and no longer destroy by the +works of the old man the new man, which thou hast to-day put on. But +day by day renew thyself in righteousness and holiness and truth: for +this is possible with every man that willeth, as thou hearest that unto +them that believe on his name he hath given power to become the sons of +God; so that we can no longer say that the acquiring of virtues is +impossible for us, for the road is plain and easy. For, though with +respect to the buffeting of the body, it hath been called a strait and +narrow way, yet through the hope of future blessings is it desirable +and divine for such as walk, not as fools but circumspectly, +understanding what the will of God is, clad in the whole armour of God +to stand in battle against the wiles of the adversary, and with all +prayer and supplication watching thereunto, in all patience and hope. +Therefore, even as thou hast heard from me, and been instructed, and +hast laid a sure foundation, do thou abound therein, increasing and +advancing, and warring the good warfare, holding faith and a good +conscience, witnessed by good works, following after righteousness, +godliness, faith, charity, patience, meekness, laying hold on eternal +life whereunto thou wast called. But remove far from thee all pleasure +and lust of the affections, not only in act and operation, but even in +the thoughts of thine heart, that thou mayest present thy soul without +blemish to God. For not our actions only, but our thoughts also are +recorded, and procure us crowns or punishments: and we know that +Christ, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, dwelleth in pure hearts. +But, just as smoke driveth away bees, so, we learn, do evil +imaginations drive out of us the Holy Spirit's grace. Wherefore take +good heed hereto, that thou blot out every imagination of sinful +passion from thy soul, and plant good thoughts therein, making thyself +a temple of the Holy Ghost. For from imaginations we come also to +actual deeds, and every work, advancing from thought and reflection, +catcheth at small beginnings, and then, by small increases, arriveth at +great endings. + +"Wherefore on no account suffer any evil habit to master thee; but, +while it is yet young, pluck the evil root out of thine heart, lest it +fasten on and strike root so deep that time and labour be required to +uproot it. And the reason that greater sins assault us and get the +mastery of our souls is that those which appear to be less, such as +wicked thoughts, unseemly words and evil communications, fail to +receive proper correction. For as in the case of the body, they that +neglect small wounds often bring mortification and death upon +themselves, so too with the soul: thus they that overlook little +passions and sins bring on greater ones. And the more those greater +sins grow on them, the more cloth the soul become accustomed therto and +think light of them. For he saith, 'When the wicked cometh to the +depth of evil things, he thinketh light of them': and finally, like the +hog, that delighteth to wallow in mire, the soul, that hath been buried +in evil habits, doth not even perceive the stink of her sin, but rather +delighteth and rejoiceth therein, cleaving to wickedness as it were +good. And even if at last she issue from the mire and come to herself +again, she is delivered only by much labour and sweat from the bondage +of those sins, to which she hath by evil custom enslaved herself. + +"Wherefore with all thy might remove thyself far from every evil +thought and fancy, and every sinful custom; and school thyself the +rather in virtuous deeds, and form the habit of practising them. For +if thou labour but a little therein, and have strength to form the +habit, at the last, God helping thee, thou shalt advance without +labour. For the habit of virtue, taking its quality from the soul, +seeing that it hath some natural kinship therewith and claimeth God for +an help-mate, becometh hard to alter and exceeding strong; as thou +seest, courage and prudence, temperance and righteousness are hard to +alter, being deeply seated habits, qualities and activities of the +soul. For if the evil affections, not being natural to us, but +attacking us from without, be hard to alter when they become habits, +how much harder shall it be to shift virtue, which hath been by nature +planted in us by our Maker, and hath him for an help-mate, if so be, +through our brief endeavour, it shall have been rooted in habit in the +soul?" + + + +XX. + +"Wherefore a practician of virtue once spake to me on this wise: 'After +I had made divine meditation my constant habit, and through the +practice of it my soul had received her right quality, I once resolved +to make trial of her, and put a check upon her, not allowing her to +devote herself to her wonted exercises. I felt that she was chafing +and fretting, and yearning for meditation with an ungovernable desire, +and was utterly unable to incline to any contrary thought. No sooner +had I given her the reins than immediately she ran in hot haste to her +own task, as saith the Prophet, 'Like as the hart desireth the water +brooks, so longeth my soul after the strong, the living God.' +Wherefore from all these proofs it is evident that the acquirement of +virtue is within our reach, and that we are lords over it, whether we +will embrace or else the rather choose sin. They then, that are in the +thraldom of wickedness, can hardly be torn away therefrom, as I have +already said. + +"But thou, who hast been delivered therefrom, through the tender mercy +of our God, and hast put on Christ by the grace of the Holy Ghost, now +transfer thyself wholly to the Lord's side, and never open a door to +thy passions, but adorn thy soul with the sweet savour and splendour of +virtue, and make her a temple of the Holy Trinity, and to his +contemplation see thou devote all the powers of thy mind. He that +liveth and converseth with an earthly king is pointed out by all as a +right happy man: what happiness then must be his who is privileged to +converse and be in spirit with God! Behold thou then his likeness +alway, and converse with him. How shalt thou converse with God? By +drawing near him in prayer and supplication. He that prayeth with +exceeding fervent desire and pure heart, his mind estranged from all +that is earthly and grovelling, and standeth before God, eye to eye, +and presenteth his prayers to him in fear and trembling, such an one +hath converse and speaketh with him face to face. + +"Our good Master is present everywhere, hearkening to them that +approach him in purity and truth, as saith the Prophet, 'The eyes of +the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.' +For this reason the Fathers define Prayer as 'the union of man with +God,' and call it 'Angels' work,' and 'the prelude of gladness to +come.' For since they lay down before all things that 'the kingdom of +heaven' consisteth in nearness to and contemplation of the Holy +Trinity, and since all the importunity of prayer leadeth the mind +thither, prayer is rightly called 'the prelude' and, as it were, the +'fore-glimpse' of that blessedness. But not all prayer is of this +nature, but only such prayer as is worthy of the name, which hath God +for its teacher, who giveth prayer to him that prayeth; prayer which +soareth above all things on earth and entreateth directly with God. + +"This acquire thou for thyself, and strive to advance thereto, for it +is able to exalt thee from earth to heaven. But without preparation +and at hap-hazard thou shalt not advance therein. But first purify thy +soul from all passion, and cleanse it like a bright and newly cleansed +mirrour from every evil thought, and banish far all remembrance of +injury and anger, which most of all hindereth our prayers from +ascending to God-ward: and from the heart forgive all those that have +trespassed against thee, and with alms and charities to the poor lend +wings to thy prayer, and so bring it before God with fervent tears. +Thus praying thou shalt be able to say with blessed David, who, for all +that he was king, and distraught with ten thousand cares, yet cleansed +his soul from all passions, and could say unto God, 'As for iniquity, I +hate and abhor it, but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I +praise thee, because of thy righteous judgements. My soul hath kept +thy testimonies, and loved them exceedingly. Let my complaint come +before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.' + +"While thou art calling thus, the Lord hear thee: while thou art yet +speaking, he shall say, 'Behold I am here.' If then thou attain to +such prayer, blessed shalt thou be; for it is impossible for a man +praying and calling upon God with such purpose not to advance daily in +that which is good, and soar over all the snares of the enemy. For, as +saith one of the Saints, 'He that hath made fervent his understanding, +and hath lift up his soul and migrated to heaven, and hath thus called +upon his Master, and remembered his own sins, and spoken concerning the +forgiveness of the same, and with hot tears hath besought the Lover of +mankind to be merciful to him: such an one, I say, by his continuance +in such words and considerations, layeth aside every care of this life, +and waxeth superior to human passions, and meriteth to be called an +associate of God.' Than which state what can be more blessed and +higher? May the Lord vouchsafe thee to attain to this blessedness! + +"Lo I have shown thee the way of the commandments of the Lord, and have +not shunned to declare unto thee all the counsel of God. And now I, +have fulfilled my ministry unto thee. It remaineth that thou gird up +the loins of thy mind, obedient to the Holy One that hath called thee, +and be thou thyself holy in all manner of conversation: for, 'Be ye +holy: for I am holy,' saith the Lord. And the chief prince of the +Apostles also writeth, saying, 'If ye call on the Father, who without +respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time +of your sojourning here in fear; knowing that ye were not redeemed with +corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation +received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of +Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.' + +"All these things therefore store thou up in thine heart, and remember +them unceasingly, ever keeping before thine eyes the fear of God, and +his terrible judgement seat, and the splendour of the righteous which +they shall receive in the world to come, and the shame of sinners in +the depths of darkness, and the frailty and vanity of things present, +and the eternity of things hereafter; for, 'All flesh is grass, and all +the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the +flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for +ever.' Meditate upon these things alway and the peace of God be with +thee, enlightening and informing thee, and leading thee into the way of +salvation, chasing afar out of thy mind every evil wish, and sealing +thy soul with the sign of the Cross, that no stumbling block of the +evil one come nigh thee, but that thou mayest merit, in all fulness of +virtue, to obtain the kingdom that is to come, without end or +successor, and be illumined with the light of the blessed life-giving +Trinity, which, in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost, +is glorified." + + + +XXI. + +With such moral words did the reverend elder exhort the king's son, and +then withdrew to his own hospice. But the young prince's servants and +tutors marvelled to see the frequency of Barlaam's visits to the +palace; and one of the chiefest among them, whom, for his fidelity and +prudence, the king had set over his son's palace, named Zardan, said to +the prince, "Thou knowest well, sir, how much I dread thy father, and +how great is my faith toward him: wherefore he ordered me, for my +faithfulness, to wait upon thee. Now, when I see this stranger +constantly conversing with thee, I fear he may be of the Christian +religion, toward which thy father hath a deadly hate; and I shall be +found subject to the penalty of death. Either then make known to thy +father this man's business, or in future cease to converse with him. +Else cast me forth from thy presence, that I be not blameable, and ask +thy father to appoint another in my room." + +The king's son said unto him, "This do, Zardan, first of all. Sit thou +down behind the curtain, and hear his communication with me: and then +thus will I tell thee what thou oughtest to do." + +So when Barlaam was about to enter into his presence, Ioasaph hid +Zardan within the curtain, and said to the elder, "Sum me up the matter +of thy divine teaching, that it may the more firmly be implanted in my +heart." Barlaam took up his parable and uttered many sayings touching +God, and righteousness toward him, and how we must love him alone with +all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and keep +his commandments with fear and love-and how he is the Maker of all +things visible and invisible. Thereon he called to remembrance the +creation of the first man, the command given unto him, and his +transgression thereof, and the sentence pronounced by the Creator for +this transgression. Then he reckoned up in order the good things +wherefrom we excluded ourselves by the disannulling of his commandment. +Again he made mention of the many grievous misfortunes that unhappily +overtook man, after the loss of the blessings. Besides this he brought +forward God's love toward mankind; how our Maker, heedful of our +salvation, sent forth teachers and prophets proclaiming the Incarnation +of the Only-begotten. Then he spake of the Son, his dwelling among +men, his deeds of kindness, his miracles, his sufferings for us +thankless creatures, his Cross, his spear, his voluntary death; +finally, of our recovery and recall, our return to our first good +estate; after this, of the kingdom of heaven awaiting such as are +worthy thereof; of the torment in store for the wicked; the fire that +is not quenched, the never ending darkness, the undying worm, and all +the other tortures which the slaves of sin have laid up in store for +themselves. When he had fully related these matters, he ended his +speech with moral instruction, and dwelt much upon purity of life, and +utterly condemned the vanity of things present, and proved the utter +misery of such as cleave thereto, and finally made an end with prayer. +And therewith he prayed for the prince, that he might hold fast the +profession of the Catholick Faith without turning and without wavering, +and keep his life blameless and his conversation pure, and so ending +with prayer again withdrew to his hospice. + +But the king's son called Zardan forth, and, to try his disposition, +said unto him, "Thou hast heard what sort of discourses this babbler +maketh me, endeavouring to be-jape me with his specious follies, and +rob me of this pleasing happiness and enjoyment, to worship a strange +God." Zardan answered, "Why hath it pleased thee, O prince, to prove me +that am thy servant? I wot that the words of that man have sunk deep +into thine heart; for, otherwise, thou hadst not listened gladly and +unceasingly to his words. Yea, and we also are not ignorant of this +preaching. But from the time when thy father stirred up truceless +warfare against the Christians, the men have been banished hence, and +their teaching is silenced. But if now their doctrine commend itself +unto thee, and if thou have the strength to accept its austerity, may +thy wishes be guided straight toward the good! But for myself, what +shall I do, that am unable to bear the very sight of such austerity, +and through fear of the King am divided in soul with pain and anguish? +What excuse shall I make, for neglecting his orders, and giving this +fellow access unto thee?" + +The King's son said unto him, "I knew full well that in none other wise +could I requite thee worthily for thy much kindness, and therefore have +I tasked myself to make known unto thee this more than human good, +which doth even exceed the worth of thy good service, that thou +mightest know to what end thou wast born, and acknowledge thy Creator, +and, leaving darkness, run to the light. And I hoped that when thou +heardest thereof thou wouldst follow it with irresistible desire. But, +as I perceive, I am disappointed of my hope, seeing that thou art +listless to that which hath been spoken. But if thou reveal these +secrets to the king my father, thou shalt but distress his mind with +sorrows and griefs. If thou be well disposed to him, on no account +reveal this matter to him until a convenient season." Speaking thus, +he seemed to be only casting seed upon the water; for wisdom shall not +enter into a soul void of understanding. + +Upon the morrow came Barlaam and spake of his departure: but Ioasaph, +unable to bear the separation, was distressed at heart, and his eyes +filled with tears. The elder made a long discourse, and adjured him to +continue unshaken in good works, and with words of exhortation +established his heart, and begged him to send him cheerfully on his +way; and at the same time he foretold that they should shortly be at +one, never to be parted more. But Ioasaph, unable to impose fresh +labours on the elder, and to restrain his desire to be on his way, and +suspecting moreover that the man Zardan might make known his case to +the King and subject him to punishment, said unto Barlaam, "Since it +seemeth thee good, my spiritual father, best of teachers and minister +of all good to me, to leave me to live in the vanity of the world, +while thou journeyest to thy place of spiritual rest, I dare no longer +let and hinder thee. Depart therefore, with the peace of God for thy +guardian, and ever in thy worthy prayers, for the Lord's sake, think +upon my misery, that I may be enabled to overtake thee, and behold +thine honoured face for ever. But fulfil this my one request; since +thou couldest not receive aught for thy fellow monks, yet for thyself +accept a little money for sustenance, and a cloak to cover thee." But +Barlaam answered and said unto him, "Seeing that I would not receive +aught for my brethren (for they need not grasp at the world's chattels +which they have chosen to forsake), how shall I acquire for myself that +which I have denied them? If the possession of money were a good +thing, I should have let them share it before me. But, as I understand +that the possession thereof is deadly, I will hazard neither them nor +myself in such snares." + +But when Ioasaph had failed once again to persuade Barlaam, 'twas but a +sign for a second petition, and he made yet another request, that +Barlaam should not altogether overlook his prayer, nor plunge him in +utter despair, but should leave him that stiff shirt and rough mantle, +both to remind him of his teacher's austerities and to safe-guard him +from all the workings of Satan, and should take from him another cloak +instead, in order that "When thou seest my gift," said he, "thou mayest +bear my lowliness in remembrance." + +But the elder said, "It is not lawful for me to give thee my old and +worn out vestment, and take one that is new, lest I be condemned to +receive here the recompense of my slight labour. But, not to thwart thy +willing mind, let the garments given me by thee be old ones, nothing +different from mine own." So the king's son sought for old shirts of +hair, which he gave the aged man, rejoicing to receive his in exchange, +deeming them beyond compare more precious than any regal purple. + +Now saintly Barlaam, all but ready for to start, spake concerning his +journey, and delivered Ioasaph his last lesson, saying, "Brother +beloved, and dearest son, whom I have begotten through the Gospel, thou +knowest of what King thou art the soldier, and with whom thou hast made +thy covenant. This thou must keep steadfastly, and readily perform the +duties of thy service, even as thou didst promise the Lord of all in +the script of thy covenant, with the whole heavenly host present to +attest it, and record the terms; which if thou keep, thou shalt be +blessed. Esteem therefore nought in the present world above God and his +blessings. For what terror of this life can be so terrible as the +Gehenna of eternal fire, that burneth and yet hath no light, that +punisheth and never ceaseth? And which of the goodly things of this +world can give such gladness as that which the great God giveth to +those that love him? Whose beauty is unspeakable, and power +invincible, and glory everlasting; whose good things, prepared for his +friends, exceed beyond comparison all that is seen; which eye hath not +seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man: +whereof mayest thou be shown an inheritor, preserved by the mighty hand +of God!" + +Here the king's son burst into tears of pain and vexation, unable to +bear the parting from a loving father and excellent teacher. "And who," +quoth he, "shall fill thy place, O my father? And whom like unto thee +shall I find to be shepherd and guide of my soul's salvation? What +consolation may I find in my loss of thee? Behold thou hast brought +me, the wicked and rebellious servant, back to God, and set me in the +place of son and heir! Thou hast sought me that was lost and astray on +the mountain, a prey for every evil beast, and folded me amongst the +sheep that had never wandered. Thou hast shown me the direct road to +truth, bringing me out of darkness and the shadow of death, and, +changing the course of my feet from the slippery, deadly, crooked and +winding pathway, hast ministered to me great and marvellous blessings, +whereof speech would fail to recount the exceeding excellence. Great +be the gifts that thou receivest at God's hand, on account of me who am +small! And may the Lord, who in the rewards of his gifts alone +overpasseth them that love him, supply that which is lacking to my +gratitude!" + +Here Barlaam cut short his lamentation, and rose and stood up to pray, +lifting up his either hand, and saying, "O God and Father of our Lord +Jesu Christ, which didst illuminate the things that once were darkened, +and bring this visible and invisible creation out of nothing, and didst +turn again this thine handiwork, and sufferedst us not to walk after +our foolishness, we give thanks to thee and to thy Wisdom and Might, +our Lord Jesu Christ, by whom thou didst make the worlds, didst raise +us from our fall, didst forgive us our trespasses, didst restore us +from wandering, didst ransom us from captivity, didst quicken us from +death by the precious blood of thy Son our Lord. Upon thee I call, and +upon thine only begotten Son, and upon the Holy Ghost. Look upon this +thy spiritual sheep that hath come to be a sacrifice unto thee through +me thine unworthy servant, and do thou sanctify his soul with thy might +and grace. Visit this vine, which was planted by thy Holy Spirit, and +grant it to bear fruit, the fruit of righteousness. Strengthen him, +and confirm in him thy covenant, and rescue him from the deceit of the +devil. With the wisdom of thy good Spirit teach him to do thy will, +and take not thy succour from him, but grant unto him, with me thine +unprofitable servant, to become an inheritor of thine everlasting +bliss, because thou art blessed and glorified for ever, Amen." + +When that he had ended his prayer, he turned him round and embraced +Ioasaph, now a son of his heavenly father, wishing him eternal peace +and salvation, and he departed out of the palace, and went his way, +rejoicing and giving thanks to God, who had well ordered his steps for +good. + + + +XXII. + +After Barlaam was gone forth, Ioasaph gave himself unto prayer and +bitter tears, and said, "O God, haste thee to help me: O Lord, make +speed to help me, because the poor hath committed himself unto thee; +thou art the helper of the orphan. Look upon me, and have mercy upon +me; thou who willest have all men to be saved and to come unto the +knowledge of the truth, save me, and strengthen me, unworthy though I +be, to walk the way of thy holy commandments, for I am weak and +miserable, and not able to do the thing that is good. But thou art +mighty to save me, who sustainest and holdest together all things +visible and invisible. Suffer me not to walk after the evil will of the +flesh, but teach me to do thy will, and preserve me unto thine eternal +and blissful life. O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the consubstantial +and undivided Godhead, I call upon thee and glorify thee. Thou art +praised by all creation; thou art glorified by the intelligent powers +of the Angels for ever and ever. Amen." + +From that time forth he kept himself with all vigilance, seeking to +attain purity of soul and body, and living in continency and prayers +and intercessions all night long. In the day-time he was often +interrupted by the company of his fellows, and at times by a visit from +the king, or a call to the king's presence, but the night would then +make good the shortcomings of the day, whilst he stood, in prayer and +weeping until daybreak, calling upon God. Whence in him was fulfilled +the saying of the prophet, "In nights raise your hands unto holy +things; and bless ye the Lord." + +But Zardan observed Ioasaph's way of life, and was full of sorrow, and +his soul was pierced with grievous anxieties; and he knew not what to +do. At the last, worn down with pain, he withdrew to his own home, +feigning sickness. When this had come to the knowledge of the king he +appointed in his place another of his trusty men to minister unto his +son, while he himself, being concerned for Zardan's health, sent a +physician of reputation, and took great pains that he should be healed. + +The physician, seeing that Zardan was in favour with the king, attended +him diligently, and, having right well judged his ease, soon made this +report to the king; "I have been unable to discover any root of disease +in the man: wherefore I suppose that this weakness is to be ascribed to +distress of spirit." But, on hearing his words, the king suspected +that his son had been wroth with Zardan, and that this slight had +caused his retirement. So, wishing to search the matter, he sent +Zardan word, saying "To-morrow I shall come to see thee, and judge of +the malady that hath befallen thee." + +But Zardan, on hearing this message, at daybreak wrapt his cloak around +him and went to the king, and entered and fell in obeisance on the +ground. The king spake unto him, "Why hast thou forced thyself to +appear? I was minded to visit thee myself, and so make known to all my +friendship for thee." He answered, "My sickness, O king, is no malady +common to man; but pain of heart, arising from an anxious and careful +mind, hath caused my body to suffer in sympathy. It had been folly in +me, being as I am, not to attend as a slave before thy might, but to +wait for thy Majesty to be troubled to come to me thy servant." Then +the king enquired after the cause of his despondency; Zardan answered +and said, "Mighty is my peril, and mighty are the penalties that I +deserve, and many deaths do I merit, for that I have been guilty of +neglect of thy behests, and have brought on thee such sorrow as never +before." + +Again said the king, "And of what neglect hast thou been guilty? And +what is the dread that encompasseth thee?" "I have been guilty," said +he, "of negligence in my close care of my lord thy son. There came an +evil man and a sorcerer, and communicated to him the precepts of the +Christian religion." Then he related to the king, point by point, the +words which the old man spake with his son, and how gladly Ioasaph +received his word, and how he had altogether become Christ's. Moreover +he gave the old man's name, saying that it was Barlaam. Even before +then the king had heard tell of Barlaam's ways and his extreme severity +of life; but, when this came to the ears of the king, he was +straightway astonied by the dismay that fell on him, and was filled +with anger, and his blood well-nigh curdled at the tidings. Immediately +he bade call one Araches, who held the second rank after the king, and +was the chief in all his private councils: besides which the man was +learned in star-lore. When he was come, with much despondency and +dejection the king told him of that which had happened. He, seeing the +king's trouble and confusion of mind, said, "O king, trouble and +distress thyself no more. We are not without hope that the prince will +yet change for the better: nay, I know for very certain that he will +speedily renounce the teaching of this deceiver, and conform to thy +will." + +By these words then did Araches set the king in happier frame of mind; +and they turned their thoughts to the thorough sifting of the matter. +"This, O king," said Araches, "do we first of all. Make we haste to +apprehend that infamous Barlaam. If we take him, I am assured that we +shall not miss the mark, nor be cheated of our hope. Barlaam himself +shall be persuaded, either by persuasion or by divers engines of +torture, against his will to confess that he hath been talking falsely +and at random, and shall persuade my lord, thy son, to cleave to his +father's creed. But if we fail to take Barlaam, I know of an eremite, +Nachor by name, in every way like unto him: it is impossible to +distinguish the one from the other. He is of our opinion, and was my +teacher in studies. I will give him the hint, and go by night, and +tell him the full tale. Then will we blazon it abroad that Barlaam +hath been caught; but we shall exhibit Nachor, who, calling himself +Barlaam, shall feign that he is pleading the cause of the Christians +and standing forth as their champion. Then, after much disputation, he +shall be worsted and utterly discomfited. The prince, seeing Barlaam +worsted, and our side victorious, will doubtless join the victors; the +more so that he counteth it a great duty to reverence thy majesty, and +do thy pleasure. Also the man who hath played the part of Barlaam +shall be converted, and stoutly proclaim that he hath been in error." + +Tim king was delighted with his words, and rocked himself on idle +hopes, and thought it excellent counsel. Thereupon, learning that +Barlaam was but lately departed, he was zealous to take him prisoner. +He therefore occupied most of the passes with troops and captains, and, +himself, mounting his chariot, gave furious chase along the one road of +which he was especially suspicious, being minded to surprise Barlaam at +all costs. But though he toiled by the space of six full days, his +labour was but spent in vain. Then he himself remained behind in one +of his palaces situate in the country, but sent forward Araches, with +horsemen not a few, as far as the wilderness of Senaar, in quest of +Barlaam. When Araches arrived in that place, he threw all the +neighbour folk into commotion: and when they constantly affirmed that +they had never seen the man, he went forth into the desert places, for +to hunt out the Faithful. When he had gone through a great tract of +desert, and made the circuit of the fells around, and journeyed a-foot +over untrodden and pathless ravines, he and his hosts arrived at a +plateau. Standing thereon, he descried at the foot of the mountain a +company of hermits a-walking. Straightway at their governor's word of +command all his men ran upon them in breathless haste, vying one with +another, who should arrive first. When they arrived, they came about +the monks like so many dogs, or evil beasts that plague mankind. And +they seized these men of reverend mien and mind, that bore on their +faces the hall-mark of their hermit life, and haled them before the +governor; but the monks showed no sign of alarm, no sign of meanness or +sullenness, and spake never a word. Their leader and captain bore a +wallet of hair, charged with the relics of some holy Fathers departed +this life. + +When Araches beheld them, but saw no Barlaam--for he knew him by +sight--he was overwhelmed with grief, and said unto them, "Where is +that deceiver who hath led the king's son astray?" The bearer of the +wallet answered, "He is not amongst us, God forbid! For, driven forth +by the grace of Christ, he avoideth us; but amongst you he hath his +dwelling." The governor said, "Thou knowest him then?" "Yea," said +the hermit, "I know him that is called the deceiver, which is the +devil, who dwelleth in your midst and is worshipped and served by you." +The governor said, "It is for Barlaam that I make search, and I asked +thee of him, to learn where he is." The monk answered, "And wherefore +then spakest thou in this ambiguous manner, asking about him that had +deceived the king's son? If thou wast seeking Barlaam, thou shouldest +certainly have said, 'Where is he that hath turned from error and saved +the king's son?' Barlaam is our brother and fellow-monk. But now for +many days past we have not seen his face." Said Araches, "Show me his +abode." The monk answered, "Had he wished to see you, he would have +come forth to meet you. As for us, it is not lawful to make known to +you his hermitage." + +Thereupon the governor waxed full of indignation, and, casting a +haughty and savage glance upon him, said, "Ye shall die no ordinary +death, except ye immediately bring Barlaam before me." "What," said the +monk, "seest thou in our case that should by its attractions cause us +to cling to life, and be afraid of death at thy hands? Whereas we +should the rather feel grateful to thee for removing us from life in +the close adherence to virtue. For we dread, not a little, the +uncertainty of the end, knowing not in what state death shall overtake +us, lest perchance a slip of the inclination, or some despiteful +dealing of the devil, may alter the constancy of our choice, and +mis-persuade us to think or do contrary to our covenants with God. +Wherefore abandon all hope of gaining the knowledge that ye desire, and +shrink not to work your will. We shall neither reveal the +dwelling-place of our brother, whom God loveth, although we know it, +nor shall we betray any other monasteries unbeknown to ye. We will not +endure to escape death by such cowardice. Nay, liefer would we die +honourably, and offer unto God, after the sweats of virtue, the +life-blood of courage." + +That man of sin could not brook this boldness of speech, and was moved +to the keenest passion against this high and noble spirit, and +afflicted the monks with many stripes and tortures. Their courage and +nobility won admiration even from that tyrant. But, when after many +punishments he failed to persuade them, and none of them consented to +discover Barlaam, he took and ordered them to be led to the king, +bearing with them the wallet with the relics, and to be beaten and +shamefully entreated as they went. + + + +XXIII. + +After many days Araches brought them to the king, and declared their +case. Then he set them before the bitterly incensed king: and he, when +he saw them, boiled over with fury and was like to one mad. He ordered +them to be beaten without mercy, and, when he saw them cruelly mangled +with scourges, could scarcely restrain his madness, and order the +tormentors to cease. Then said he unto them, "Why bear ye about these +dead men's bones? If ye carry these bones through affection for those +men to whom they belong, this very hour I will set you in their +company, that ye may meet your lost friends and be duly grateful to +me." The captain and leader of that godly band, setting at naught the +king's threats, showing no sign of the torment that he had undergone, +with free voice and radiant countenance that signified the grace that +dwelt in his soul, cried out, "We carry about these clean and holy +bones, O king, because we attest in due form our love of those +marvellous men to whom they belong: and because we would bring +ourselves to remember their wrestlings and lovely conversation, to +rouse up ourselves to the like zeal; and because we would catch some +vision of the rest and felicity wherein they now live, and thus, as we +call them blessed, and provoke one another to emulate them, strive to +follow in their footsteps: because moreover, we find thereby that the +thought of death, which is right profitable, lendeth wings of zeal to +our religious exercises; and lastly, because we derive sanctification +from their touch." + +Again said the king, "If the thought of death be profitable, as ye say, +why should ye not reach that thought of death by the bones of the +bodies that are now your own, and are soon to perish, rather than by +the bones of other men which have already perished?" + +The monk said, "Five reasons I gave thee, why we carry about these +relics; and thou, making answer to one only, art like to be mocking us. +But know thou well that the bones of them, that have already departed +this life, bring the thought of death more vividly before us than do +the bones of the living. But since thou judgest otherwise, and since +the bones of thine own body are to thee a type of death, why dost thou +not recollect thy latter end so shortly to come, and set thine house in +order, instead of giving up thy soul to all kinds of iniquities, and +violently and unmercifully murdering the servants of God and lovers of +righteousness, who have done thee no wrong, and seek not to share with +thee in present goods, nor are ambitious to rob thee of them?" + +Said the king, "I do well to punish you, ye clever misleaders of the +folk, because ye deceive all men, counselling them to abstain from the +enjoyments of life; and because, instead of the sweets of life and the +allures of appetite and pleasure, ye constrain them to choose the +rough, filthy and squalid way, and preach that they should render to +Jesus the honour due unto the gods. Accordingly, in order that the +people may not follow your deceits and leave the land desolate, and, +forsaking the gods of their fathers, serve another, I think it just to +subject you to punishment and death." + +The monk answered, "If thou art eager that all should partake of the +good things of life, why dost thou not distribute dainties and riches +equally amongst all? And why is it that the common herd are pinched +with poverty, while thou addest ever to thy store by seizing for +thyself the goods of others? Nay, thou carest not for the weal of the +many, but fattenest thine own flesh, to be meat for the worms to feed +on. Wherefore also thou hast denied the God of all, and called them +gods that are not, the inventors of all wickedness, in order that, by +wantonness and wickedness after their example, thou mayest gain the +title of imitator of the gods. For, as your gods have done, why should +not also the men that follow them do? Great then is the error that +thou hast erred, O king. Thou fearest that we should persuade certain +of the people to join with us, and revolt from thy hand, and place +themselves in that hand that holdeth all things, for thou willest the +ministers of thy covetousness to be many, that they may be miserable +while thou reapest profit from their toil; just as a man, who keepeth +hounds or falcons tamed for hunting, before the hunt may be seen to pet +them, but, when they have once seized the quarry, taketh the game with +violence out of their mouths. So also thou, willing that there should +be many to pay thee tribute and toll from land and water, pretendest to +care for their welfare, but in truth bringest on them and above all on +thyself eternal ruin; and simply to pile up gold, more worthless than +dung or rottenness, thou hast been deluded into taking darkness for +light. But recover thy wits from this earthly sleep: open thy sealed +eyes, and behold the glory of God that shineth round about us all; and +come at length to thyself. For saith the prophet, 'Take heed, ye unwise +among the people, and, O ye fools, understand at last.' Understand +thou that there is no God except our God, and no salvation except in +him." + +But the king said, "Cease this foolish babbling, and anon discover to +me Barlaam: else shalt thou taste instruments of torture such as thou +hast never tasted before." That noble-minded, great-hearted monk, that +lover of the heavenly philosophy, was not moved by the king's threats, +but stood unflinching, and said, "We are not commanded to fulfil thy +hest, O king, but the orders of our Lord and God who teacheth us +temperance, that we should be lords over all pleasures and passions, +and practise fortitude, so as to endure all toil and all ill-treatment +for righteousness' sake. The more perils that thou subjectest us to +for the sake of our religion, the more shalt thou be our benefactor. +Do therefore as thou wilt: for we shall not consent to do aught outside +our duty, nor shall we surrender ourselves to sin. Deem not that it is +a slight sin to betray a fellow-combatant and fellow-soldier into thy +hands. Nay, but thou shalt not have that scoff to make at us; no, not +if thou put us to ten thousand deaths. We be not such cowards as to +betray our religion through dread of thy torments, or to disgrace the +law divine. So then, if such be thy purpose, make ready every weapon +to defend thy claim; for to us to live is Christ, and to die for him is +the best gain." + +Incensed with anger thereat, the monarch ordered the tongues of these +Confessors to be rooted out, and their eyes digged out, and likewise +their hands and feet lopped off. Sentence passed, the henchmen and +guards surrounded and mutilated them, without pity and without ruth. +And they plucked out their tongues from their mouths with prongs, and +severed them with brutal severity, and they digged out their eyes with +iron claws, and stretched their arms and legs on the rack, and lopped +them off. But those blessed, shamefast, noble-hearted men went bravely +to torture like guests to a banquet, exhorting one another to meet +death for Christ his sake undaunted. + +In such divers tortures did these holy monks lay down their lives for +the Lord. They were in all seventeen. By common consent, the pious +mind is superior to sufferings, as hath been said by one, but not of +us, when narrating the martydom of the aged priest, and of the seven +sons with their equally brave mother when contending for the law of +their fathers: whose bravery and lofty spirit, however, was equalled by +these marvellous fathers and citizens and heirs of Hierusalem that is +above. + + + +XXIV. + +After the monks had made this godly end, the king bade Araches, his +chief councillor, now that they had failed of their first plan, to look +to the second and summon the man Nachor. At dead of night Araches +repaired to his cave (he dwelt in the desert practising the arts of +divination), and told him of their plans, and returned to the king at +day-break. Again he demanded horsemen, and made as though he went in +quest of Barlaam. When he was gone forth, and was walking the desert, +a man was seen to issue from a ravine. Araches gave command to his men +to pursue him. They took and brought him before their master. When +asked who he was, what his religion and what his name, the man declared +himself a Christian and gave his name as Barlaam, even as he had been +instructed. Araches made great show of joy, apprehended him and +returned quickly to the king, and told his tale and produced his man. +Then said the king in the hearing of all present, "Art thou the devil's +workman, Barlaam?" But he denied it, saying, "I am God's workman, not +the devil's. Revile me not; for I am thy debtor to render me much +thanks, because I have taught thy son to serve God, and have turned him +from error to the true God, and have schooled him in all manner of +virtue." Feigning anger, again spake the king, "Though I ought to +allow thee never a word, and give thee no room for defence, but rather +do thee to death without question, yet such is my humanity that I will +bear with thine effrontery until on a set day I try thy cause. If thou +be persuaded by me, thou shalt receive pardon: if not, thou shalt die +the death." With these words he delivered him to Araches, commanding +that he should be most strictly guarded. + +On the morrow the king removed thence, and came back to his own palace, +and it was blazoned abroad that Barlaam was captured, so that the +king's son heard thereof and was exceeding sad at heart, and could in +no wise refrain from weeping. With groans and lamentations he +importuned God, and called upon him to succour the aged man. Nor did +the good God despise his complaint, for he is loving with them that +abide him in the day of trouble, and knoweth them that fear him. +Wherefore in a night-vision he made known the whole plot to the young +prince, and strengthened and cheered him for the trial of his +righteousness. So, when the prince awoke from sleep, he found that his +heart, erstwhile so sore and heavy, was now full of joyaunce, courage +and pleasant light. But the king rejoiced at that which he had done +and planned, imagining that he was well advised, and showering thanks +on Araches. But wickedness lied to itself, to use the words of holy +David, and righteousness overcame iniquity, completely overthrowing it, +and causing the memorial thereof to perish with sound, as our tale in +its sequel shall show. + +After two days the king visited his son's palace. When his son came +forth for to meet him, instead of kissing him, as was his wont, the +father put on a show of distress and anger, and entered the royal +chamber, and there sat down frowning. Then calling to his son, he +said, "Child, what is this report that soundeth in mine ears, and +weareth away my soul with despondency? Never, I ween, was man more +filled with gladness of heart at the birth of a son than was I at +thine; and, I trow, never was man so distressed and cruelly treated by +child as I have now been by thee. Thou hast dishonoured my grey hairs, +and taken away the light of mine eyes, and loosed the strength of my +sinews; 'for the thing which I greatly feared concerning thee is come +upon me, and that which I was afraid of hath come unto me.' Thou art +become a joy to mine enemies, and a laughing-stock to mine adversaries. +With untutored mind and childish judgement thou hast followed the +teaching of the deceivers and esteemed the counsel of the malicious +above mine; thou hast forsaken the worship of our gods and become the +servant of a strange God. Child, wherefore hast thou done this? I +hoped to bring thee up in all safety, and have thee for the staff and +support of mine old age, and leave thee, as is most meet, to succeed me +in my kingdom, but thou wast not ashamed to play against me the part of +a relentless foe. And shouldst thou not rather have listened to me, +and followed my injunctions, than have obeyed the idle and foolish +pratings of that crafty old knave, who taught thee to choose a sour +life instead of a sweet, and abandon the charms of dalliance, to tread +the hard and rough road, which the Son of Mary ordereth men to go? +Dost thou not fear the displeasure of the most puissant gods, lest they +strike thee with lightning, or quell thee with thunderbolt, or +overwhelm thee in the yawning earth, because thou hast rejected and +scorned those deities that have so richly blessed us, and adorned our +brow with the kingly diadem, and made populous nations to be our +servants, that, beyond my hope, in answer to my prayer and +supplication, allowed thee to be born, and see the sweet life of day, +and hast joined thyself unto the Crucified, duped by the hopes of his +servants who tell thee fables of worlds to come, and drivel about the +resurrection of dead bodies, and bring in a thousand more absurdities +to catch fools? But now, dearest son, if thou hast any regard for me +thy father, bid a long farewell to these longwinded follies, and come +sacrifice to the gracious gods, and let us propitiate them with +hecatombs and drink-offerings, that they may grant thee pardon for thy +fall; for they be able and strong to bless and to punish. And wouldst +thou have an example of that which I say? Behold us, who by them have +been advanced to this honour, repaying them for their kindness by +honouring their worshippers and chastising the runagates." + +Now when the king had ended all this idle parleying, gainsaying and +slandering of our religion, and belauding and praising of his idolatry, +the saintly young prince saw that the matter needed no further to be +hid in a corner, but to be lighted and made plain to the eyes of all; +and, full of boldness and courage, he said: + +"That which I have done, sir, I will not deny. I have fled from +darkness and run to the light: I have left error and joined the +household of truth: I have deserted the service of devils, and joined +the service of Christ, the Son and Word of God the Father, at whose +decree the world was brought out of nothing; who, after forming man out +of clay, breathed into him the breath of life, and set him to live in a +paradise of delight, and, when he had broken his commandment and was +become subject unto death, and had fallen into the power of the dread +ruler of this world, did not fail him, but wrought diligently to bring +him back to his former honour. Wherefore he, the framer of all +Creation and maker of our race, became man for our sake, and, coming +from a holy Virgin's womb; on earth conversed with men: for us +ungrateful servants did the master endure death, even the death of the +Cross, that the tyranny of sin might be destroyed, that the former +condemnation might be abolished, that the gates of heaven might be open +to us again. Thither he hath exalted our nature, and set it on the +throne of glory, and granted to them that love him an everlasting +kingdom and joys beyond all that tongue can tell, or ear can hear. He +is the mighty and only potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords, +whose might is invincible, and whose lordship is beyond compare, who +only is holy and dwelleth in holiness, who with the Father and with the +Holy Ghost is glorified; into this faith I have been baptized. And I +acknowledge and glorify and worship One God in Three persons, of one +substance, and not to be confounded, increate and immortal, eternal, +infinite, boundless, without body, without passions, immutable, +unchangeable, undefinable, the fountain of goodness, righteousness and +everlasting light, maker of all things visible and invisible, +containing and sustaining all things, provident for all, ruler and King +of all. Without him was there nothing made, nor without his providence +can aught subsist. He is the life of all, the support of all, the +light of all, being wholly sweetness and insatiable desire, the summit +of aspiration. To leave God, then, who is so good, so wise, so mighty, +and to serve impure devils, makers of all sinful lusts, and to assign +worship to deaf and dumb images, that are not, and never shall be, were +not that the extreme of folly and madness? When was there ever heard +utterance or language from their lips? When have they given even the +smallest answer to their bedesmen? When have they walked, or received +any impression of sense? Those of them that stand have never thought +of sitting down; and those that sit have never been seen to rise. From +an holy man have I learned the ugliness, ill savour and insensibility +of these idols, and, moreover, the rottenness and weakness of the +devils that operate in them and by them deceive you; and I loathe their +wickednesses and, hating them with a perfect hatred, have joined myself +to the living and true God, and him will I serve until my latest +breath, that my spirit also may return into his hands. When these +unspeakable blessings came in my path I rejoiced to be freed from the +bondage of evil devils, and to be reclaimed from dire captivity and to +be illumined with the light of the countenance of the Lord. But my +soul was distressed and divided asunder, that thou, my lord and father, +didst not share in my blessings. Yet I feared the stubbornness of thy +mind, and kept my grief to myself, not wishing to anger thee; but, +without ceasing, I prayed God to draw thee to himself, and call thee +back from the long exile that thou hast imposed upon thyself, a +runagate alas! from righteousness, and a servant of all sin and +wickedness. But sith thou thyself, O my father, hast brought mine +affairs to light, hear the sum of my resolve: I will not be false to my +covenant with Christ; no, I swear it by him that bought me out of +slavery with his own precious blood; even if I must needs die a +thousand deaths for his sake, die I will. Knowing then how matters now +stand with me, prithee, no longer trouble thyself in endeavouring to +persuade me to change my good confession. For as it were a thankless +and never ending task for thee to try to grasp the heavens with thy +hand, or to dry up the waters of the sea, so hard were it for thee to +change me. Either then now listen to my counsel, and join the +household of Christ, and so thou shalt gain blessings past man's +understanding, and we shall be fellows with one another by faith, even +as by nature; or else, be well assured, I shall depart thy sonship, and +serve my God with a clear conscience." + +Now when the king heard all these words, he was furiously enraged: and, +seized with ungovernable anger, he cried out wrathfully against him, +and gnashed his teeth fiercely, like any madman. "And who," said he, +"is blameable for all my misfortunes but myself, who have dealt with +thee so kindly, and cared for thee as no father before? Hence the +perversity and contrariness of thy mind, gathering strength by the +licence that I gave thee, hath made thy madness to fall upon mine own +pate. Rightly prophesied the astrologers in thy nativity that thou +shouldest prove a knave and villain, an impostor and rebellious son. +But now, if thou wilt make void my counsel, and cease to be my son, I +will become thine enemy, and entreat thee worse than ever man yet +entreated his foes." + +Again said Ioasaph, "Why, O king, hast thou been kindled to wrath? Art +thou grieved that I have gained such bliss? Why, what father was ever +seen to be sorrowful in the prosperity of his son? Would not such an +one be called an enemy rather than a father? Therefore will I no more +call thee my father, but will withdraw from thee, as a man fleeth from +a snake, if I know that thou grudgest me my salvation, and with violent +hand forcest me to destruction. If thou wilt force me, and play the +tyrant, as thou hast threatened, be assured that thou shalt gain nought +thereby save to exchange the name of father for that of tyrant and +murderer. It were easier for thee to attain to the ways Of the eagle, +and, like him, cleave the air, than to alter my loyalty to Christ, and +that good confession that I have confessed in him. But be wise, O my +father, and shake off the rheum and mist from the eyes of thy mind, +lift them aloft and look upward to view the light of my God that +enlighteneth all around, and be thyself, at last, enlightened with this +light most sweet. Why art thou wholly given up to the passions and +desires of the flesh, and why is there no looking upward? Know thou +that all flesh is grass and all the glory of man as the flower of +grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but +the word of my Lord, which by the gospel is preached unto all, shall +endure for ever. Why then dost thou thus madly cling to and embrace +that glory, which, like spring flowers, fadeth and perisheth, and to +beastly unsavoury wantonness, and to the abominable passions of the +belly and the members thereunder, which for a season please the senses +of fools, but afterwards make returns more bitter than gall, when the +shadows and dreams of this vain life are passed away, and the lovers +thereof, and workers of iniquity are imprisoned in the perpetual pain +of dark and unquenchable fire, where the worm that sleepeth not gnaweth +for ever, and where the fire burneth without ceasing and without +quenching through endless ages? And with these sinners alas! thou too +shalt be imprisoned and grievously tormented, and shalt bitterly rue +thy wicked counsels, and bitterly regret thy days that now are, and +think upon my words, but there shall be no advantage in repentance; for +in death there is no confession and repentance. But the present is the +set time for work: the future for reward. Even if the pleasures of the +present world were not evanescent and fleeting, but were to endure for +ever with their owners, not even thus should any man choose them before +the gifts of Christ, and the good things that pass man's understanding. +Soothly, as the sun surpasseth in radiance and brightness the dead of +night, even so, and much more so, doth the happiness promised to those +that love God excel in glory and magnificence all earthly kinship and +glory; and there is utter need for a man to choose the more excellent +before the more worthless. And forasmuch as everything here is +fleeting and subject to decay, and passeth and vanisheth as a dream, +and as a shadow and vision of sleep; and as one may sooner trust the +unstable breezes, or the tracks of a ship passing over the waves, than +the prosperity of men, what simplicity, nay, what folly and madness it +is to choose the corruptible and perishable, the weak things of no +worth, rather than the incorruptible and everlasting, the imperishable +and endless, and, by the temporal enjoyment of these things, to forfeit +the eternal fruition of the happiness to come! Wilt thou not understand +this, my father? Wilt thou not haste past the things which haste pass +thee, and attach thyself to that which endureth? Wilt thou not prefer +a home land to a foreign land, light to darkness, the spirit to the +flesh, eternal life to the shadow of death, the indestructible to the +fleeting? Wilt thou not escape from the grievous bondage of the cruel +prince of this world, I mean the evil one, the devil, and become the +servant of the good, tenderhearted, and all merciful Lord? Wilt thou +not break away from serving thy many gods, falsely so called, and serve +the one, true and living God? Though thou hast sinned against him +often times by blaspheming him, and often times by slaying his servants +with dread torments, yet, I know well, that if thou turn again, he +shall in his kindness receive thee, and no more remember thine +offences: because he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that +he may turn and live--he, who came down from the unspeakable heights, +to seek us that had gone astray: who endured for us Cross, scourge and +death: who bought with his precious blood us who had been sold in +bondage under sin. Unto him be glory and praise for ever and ever! +Amen." + +The king was overwhelmed with astonishment and anger; with +astonishment, at his son's wisdom and unanswerable words; with anger, +at the persistence with which he denounced his father's gods, and +mocked and ridiculed the whole tenour of his life. He could not admit +the glory of his discourse because of the grossness of the darkness +within, but natural affection forbad him to punish his son, or evilly +to entreat him, and he utterly despaired of moving him by threats. +Fearing then that, if he argued further with him, his son's boldness +and bitter satire of the gods might kindle him to hotter anger, and +lead him to do him a mischief, he arose in wrath and withdrew. "Would +that thou hadst never been born," he cried, "nor hadst come to the +light of day, destined as thou weft to be such an one, a blasphemer of +the gods, and a renegade from thy father's love and admonition." But +thou shalt not alway mock the invincible gods, nor shall their enemies +rejoice for long, nor shall these knavish sorceries prevail. For +except thou become obedient unto me, and right-minded toward the gods, +I will first deliver time to sundry tortures, and then put thee to the +cruellest death, dealing with thee not as with a son, but as with an +enemy and rebel." + + + +XXV. + +In such wise did the father threaten and wrathfully retire. But the +son entered his own bedchamber, and lifted up his eyes to the proper +judge of his cause, and cried out of the depth of his heart, "O Lord my +God, my sweet hope and unerring promise, the sure refuge of them that +are wholly given up to thee, with gracious and kindly eye look upon the +contrition of my heart, and leave me not, neither forsake me. But, +according to thine unerring pledge, be thou with me, thine unworthy and +sorry servant. Thee I acknowledge and confess, the maker and provider +of all creation. Therefore do thou thyself enable me to continue in +this good confession, until my dying breath: look upon me, and pity me; +and stand by and keep me unhurt by any working of Satan. Look upon me, +O King: for my heart is enkindled with longing after thee, and is +parched as with burning thirst in the desert, desiring thee, the well +of immortality. Deliver not to the wild beasts my soul that confesseth +thee: forget not the soul of the poor for ever; but grant me that am a +sinner throughout my length of days to suffer all things for thy name's +sake and in the confession of thee, and to sacrifice my whole self unto +thee. For, with thy might working in them, even the feeble shall wax +exceeding strong; for thou only art the unconquerable ally and merciful +God, whom all creation blesseth, glorified for ever and ever. Amen." + +When he had thus prayed, he felt divine comfort stealing over his +heart, and, fulfilled with courage, he spent the whole night in prayer. +Meanwhile the king communed with Araches, his friend, as touching his +son's matters, and signified to him his son's sheer audacity and +unchangeable resolution. Araches gave counsel that he should, in his +dealings with him, show the utmost kindness and courtesy, in the hope, +perchance, of alluring him by flattering attentions. The day +following, the king came to his son, and sat down, and called him to +his side. He embraced and kissed him affectionately, coaxing him +gently and tenderly, and said, "O my darling and well-beloved son, +honour thou thy father's grey hairs: listen to my entreaty, and come, +do sacrifice to the gods; thus shalt thou win their favour, and receive +at their hands length of days, and the enjoyment of all glory and of an +undisputed kingdom, and happiness of every sort. Thus shalt thou be +well pleasing to me thy father throughout life and be honoured and +lauded of all men. It is a great count in the score of praise to be +obedient to thy father, especially in a good cause, and to gain the +goodwill of the gods. What thinkest thou, my son? Is it that I have +willingly declined from the right, and chosen to travel on the wrong +road: or that, from ignorance and inexperience of the good, I have +given myself to destruction? Well, if thou thinkest that I willingly +prefer the evil to the profitable, and choose death before life, thou +seemest to me, son, completely to have missed the goal in judging. +Dost thou not see to what discomfort and trouble I often expose myself +in mine expeditions against my foes, or when I am engaged in divers +other business for the public good, not sparing myself even hunger and +thirst, if need be, the march on foot, or the couch on the ground? As +for riches and money, such is my contempt and scorn thereof, that I +have at times ungrudgingly lavished all the stores of my palace, to +build mighty temples for the gods, and to adorn them with all manner of +splendour, or else to distribute liberal largess to my soldiers. +Possessing then, as I also do, this contempt of pleasure and this +courage in danger, what zeal would I not have devoted to contemning all +else, and winning my salvation, had I only found that the religion of +the Galileans were better than mine own? But, if thou condemnest me +for ignorance and inexperience of the good, consider how many sleepless +nights I have spent, with some problem before me, oft-times no very +important one, giving myself no rest until I had found the clear and +most apt solution. + +Seeing then that I reckon that not even the least of these temporal +concerns is unworthy of thought until all be fitly completed for the +advantage of all and seeing that all (I ween) bear me witness that no +man under the sun can search out secrets with more diligence than I, +how then could I have considered divine things, that call for worship +and serious consideration, unworthy of thought, and not rather have +devoted all my zeal and might, all my mind and soul to the +investigation thereof, to find out the right and the true? Aye, and I +have laboriously sought thereafter. Many nights and days have I spent +thus: many wise and learned men have I called to my council; and with +many of them that are called Christians have I conversed. By untiring +enquiry and ardent search I have discovered the pathway of truth, +witnessed by wise men honoured for their intelligence and wit,--that +there is none other faith than ours. This is the path that we tread +to-day, worshipping the most puissant gods, and holding fast to that +sweet and delightsome life, given by them to all men, fulfilled with +all manner of pleasure and gladness of heart, which the leaders and +priests of the Galileans have in their folly rejected; so that, in hope +of some other uncertain life, they have readily cast away this sweet +light, and all those pleasures which the gods have bestowed on us for +enjoyment, and all the while know not what they say, nor whereof they +confidently affirm. + +"But thou, dearest son, obey thy father, who, by diligent and honest +search, hath found the real good. Lo, I have shown thee that, neither +willingly, I no, nor by way of ignorance, have I failed of the good, +but rather that I have found and laid hold thereon. And I earnestly +desire that thou too shouldest not wander as a fool, but shouldest +follow me. Have respect then unto thy father. Dost thou not know how +lovely a thing it is to obey one's father, and please him in all ways? +Contrariwise, how deadly and cursed a thing it is to provoke a father +and despise his commands? As many as have done so, have come to a +miserable end. But be not thou, my son, one of their number. Rather +do that which is well pleasing to thy sire, and so mayest thou obtain +all happiness and inherit my blessing and my kingdom!" + +The high-minded and noble youth listened to his father's windy +discourse and foolish opposition, and recognized therein the devices of +the crooked serpent, and how standing at his right hand he had prepared +a snare for his feet, and was scheming how to overthrow his righteous +soul, and hinder him of the prize laid up in store. Therefore the +prince set before his eyes the commandment of the Lord, which saith, "I +came not to send peace, but strife and a sword. For I am come to set a +man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, +and so forth; and "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not +worthy of me"; and "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also +deny before my Father which is in heaven." When he had considered +these things, and fettered his soul with divine fear, and strengthened +it with longing desire and love, right opportunely he remembered the +saying of Solomon, "There is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time +of war, and a time of peace." First of all he prayed in silence, and +said, "Have mercy of me, Lord God, have mercy of me; for my soul +trusteth in thee; and under the shadow of thy wings I shall hope till +wickedness overpass. I shall cry to the highest God; to God that did +well to me," and the rest of the psalm. + +Then said Ioasaph to the king, "To honour one's father, and to obey his +commands, and to serve him with good will and affection is taught us by +the Lord of us all, who hath implanted in our hearts this natural +affection. But, when loving devotion to our parents bringeth our soul +into peril, and separateth her from her Maker, then we are commanded, +at all costs, to cut it out, and, on no account, to yield to them that +would depart us from God, but to hate and avoid them, even if it be our +father that issueth the abominable command, or our mother, or our king, +or the master of our very life. Wherefore it is impossible for me, out +of devotion to my father, to forfeit God. So, prithee, trouble not +thyself, nor me: but be persuaded, and let us both serve the true and +living God, for the objects of thy present worship are idols, the works +of men's hands, devoid of breath, and deaf, and give nought but +destruction and eternal punishment to their worshippers. + +"But if this be not thy pleasure, deal with me even as thou wilt: for I +am a servant of Christ, and neither flatteries nor torments shall +separate me from his love, as I told thee yesterday, swearing it by my +Master's name, and confirming the word with surest oath. But, whereas +thou saidest that thou didst neither wilfully do wrong, nor didst fail +of the mark through ignorance, but after much laborious enquiry hadst +ascertained that it was truly a good thing to worship idols and to be +riveted to the pleasures of the passions--that thou art wilfully a +wrong doer, I may not say. But this I know full well, and would have +thee know, O my father, that thou art surrounded with a dense mist of +ignorance, and, walking in darkness that may be felt, seest not even +one small glimmer of light. Wherefore thou hast lost the right +pathway, and wanderest over terrible cliffs and chasms. Holding +darkness for light, and clinging to death as it were life, thou deemest +that thou art well advised, and hast reflected to good effect: but it +is not so, not so. The objects of thy veneration are not gods but +statues of devils, charged with all their filthy power; nor is the +life, which thou pronouncest sweet and pleasant, and thinkest to be +full of delight and gladness of heart, such in kind: but the same is +abominable, according to the word of truth, and to be abhorred. For +for a time it sweeteneth and tickleth the gullet, but afterwards it +maketh the risings more bitter than gall (as said my teacher), and is +sharper than any two-edged sword. + +"How shall I describe to thee the evils of this life? I will tell +them, and they shall be more in number than the sand. For such life is +the fishhook of the devil, baited with beastly pleasure, whereby he +deceiveth and draggeth his prey into the depth of hell. Whereas the +good things, promised by my Master, which thou callest 'the hope of +some other uncertain life,' are true and unchangeable; they know no +end, and are not subject to decay. There is no language that can +declare the greatness of yonder glory and delight, of the joy +unspeakable, and the everlasting gladness. As thou thyself seest, we +all die; and there is no man that shall live and not see death. But +one day we shall all rise again, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall come, +the Son of God, in unspeakable glory and dread power, the only King of +kings, and Lord of lords; to whom every knee shall bow, of things in +heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Such terror +shall he then inspire that the very powers of heaven shall be shaken: +and before him there shall stand in fear thousand thousands, and ten +thousand times ten thousand of Angels and Archangels, and the whole +world shall be full of fear and terror. For one of the Archangels +shall sound with the trump of God, and immediately the heavens shall be +rolled together as a scroll; and the earth shall be rent, and shall +give up the dead bodies of all men that ever were since the first man +Adam until that day. And then shall all men that have died since the +beginning of the world in the twinkling of an eye stand alive before +the judgement seat of the immortal Lord, and every man shall give +account of his deeds. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun; +they that believed in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and ended this +present life in good works. And how can I describe to thee the glory +that shall receive them at that day? For though I compare their +brightness and beauty to the light of the sun or to the brightest +lightning flash, yet should I fail to do justice to their brightness. +Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart +of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, in +the kingdom of heaven, in the light which no man can approach unto, in +his unspeakable and unending glory. + +"Such joys and such bliss shall the righteous obtain, but they that +have denied the only true God and not known their Maker and Creator, +but have worshipped foul devils, and rendered homage to dumb idols, and +loved the pleasures of this vain world, and, like swine, wallowed in +the mire of sinful lusts, and made their lives a headquarters for all +wickedness, shall stand naked and laid bare, downright ashamed and +downcast, pitiable in appearance and in fact, set forth for a reproach +to all creation. All their life in word, deed and thought shall come +before their faces. Then, after this bitter disgrace and unbearable +reproach, shall they be sentenced to the unquenchable and light-less +fire of Gehenna, unto the outer darkness, the gnashing of teeth and the +venomous worm. This is their portion, this their lot, in the which +they shall dwell together in punishment for endless ages, because they +rejected the good things offered them in promise, and, for the sake of +the pleasure of sin for a season, made choice of eternal punishment. +For these reasons--to obtain that unspeakable bliss, to enjoy that +ineffable glory, to equal the Angels in splendour, and to stand with +boldness before the good and most sweetest Lord, to escape those bitter +and unending punishments and that galling shame--time after time, were +it not worth men's while to sacrifice their riches and bodies, nay, +even their very lives? Who is so cowardly, who so foolish, as not to +endure a thousand temporal deaths, to escape eternal and everlasting +death, and to inherit life, blissful and imperishable, and to shine in +the light of the blessed and life-giving Trinity?" + + + +XXVI. + +When the king heard these words, and saw the steadfastness, and +unbuxomness of his son, who yielded neither to flattery, nor +persuasion, nor threat, he marvelled indeed at the persuasiveness of +his speech and his irrefutable answers, and was convicted by his own +conscience secretly assuring him that Ioasaph spake truly and aright. +But he was dragged back by his evil habit and passions, which, from +long use, had taken firm grip on him, and held him in as with bit and +bridle, and suffered him not to behold the light of truth. So he left +no stone unturned, as the saying is, and adhered to his old purpose, +determining to put into action the plot which he and Araches had +between them devised. Said he to his son, "Although, child, thou +oughtest in all points simply to give in to my commands, yet, because +thou art stubborn and disobedient, and hast thus stiffly opposed me, +insisting that thine own opinion should prevail over all, bid we now +farewell to vain insistance, and let persuasion be now our policy. +And, forasmuch as Barlaam, thy deceiver, is here, my prisoner in iron +chains, I will make a great assembly, and summon all our people and +your Galileans, to one place; and I will charge heralds to proclaim +expressly that none of the Christians shall fear, but that all shall +muster without dread; and we will hold debate together. If your side +win, then shall ye and your Barlaam gain your desires; but if ye lose, +then shall ye with right good will yield yourselves to my commands." + +But this truly wise and prudent youth, forewarned, by the heavenly +vision sent him, of his father's mischief, replied, "The Lord's will be +done! Be it according to thy command! May our good God and Lord +himself vouchsafe that we wander not from the right way, for my soul +trusteth in him, and he shall be merciful unto me." There and then did +the king command all, whether idolaters or Christians, to assemble. +Letters were despatched in all quarters: heralds proclaimed it in every +village town that no Christian need fear any secret surprise, but all +might come together without fear, as friends and kindred, for the +honest and unrestrained enquiry that should be held with their chief +and captain, Barlaam. In like manner also he summoned the initiate and +the temple-keepers of his idols, and wise men of the Chaldeans and +Indians that were in all his kingdom, beside certain augurs, sorcerers +and seers, that they might get the better of the Christians. + +Then were there gathered together multitudes that held his loathly +religion; but of the Christians was there found one only that came to +the help of the supposed Barlaam. His name was Barachias. For of the +Faithful, some were dead, having fallen victims to the fury of the +governors of the cities; and some were hiding in mountains and dens, in +dread of the terrors hanging over them; while others had feared the +threats of the king, and durst not adventure themselves into the light +of day, but were worshippers by night, serving Christ in secret, and in +no wise boldly confessing him. So noble-hearted Barachias came alone +to the contest, to help and champion the truth. + +The king sat down before all on a doom-stool high and exalted, and bade +his son sit beside him. He, in reverence and awe of his father, +consented not thereto, but sat near him on the ground. There stood the +learned in the wisdom which God hath made foolish, whose unwise hearts +had gone astray, as saith the Apostle; for, "professing themselves to +be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible +God into an image made like to corruptible man, and four-footed beasts, +and creeping things." These were assembled for to join argument with +the king's son and his fellows, and on them was fulfilled the proverb, +"Gazelle against lion." The one made the most High his house of +defence, and his hope was under the shadow of his wings; while the +others trusted in the princes of this world, who are made of none +effect, and in the ruler of the darkness of this world, to whom they +have subjected themselves miserably and wretchedly. + +Now came on Nachor, in the disguise of Barlaam; and the king's side +were like to reach their goal; but, once again, very different was the +ordering of the wise providence of God. When all the company was come, +thus spake the king to his orators and philosophers, or rather to the +deceivers of his people, and fools at heart, "Behold now, there lieth +before you a contest, even the mightiest of contests; for one of two +things shall befall you. If ye establish our cause, and prove Barlaam +and his friends to be in error, ye shall have your fill of glory and +honour from us and all the senate, and shall be crowned with crowns of +victory. But if ye be worsted, in all ignominy ye shall pitiably +perish, and all your goods shall be given to the people, that your +memorial may be clean blotted out from off the earth. Your bodies will +I give to be devoured by wild beasts and your children will I deliver +to perpetual slavery." + +When the king had thus spoken, his son said, "A righteous doom hast +thou judged this day, O king. The Lord establish this thy mind! I too +have the same bidding for my teacher." And, turning round to Nachor, +who was supposed to be Barlaam, he said, "Thou knowest, Barlaam, in +what splendour and luxury thou foundest me. With many a speech thou +persuadedst me to leave my father's laws and customs, and to serve an +unknown God, drawn by the promise of some unspeakable and eternal +blessings, to follow thy doctrines and to provoke to anger my father +and lord. Now therefore consider that thou art weighed in the balance. +If thou overcome in the wrestling, and prove that the doctrines, which +thou hast taught me, be true, and show that they, that try a fall with +us, be in error, thou shalt be magnified as no man heretofore, and +shalt be entitled 'herald of truth'; and I will abide in thy doctrine +and serve Christ, even as thou didst preach, until my dying breath. +But if thou be worsted, by foul play or fair, and thus bring shame on +me to-day, speedily will I avenge me of mine injury; with mine own +hands will I quickly tear out thy heart and thy tongue, and throw them +with the residue of thy carcase to be meat for the dogs, that others +may be lessoned by thee not to cozen the sons of kings." + +When Nachor heard these words, he was exceeding sorrowful and downcast, +seeing himself falling into the destruction that he had made for other, +and being drawn into the net that he had laid privily, and feeling the +sword entering into his own soul. So he took counsel with himself, and +determined rather to take the side of the king's son, and make it to +prevail, that he might avoid the danger hanging over him, because the +prince was doubtless able to requite him, should he be found to provoke +him. But this was all the work of divine providence that was wisely +establishing our cause by the mouth of our adversaries. For when these +idol-priests and Nachor crossed words, like another Barlaam, who, of +old in the time of Balak, when purposing to curse Israel, loaded him +with manifold blessings, so did Nachor mightily resist these unwise and +unlearned wise men. + +There sat the king upon his throne, his son beside him, as we have +said. There beside him stood these unwise orators who had whetted +their tongues like a sharp sword, to destroy truth, and who (as saith +Esay) conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity. There were gathered +innumerable multitudes, come to view the contest and see which side +should carry oft the victory. Then one of the orators, the most +eminent of all his fellows, said unto Nachor, "Art thou that Barlaam +which hath so shamelessly and audaciously blasphemed our gods, and hath +enmeshed our king's well beloved son in the net of error, and taught +him to serve the Crucified?" Nachor answered, "I am he, I am Barlaam, +that, as thou sayest, doth set your gods at nought: but the king's son +have I not enmeshed in error; but rather from error have I delivered +him, and brought him to the true God." The orator replied, "When the +great and marvellous men, who have discovered all knowledge of wisdom, +do call them high and immortal gods, and when all the kings and +honourable men upon earth do worship and adore them, how waggest thou +tongue against them, and, in brief, how durst thou be so mighty +brazen-faced? What is the manner of thy proof that the Crucified is +God, and these be none?" Then replied Nachor, disdaining even to +answer the speaker. He beckoned with his hand to the multitude to keep +silence, and opening his mouth, like Balaam's ass, spake that which he +had not purposed to say, and thus addressed the king. + + + +XXVII. + +"By the providence of God, O king, came I into the world; and when I +contemplated heaven and earth and sea, the sun and moon, and the other +heavenly bodies, I was led to marvel at their fair order. And, when I +beheld the world and all that therein is, how it is moved by law, I +understood that he who moveth and sustaineth it is God. That which +moveth is ever stronger than that which is moved, and that which +sustaineth is stronger than that which is sustained. Him therefore I +call God, who constructed all things and sustaineth them, without +beginning, without end, immortal, without want, above all passions, and +failings, such as anger, forgetfulness, ignorance, and the like. By him +all things consist. He hath no need of sacrifice, or drink-offering, +or of any of the things that we see, but all men have need of him. + +"Now that I have said thus much concerning God, according as he hath +granted me to speak concerning himself, come we now to the human race, +that we may know which of them partake of truth, and which of error. +It is manifiest to us, O king, that there are three races of men in +this world: those that are worshippers of them whom ye call gods, and +Jews, and Christians. And again those who serve many gods are divided +into three races, Chaldeans, Greeks and Egyptians, for these are to the +other nations the leaders and teachers of the service and worship of +the gods whose name is legion. Let us therefore see which of these +hold the truth, and which error. + +"The Chaldeans, which knew not God, went astray after the elements and +began to worship the creature rather than their Creator, and they made +figures of these creatures and called them likenesses of heaven, and +earth and sea, of sun and moon, and of the other elements or +luminaries. And they enclose them in temples, and worship them under +the title of gods, and guard them in safety lest they be stolen by +robbers. They have not understood how that which guardeth is ever +greater than that which is guarded, and that the maker is greater than +the thing that is made; for, if the gods be unable to take care of +themselves, how can they take care of others? Great then is the error +that the Chaldeans have erred in worshipping lifeless and useless +images. And I am moved to wonder, O king, how they, who are called +philosophers among them, fail to understand that even the very elements +are corruptible. But if the elements are corruptible and subject to +necessity, how are they gods? And if the elements are not gods, how +are the images, created to their honour, gods? + +"Come we then, O king, to the elements themselves, that we may prove +concerning them, that they are not gods, but corruptible and changeable +things, brought out of non-existence by the command of him who is God +indeed, who is incorruptible, and unchangeable, and invisible, but yet +himself seeth all things, and, as he willeth, changeth and altereth the +same. What then must I say about the elements? + +"They, who ween that the Heaven is a god, are in error. For we see it +turning and mowing by law, and consisting of many parts, whence also it +is called Cosmos! Now a 'Cosmos' is the handiwork of some artificer; +and that which is wrought by handiwork hath beginning and end. And the +firmament is moved by law together with its luminaries. The stars are +borne from Sign to Sign, each in his order and place: some rise, while +others set: and they run their journey according to fixed seasons, to +fulfil summer and winter, as it hath been ordained for them by God, nor +do they transgress their proper bounds, according to the inexorable law +of nature, in common with the heavenly firmament. Whence it is evident +that the heaven is not a god, but only a work of God. + +"They again that think that the Earth is a goddess have gone astray. +We behold it dishonoured, mastered, defiled and rendered useless by +mankind. If it be baked by the sun, it becometh dead, for nothing +groweth from a potsherd. And again, if it be soaked overmuch, it +rotteth, fruit and all. It is trodden under foot of men and the +residue of the beasts: it is polluted with the blood of the murdered, +it is digged and made a grave for dead bodies. This being so, Earth can +in no wise be a goddess, but only the work of God for the use of men. + +"They that think that Water is a god have gone astray. It also hath +been made for the use of men. It is under their lordship: it is +polluted, and perisheth: it is altered by boiling, by dyeing, by +congealment, or by being brought to the cleansing of all defilements. +Wherefore Water cannot be a god, but only the work of God. + +"They that think that Fire is a god are in error. It too was made for +the use of men. It is subject to their lordship, being carried about +from place to place, for the seething and roasting of all manner of +meats, yea, and for the burning of dead corpses. Moreover, it perisheth +in divers ways, when it is quenched by mankind. Wherefore Fire cannot +be a god, but only the work of God. + +"They that think that the breath of the Winds is a goddess are in +error. This, as is evident, is subject to another, and hath been +prepared by God, for the sake of mankind, for the carriage of ships, +and the conveyance of victuals, and for other uses of men, it riseth +and falleth according to the ordinance of God. Wherefore it is not to +be supposed that the breath of the Winds is a goddess, but only the +work of God. + +"They that think that the Sun is a god are in error. We see him moving +and turning by law, and passing from Sign to Sign, setting and rising, +to warm herbs and trees for the use of men, sharing power with the +other stars, being much less than the heaven, and falling into eclipse +and possessed of no sovranty of his own. Wherefore we may not consider +that the Sun is a god, but only the work of God. + +"They that think that the Moon is a goddess are in error. We behold +her moving and turning by law, and passing from Sign to Sign, setting +and rising for the use of men, lesser than the sun, waxing and waning, +suffering eclipse. Wherefore we do not consider that the Moon is a +goddess, but only the work of God. + +"They that think that Man is a god are in error. We see man moving by +law, growing up, and waxing old, even against his will. Now he +rejoiceth, now he grieveth, requiring meat and drink and raiment. +Besides he is passionate, envious, lustful, fickle, and full of +failings: and he perisheth in many a way, by the elements, by wild +beasts, and by the death that ever awaiteth him. So Man cannot be a +god, but only the work of God. Great then is the error that the +Chaldeans have erred in following their own lusts; for they worship +corruptible elements and dead images, neither do they perceive that +they are making gods of these. + +"Now come we to the Greeks that we may see whether they have any +understanding concerning God. The Greeks, then, professing themselves +to be wise, fell into greater folly than the Chaldeans, alleging the +existence of many gods, some male, others female, creators of all +passions and sins of every kind. Wherefore the Greeks, O king, +introduced an absurd, foolish and ungodly fashion of talk, calling them +gods that were not, according to their own evil passions; that, having +these gods for advocates of their wickedness, they might commit +adultery, theft, murder and all manner of iniquity. For if their gods +did so, how should they not themselves do the like? Therefore from +these practices of error it came to pass that men suffered frequent +wars and slaughters and cruel captivities. But if now we choose to +pass in review each one of these gods, what a strange sight shalt thou +see! + +"First and foremost they introduce the god whom they call Kronos, and +to him they sacrifice their own children, to him who had many sons by +Rhea, and in a fit of madness ate his own children. And they say that +Zeus cut off his privy parts, and cast them into the sea, whence, as +fable telleth, was born Aphrodite. So Zeus bound his own father, and +cast him into Tartarus. Dost thou mark the delusion and lasciviousness +that they allege against their gods? Is it possible then that one who +was prisoner and mutilated should be a god? What folly? What man in +his senses could admit it? + +"Next they introduce Zeus, who, they say, became king of the gods, and +would take the shape of animals, that he might defile mortal women. +They show him transformed into a bull, for Europa; into gold, for +Danae; into a swan, for Leda; into a satyr, for Antiope; and into a +thunder-bolt, for Semele. Then of these were born many children, +Dionysus, Zethus, Amphion, Herakles, Apollo, Artemis, Perseus, Castor, +Helen, Polydeukes, Minos, Rhadamanthos, Sarpedon, and the nine +daughters whom they call the Muses. + +"In like manner they introduce the story of Ganymede. And so befel it, +O king, that men imitated all these things, and became adulterers, and +defilers of themselves with mankind, and doers of other monstrous +deeds, in imitation of their god. How then can an adulterer, one that +defileth himself by unnatural lust, a slayer of his father be a god? + +"With Zeus also they represent one Hephaestus as a god, and him lame, +holding hammer and fire-tongs, and working as a coppersmith for hire. +So it appeareth that he is needy. But it is impossible for one who is +lame and wanteth men's aid to be a God. + +"After him, they represent as a god Hermes, a lusty fellow, a thief, +and a covetous, a sorcerer, bowlegged, and an interpreter of speech. +It is impossible for such an one to be a God. + +"They also exhibit Asklepius as god, a physician, a maker of medicines, +a compounder of plasters for his livelihood (for he is a needy wight), +and in the end, they say that he was struck by Zeus with a +thunder-bolt, because of Tyndareus, son of Lakedaemon, and thus +perished. Now if Asklepius, though a god, when struck by a +thunder-bolt, could not help himself, how can he help others? + +"Ares is represented as a warlike god, emulous, and covetous of sheep +and other things. But in the end they say he was taken in adultery +with Aphrodite by the child Eros and Hephaestus and was bound by them. +How then can the covetous, the warrior, the bondman and adulterer be a +god? + +"Dionysus they show as a god, who leadeth nightly orgies, and teacheth +drunkenness, and carrieth off his neighbours' wives, a madman and an +exile, finally slain by the Titans. If then Dionysus was slain and +unable to help himself, nay, further was a madman, a drunkard, and +vagabond, how could he be a god? + +"Herakles, too, is represented as drunken and mad, as slaying his own +children, then consuming with fire and thus dying. How then could a +drunkard and slayer of his own children, burnt to death by fire, be a +god? Or how can he help others who could not help himself? + +"Apollo they represent as an emulous god, holding bow and quiver, and, +at times, harp and flute, and prophesying to men for pay. Soothly he is +needy: but one that is needy and emulous and a minstrel cannot be a god. + +"Artemis, his sister, they represent as an huntress, with bow and +quiver, ranging the mountains alone, with her hounds, in chase of stag +or boar. How can such an one, that is an huntress and a ranger with +hounds, be a goddess? + +"Of Aphrodite, adulteress though she be, they say that she is herself a +goddess. Once she had for leman Ares, once Anchises, once Adonis, +whose death she lamenteth, seeking her lost lover. They say that she +even descended into Hades to ransom Adonis from Persephone. Didst +thou, O king, ever see madness greater than this? They represent this +weeping and wailing adulteress as a goddess. + +"Adonis they show as an hunter-god, violently killed by a boar-tusk, +and unable to help his own distress. How then shall he take thought +for mankind, he the adulterer, the hunter who died a violent death? + +"All such tales, and many like them, and many wicked tales more +shameful still, have the Greeks introduced, O king, concerning their +gods; tales, whereof it is unlawful to speak, or even to have them in +remembrance. Hence men, taking occasion from their gods, wrought all +lawlessness, lasciviousness and ungodliness, polluting earth and air +with their horrible deeds. + +"But the Egyptians, more fatuous and foolish than they, have erred +worse than any other nation. They were not satisfied with the idols +worshipped by the Chaldeans and Greeks, but further introduced as gods +brute beasts of land and water, and herbs and trees, and were defiled +in all madness and lasciviousness worse than all people upon earth. +From the beginning they worshipped Isis, which had for her brother and +husband that Osiris which was slain by his brother Typhon. And for +this reason Isis fled with Horus her son to Byblos in Syria, seeking +Osiris and bitterly wailing, until Horus was grown up and killed +Typhon. Isis then was not able to help her own brother and husband; +nor had Osiris, who was slain by Typhon, power to succour himself; nor +had Typhon, who killed his brother and was himself destroyed by Horus +and Isis, any resource to save himself from death. And yet, although +famous for all these misadventures, these be they that were considered +gods by the senseless Egyptians. + +"The same people, not content therewith, nor with the rest of the idols +of the heathen, also introduced brute beasts as gods. Some of them +worshipped the sheep, some the goat, and others the calf and the hog; +while certain of them worshipped the raven, the kite, the vulture, and +the eagle. Others again worshipped the crocodile, and some the cat and +dog, the wolf and ape, the dragon and serpent, and others the onion, +garlic and thorns, and every other creature. And the poor fools do not +perceive, concerning these things, that they have no power at all. +Though they see their gods being devoured, burnt and killed by other +men, and rotting away, they cannot grasp the fact that they are no gods. + +"Great, then, is the error that the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, and the +Greeks have erred in introducing such gods as these, and making images +thereof, and deifying dumb and senseless idols. I marvel how, when +they behold their gods being sawn and chiselled by workmen's axes, +growing old and dissolving through lapse of time, and molten in the +pot, they never reflected concerning them that they are no gods. For +when these skill not to work their own salvation, how can they take +care of mankind? Nay, even the poets and philosophers among the +Chaldeans, Greeks and Egyptians, although by their poems and histories +they desired to glorify their people's gods, yet they rather revealed +and exposed their shame before all men. If the body of a man, +consisting of many parts, loseth not any of its proper members, but, +having an unbroken union with all its members, is in harmony with +itself, how in the nature of God shall there be such warfare and +discord? For if the nature of the gods were one, then ought not one god +to persecute, slay or injure another. But if the gods were persecuted +by other gods, and slain and plundered and killed with thunder-stones, +then is their nature no longer one, but their wills are divided, and +are all mischievous, so that not one among them is God. So it is +manifest, O king, that all this history of the nature of the gods is +error. + +"Furthermore, how do the wise and eloquent among the Greeks fail to +perceive that law-givers themselves are judged by their own laws? For +if their laws are just, then are their gods assuredly unjust, in that +they have offended against law by murders, sorceries, adulteries, +thefts and unnatural crimes. But, if they did well in so doing, then +are their laws unjust, seeing that they have been framed in +condemnation of the gods. But now the laws are good and just, because +they encourage good and forbid evil; whereas the deeds of their gods +offend against law. Their gods then are offenders against law; and all +that introduce such gods as these are worthy of death and are ungodly. +If the stories of the gods be myths, then are the gods mere words: but +if the stories be natural, then are they that wrought or endured such +things no longer gods: if the stories be allegorical, then are the gods +myths and nothing else. Therefore it hath been proven, O king, that +all these idols, belonging to many gods, are works of error and +destruction. So it is not meet to call those gods that are seen, but +cannot see: but it is right to worship as God him who is unseen and is +the Maker of all mankind. + +"Come we now, O king, to the Jews, that we may see what they also think +concerning God. The Jews are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and +Jacob, and went once to sojourn in Egypt. From thence God brought them +out with a mighty hand and stretched out arm by Moses their lawgiver; +and with many miracles and signs made he known unto them his power. +But, like the rest, these proved ungrateful and unprofitable, and often +worshipped images of the heathen, and killed the prophets and righteous +men that were sent unto them. Then, when it pleased the Son of God to +come on earth, they did shamefully entreat him and deliver him to +Pilate the Roman governor, and condemn him to the Cross, regardless of +his benefits and the countless miracles that he had worked amongst +them. Wherefore by their own lawlessness they perished. For though to +this day they worship the One Omnipotent God, yet it is not according +unto knowledge; for they deny Christ the Son of God, and are like the +heathen, although they seem to approach the truth from which they have +estranged themselves. So much for the Jews. + +"As for the Christians, they trace their line from the Lord Jesus +Christ. He is confessed to be the Son of the most high God, who came +down from heaven, by the Holy Ghost, for the salvation of mankind, and +was born of a pure Virgin, without seed of man, and without defilement, +and took flesh, and appeared among men, that he might recall them from +the error of worshipping many gods. When he had accomplished his +marvellous dispensation, of his own free will by a mighty dispensation +he tasted of death upon the Cross. But after three days he came to +life again, and ascended into the heavens, the glory of whose coming +thou mayest learn, O king, by the reading of the holy Scripture, which +the Christians call the Gospel, shouldst thou meet therewith. This +Jesus had twelve disciples, who, after his ascent into the heavens, +went out into all the kingdoms of the world, telling of his greatness. +Even so one of them visited our coasts, preaching the doctrine of +truth; whence they who still serve the righteousness of his preaching +are called Christians. And these are they who, above all the nations +of the earth, have found the truth: for they acknowledge God the +Creator and Maker of all things in the only begotten Son, and in the +Holy Ghost, and other God than him they worship none. They have the +commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ himself engraven on their hearts, +and these they observe, looking for the resurrection of the dead and +the life of the world to come. They neither commit adultery nor +fornication; nor do they bear false witness, nor covet other men's +goods: they honour father and mother, and love their neighbours: they +give right judgement. They do not unto other that which they would not +have done unto themselves. They comfort such as wrong them, and make +friends of them: they labour to do good to their enemies: they are meek +and gentle. They refrain themselves from all unlawful intercourse and +all uncleanness. They despise not the widow, and grieve not the +orphan. He that hath distributeth liberally to him that hath not. If +they see a stranger, they bring him under their roof, and rejoice over +him, as it were their own brother: for they call themselves brethren, +not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For Christ his sake they +are ready to lay down their lives: they keep his commandments +faithfully, living righteous and holy lives, as the Lord their God +commanded them, giving him thanks every hour, for meat and drink and +every blessing. Verily, then, this is the way of truth which leadeth +its wayfarers unto the eternal kingdom promised by Christ in the life +to come. + +"And that thou mayest know, O king, that I speak nought of myself, look +thou into the writings of the Christians, and thou shalt find that I +speak nothing but the truth. Well, therefore, hath thy son understood +it, and rightly hath he been taught to serve the living God, and to be +saved for the world to come. Great and marvellous are the things spoken +and wrought by the Christians, because they speak not the words of men +but the words of God. But all other nations are deceived, and deceive +themselves. Walking in darkness they stagger one against another like +drunken men. This is the end of my speech spoken unto thee, O king, +prompted by the truth that is in my mind. Wherefore let thy foolish +wise-acres refrain from babbling idly against the Lord; for it is +profitable to you to worship God the Creator, and hearken to his +incorruptible sayings, in order that ye may escape judgement and +punishment, and be found partakers of deathless life." + + + +XXVIII. + +When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed +countenance for very anger, but his orators and temple-keepers stood +speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds of argument +in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and with glad +countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path, where no path was, +for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth of a foeman and enemy was +establishing the truth; and the leader of error had proved a defender +of the right cause. + +But the king, although furiously enraged with Nachor, was nevertheless +unable to do him any mischief, because of the proclamation already read +before all, wherein he urged him to plead without fear in behalf of the +Christians. So he himself made answer in many words, and by dark +speeches hinted that Nachor should relax his resistance, and be worsted +by the argument of the orators. But Nachor the more mightily +prevailed, tearing to pieces all their propositions and conclusions and +exposing the fallacy of their error. After the debate had been +prolonged till well-nigh eventide, the king dismissed the assembly, +making as though he would renew the discussion on the morrow. + +Then said Ioasaph to the king his father, "As at the beginning, Sir, +thou commandedst that the trial should be just, so too crown the end +thereof with justice, by doing one or other of these two things. +Either allow my teacher to tarry with me to-night, that we may take +counsel together as touching those things which we must say unto our +adversaries tomorrow: and do thou in turn take thine advisers unto +thee, and duly practise yourselves as ye will. Or else deliver thy +counsellors to me this night, and take mine to thyself. But if both +sides be with thee, mine advocate in tribulation and fear, but thine in +joy and refreshment, me thinketh it is not a fair trial, but a +tyrannical misuse of power, and a breaking of the covenants." The +king, compelled to yield by the gracefulness of this speech took his +wise men and priests to himself, and delivered Nachor to his son, still +having hopes of him and thinking fit to keep his agreement. + +The king's son, therefore, departed unto his own palace, like a +conqueror in the Olympic games, and with him went Nachor. When alone, +the prince called him and said, "Think not that I am ignorant of thy +tale, for I wot, of a surety, that thou art not saintly Barlaam, but +Nachor the astrologer; and I marvel how it seemed thee good to act this +play, and to think that thou couldst so dull my sight at mid-day, that +I should mistake a wolf for a sheep. But well sung is the proverb, +'The heart of a fool will conceive folly.' So this your device and +counsel was stale and utterly senseless; but the work that thou hast +accomplished is full of wisdom. Wherefore, rejoice, Nachor, and be +exceeding glad. I render thee many thanks, that thou hast been to-day +advocate of the truth, and hast not polluted thy lips with foul words +and crafty simulation, but hast rather cleansed them from many +defilements, and thoroughly proven the error of the gods, as they be +wrongly called, and hast established the truth of the Christian faith. +I have been zealous to bring thee hither with me for two reasons; that +the king might not privily seize and punish thee, because thou spakest +not after his heart, and next that I might recompense thee for the +favour that thou hast done me to-day. And what is my recompense for +thee? To show thee how to turn from the evil and slippery road which +thou hast trodden until now, and to journey along the straight and +saving pathway which thou hast avoided, not in ignorance, but by wilful +wrongdoing, throwing thyself into depths and precipices of iniquity. +Understand then, Nachor, man of understanding as thou art, and be thou +zealous to gain Christ only, and the life that is hid with him, and +despise this fleeting and corruptible world. Thou shalt not live for +ever, but, being mortal, shalt depart hence ere long, even as all that +have been before thee. And wo betide thee, if, with the heavy load of +sin on thy shoulders, thou depart thither where there is righteous +judgement and recompense for thy works, and cast it not off, while it +is easy to rid thyself thereof!" + +Pricked at heart by these words, spake Nachor, "Well said! Sir prince, +well said! I do know the true and very God, by whom all things were +made, and I wot of the judgement to come, having heard thereof from +many texts of the Scriptures. But evil habit and the insolence of the +ancient supplanter hath blinded the eyes of my heart, and shed a thick +darkness over my reason. But now, at thy word, I will cast away the +veil of gloom, and run unto the light of the countenance of the Lord. +May be, he will have mercy on me, and will open a door of repentance to +his wicked and rebellious servant, even if it seem impossible to me +that my sins, which are heavier than the sand, be forgiven; sins, +which, wittingly or unwittingly, I have sinned from childhood upwards +to this my hoary age." + +When the king's son heard these words, immediately he arose, and his +heart waxed warm, and he began to try to raise Nachor's courage which +was drooping to despair, and to confirm it in the faith of Christ, +saying, "Let no doubt about this, Nachor, find place in thy mind. For +it is written, God is able of these very stones to raise up children +unto Abraham. What meaneth this (as father Barlaam said) except that +men beyond hope, stained with all manner of wickedness, can be saved, +and become servants of Christ, who, in the exceeding greatness of his +love toward mankind, hath opened the gates of heaven to all that turn, +barring the way of salvation to none, and receiving with compassion +them that repent? Wherefore to all that have entered the vineyard at +the first, third, sixth, ninth or eleventh hour there is apportioned +equal pay, as saith the holy Gospel: so that even if, until this +present time, thou hast waxen old in thy sins, yet if thou draw nigh +with a fervent heart, thou shalt gain the same rewards as they who have +laboured from their youth upwards." + +With these and many other words did that saintly youth speak of +repentance to that aged sinner Nachor, promising him that Christ was +merciful, and pledging him forgiveness, and satisfying him that the +good God is alway ready to receive the penitent, and with these words, +as it were with ointments, did he mollify that ailing soul and give it +perfect health. Nachor at once said unto him, "O prince, more noble in +soul even than in outward show, well instructed in these marvellous +mysteries, mayst thou continue in thy good confession until the end, +and may neither time nor tide ever pluck it out of thine heart! For +myself, I will depart straightway in search of my salvation, and will +by penance pacify that God whom I have angered: for, except thou will +it, I shall see the king's face no more." Then was the prince +exceeding glad, and joyfully heard his saying. And he embraced and +kissed him affectionately; and, when he had prayed earnestly to God, he +sent him forth from the palace. + +So Nachor stepped forth with a contrite heart, and went bounding into +the depths of the desert, like as doth an hart, and came to a den +belonging to a monk that had attained to the dignity of the priesthood, +and was hiding there for fear of the pressing danger. With a right warm +heart knelt Nachor down before him, and washed his feet with his tears, +like the harlot of old, and craved holy Baptism. The priest, full of +heavenly grace, was passing glad, and did at once begin to instruct +him, as the custom is, and after many days, perfected him with baptism +in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And +Nachor abode with him, always repentant of his sins, and blessing that +God who never willeth that ally should perish, but receiveth all that +turn again unto him, and lovingly accepteth the penitent. + +Now on the morrow when the king heard what had befallen Nachor, he +despaired of the hopes that he once had in him: and, seeing those wise +and foolish orators of his mightily discomfited, he was at his wits' +end. Them he visited with terrible outrage and dishonour, scourging +some severely with whips of oxhide, besmearing their eyes with soot, +and casting them away from his presence. He himself began to condemn +the impotence of the gods falsely so called, although as yet he refused +to look fully at the light of Christ, for the dense cloud of darkness, +that enveloped him, still bound the eyes of his heart. Howbeit he no +longer honoured his temple-keepers, nor would he keep feasts, nor make +drink offerings to his idols, but his mind was tossed between two +opinions. On the one hand, he poured scorn on the impotence of his +gods; on the other, he dreaded the strictness of the profession of the +Gospel, and was hardly to be torn from his evil ways, being completely +in slavery to the pleasures of the body, and like a captive drawn +towards sinful lusts, and being drunken, as saith Esay, but not with +wine, and led as it were with the bridle of evil habit. + +While the king was thus wrestling with two opinions, his noble and +truly royal-hearted son dwelt at peace in his palace, proving to all +men by his deeds the nobility, order and steadfastness of his nature. +Theatres, horse-races, riding to hounds, and all the vain pleasures of +youth, the baits that take foolish souls, were reckoned by him as +nothing worth. But he hung wholly on the commands of Christ for whom +he yearned, his heart being wounded with love divine. For him he +longed, who alone is to be longed for, who is all sweetness and desire +and aspiration insatiable. + +Now, when he came to think upon his teacher Barlaam, and as in a mirror +saw his life, his soul was enchanted with love, and he much occupied +himself a-thinking how he might see him; and ever carrying his sayings +in his heart, he was like the tree in the Psalms planted by the river +side, unceasingly watered, and bringing forth unto the Lords his fruits +in due season. Many were the souls that he delivered from the snares +of the devil, and brought safely unto Christ; for many resorted unto +him, and profited by his wholesome words. And not a few left the way +of error, and ran toward the word of salvation; while others bade a +long farewell to the concerns of the world, and came to the +wrestling-school of the monastic life. He himself spent his time in +prayers and fastings, and would often offer up this prayer, "O Lord, my +Lord and King, in whom I have trusted, to whom I have fled and been +delivered from my error, render thou due recompense to Barlaam thy +servant, because when I was in error he pointed thee to me, who art the +way of truth and life. Forbid me not to behold once more that angel in +bodily shape, of whom the world is not worthy, but grant me in his +company to finish the residue of my life, that, treading in the +footsteps of his conversation, I may be well-pleasing to thee my God +and Lord." + + + +XXIX. + +Now about the same time there was in that city a public assembly in +honour of the false gods, and the king must needs be present at the +feast, and grace it with lavish sacrifices. But the temple-keepers, +seeing that he was careless and lukewarm with regard to their worship, +feared that he might neglect to be present in their temple, and that +they might lose the royal largess, and the rest of their revenues. So +they arose, and withdrew to a cavern situate in the depth of the +desert, where dwelt a man who busied himself with magical arts, and was +a fervent champion of the error of idolatry. Theudas was his name. Him +the king honoured exceedingly, and counted him his friend and teacher, +because, he said, it was by the guidance of his prophecies that his +kingdom ever prospered. So these idol-priests, that were no priests, +came to him, and appealed to him for help, and made known to him the +evil opinion of their gods which was growing on their king, and all +that the king's son had done, and all the eloquent discourse that +Nachor had held against them. And they said, "Except thou come thyself +to our succour, gone is all hope! and lost is all the reverence of the +gods. Thou only art left to be our comfort in this misfortune, and upon +thee we fix our hopes." + +So forth marched Theudas, in company with his Satanic host; and he +armed himself against the truth, invoking many of his evil spirits, who +knew how to lend ready aid for evil ends, and whom he alway used for +his ministers; and with these allies he came to the king. When his +arrival had been announced to the king, and he had entered in, with a +palm-staff in his hand and a sheep-skin girt about his loins, the king +arose from his throne, and met and welcomed him; and, fetching a seat, +he made him to sit down beside him. Then spake Theudas unto the king, +"O king, live for ever under the shelter of the favour of the most +puissant gods! I have heard that thou hast foughten a mighty fight with +the Galileans, and hast been crowned with right glorious diadems of +victory. Wherefore I am come, that we may celebrate together a feast +of thanksgiving, and sacrifice to the immortal gods young men in the +bloom of youth and well-favoured damsels, and eke offer them an +hecatomb of bullocks and herds of beasts, that we may have them from +henceforth for our allies invincible, making plain our path of life +before us." + +Hereto the king made answer, "We have not conquered, aged sir, we have +not conquered: nay, rather have we been defeated in open fight. They +that were for us turned suddenly against us. They found our host a +wild, half-drunken, feeble folk, and utterly overthrew it. But now, if +there be with thee any power and strength to help our fallen religion +and set it up again, declare it." + +Theudas replied in this wise, "Dread not, O king, the oppositions and +vain babblings of the Galileans: for of what worth against reasonable +and sensible men are the arguments that they use? These methinks shall +be more easily overthrown than a leaf shaken with the wind. They shall +not endure to face me, far less join argument, or come to propositions +and oppositions with me. But, in order that the coming contest and all +our wishes may prosper, and that our matters may run smoothly with the +stream, adorn thou with thy presence this public festival, and gird on +for thy strong sword the favour of the gods, and well befall thee!" + +When the mighty in wickedness had thus boasted himself and thought of +mischief all the day long (let David bear his part in our chorus), and +when, as saith Esay, he had given his neighbour a drink of turbid +dregs, by the help of the evil spirits his comrades he made the king +utterly to forget the thoughts that inclined him to salvation, and +caused him again to cleave to his wonted ways. Then the king +despatched letters hither and thither, that all men should gather +together to this loathsome assembly. Then mightest thou have seen +multitudes streaming in, and bringing with them sheep and oxen and +divers kinds of beasts. + +So when all were assembled, the king arose, with that deceiver Theudas, +and proceeded to the temple, bringing one hundred and twenty bullocks +and many animals for sacrifice. And they celebrated their accursed +feast till the city resounded with the cry of the brute beasts and the +very air was polluted with the reek of sacrifice. This done, when the +spirits of wickedness had greatly vaunted them over Theudas' victory, +and when the temple-keepers had rendered him thanks, the king went up +again unto his palace, and said milo Theudas, "Behold now, as thou +badest us, we have spared no pains over the splendour of this gathering +and the lavishness of the sacrifice. Now, therefore, it is time for +thee to fulfil thy promises, and to deliver from the error of the +Christians my son that hath rebelled against our religion, and to +reconcile him to our gracious gods. For, though I have left no device +and deed untried, yet have I found no remedy for the mischief, but I +perceive that his will is stronger than all. When I have dealt gently +and kindly with him, I have found that he payeth me no regard +whatsoever. When I have treated him harshly and severely, I have seen +him driven the quicker to desperation. To thy wisdom for the future I +leave the care of this calamity that hath befallen me. If then I be +delivered from this trouble by thy means, and once more behold my son +worshipping my gods with me, and enjoying the gratification of this +life of pleasure, and this royal estate, I will set up unto thee a +golden statue, and make thee to receive divine honours from all men for +all time to come." + +Hereupon Theudas, bowing an attentive ear to the evil one, and learning +from him the secret of his evil and deadly counsel, became himself the +devil's tongue and mouthpiece, and spake unto the king, "If thou wilt +get the better of thy son, and make his opposition vain, I have +discovered a plan, which he shall in no wise be able to resist, but his +hard and obdurate mind shall melt quicker than wax before the hottest +fire." The king, seeing this foolish fellow swelling with empty pride, +immediately grew merry and joyful, hoping that the unbridled and +boastful tongue would get the mastery of that divinely instructed and +philosophic soul. "And what is the plan?" he asked. Then began Theudas +to weave his web. He made his villainy sharp as any razor and did +cunningly prepare his drugs. Now behold this malicious device and +suggestion of the evil one. "Remove, O king," said he, "all thy son's +waiting men and servants far from him, and order that comely damsels, +of exceeding beauty, and bedizened to be the more winsome, be +continually with him and minister to him, and be his companions day and +night. For myself, I will send him one of the spirits told off for +such duties, and I will thus kindle all the more fiercely the coals of +sensual desire. After that he hath once only had intercourse with but +one of these women, if all go not as thou wilt, then disdain me for +ever, as unprofitable, and worthy not of honour but of dire punishment. +For there is nothing like the sight of women to allure and enchant the +minds of men. Listen to a story that beareth witness to my word." + + + +XXX. + +"A certain king was grieved and exceeding sad at heart, because that he +had no male issue, deeming this no small misfortune. While he was in +this condition, there was born to him a son, and the king's soul was +filled with joy thereat. Then they that were learned amongst his +physicians told him that, if for the first twelve years the boy saw the +sun or fire, he should entirely lose his sight, for this was proved by +the condition of his eyes. Hearing this, the king, they say, caused a +little house, full of dark chambers, to be hewn out of the rock, and +therein enclosed his child together with the men that nursed him, and, +until the twelve years were past, never suffered him to see the least +ray of light. After the fulfilment of the twelve years, the king +brought forth from his little house his son that had never seen a +single object, and ordered his waiting men to show the boy everything +after his kind; men in one place, women in another; elsewhere gold and +silver; in another place, pearls and precious stones, fine and +ornamental vestments, splendid chariots with horses from the royal +stables, with golden bridles and purple caparisons, mounted by armed +soldiers; also droves of oxen and flocks of sheep. In brief, row after +row, they showed the boy everything. Now, as he asked what each ox +these was called, the king's esquires and guards made known unto him +each by name: but, when he desired to learn what women were called, the +king's spearman, they say, wittily replied that they were called, +"Devils that deceive men." But the boy's heart was smitten with the +love of these above all the rest. So, when they had gone round +everywhere and brought him again unto the king, the king asked, which +of all these sights had pleased him most. "What," answered the boy, +"but the Devils that deceive men? Nothing that I have seen to-day hath +fired my heart with such love as these." The king was astonished at the +saying of the boy, to think how masterful a thing the love of women is. +Therefore think not to subdue thy son in any other way than this." + +The king heard this tale gladly; and there were brought before him some +chosen damsels, young and exceeding beautiful. These he bedizened with +dazzling ornaments and trained in all winsome ways: and then he turned +out of the palace all his son's squires and serving men, and set these +women in their stead. These flocked around the prince, embraced him, +and provoked him to filthy wantonness, by their walk and talk inviting +him to dalliaunce. Besides these, he had no man at whom to look, or +with whom to converse or break his fast, for these damsels were his +all. Thus did the king. But Theudas went home to his evil den, and, +dipping into his books that had virtue to work such magic, he called up +one of his wicked spirits and sent him forth, for to battle with the +soldier of the army of Christ. But the wretch little knew what +laughter he should create against himself, and to what shame he should +be put, with the whole devilish troop under him. So the evil spirit, +taking to him other spirits more wicked than himself, entered the +bed-chamber of this noble youth, and attacked him by kindling right +furiously the furnace of his flesh. The evil one plied the bellows +from within, while the damsels, fair of face, but uncomely of soul, +supplied the evil fuel from without. + +But Ioasaph's pure soul was disturbed to feel the touch of evil, and to +see the warlike host of strange thoughts that was charging down upon +him. And he sought to find deliverance from this great mischief, and +to present himself pure unto Christ, and not defile in the mire of +sinful lust that holy apparel, wherein the grace of holy Baptism had +clothed him. Immediately he set love against love, the divine against +the lascivious; and he called to remembrance the beauty and unspeakable +glory of Christ, the immortal bridegroom of virgin souls, and of that +bride chamber and marriage, from whence they that have stained their +wedding-garment are piteously cast out, bound hand and foot, into outer +darkness. When he had thought thereon, and shed bitter tears, he smote +upon his breast, driving out evil thoughts, as good-for-nothing drones +from the hive. When he rose, and spread out his hands unto heaven, +with fervent tears and groans calling upon God to help him, and he +said, "Lord Almighty, who alone art powerful and merciful, the hope of +the hopeless, and the help of the helpless, remember me thine +unprofitable servant at this hour, and look upon me with a gracious +countenance, and deliver my soul from the sword of the devil, and my +darling from the paw of the dog: suffer me not to fall into the hands +of mine enemies, and let not them that hate me triumph over me. Leave +me not to be destroyed in iniquities, and to dishonour my body which I +swore to present unto thee chaste. For for thee I yearn; thee I +worship, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and for +evermore, and world without end." When he had added the Amen, he felt +heavenly comfort stealing over him from above, and the evil thoughts +withdrew, and he continued in prayer until early morn. Being ware of +the devices of the crafty foe, he began more and more to afflict his +body by abstinence from meat and drink, and by other severities, +standing in prayer all the night long, and reminding himself of his +covenants made with God, and picturing in his mind the glory of the +righteous yonder, and recounting to himself the full terrors of the +Gehenna wherewith the wicked are threatened; all this, that the enemy +might not find his soul lying fallow and untilled, and thus easily sow +therein the seeds of evil thoughts, and befoul the cleanness of his +mind. So, when the enemy was in great straits on every side, and +altogether in despair of taking this noble youth, like a cunning knave, +he proceeded to another more subtil device, he that is for ever wicked, +and never stinteth to contrive mischief and hurt. For he made furious +endeavour to carry out the orders that Theudas had given him, and once +more prepared his drugs, and on this wise. + +The devil entered into the heart of one of the young damsels. Of all +she was the most seemly, a king's daughter, carried away captive from +her own country, given to king Abenner as a great prize, and sent by +him, being of ripe beauty, to his own son, for to cause him to slip or +to trip. Of her the deceiver took possession, and whispered in her ear +suggestions that plainly showed the wisdom and understanding of her +mind; for the evil one easily pursueth all devices that make for +wickedness. Then the evil spirit attacked the king's son on the right +hand, and gave him a potion to make him love the maiden, by reason--so +he pretended--of her prudence and discretion and of her nobility and +royal blood that yet had not saved her from banishment and loss of +glory. Moreover the devil secretly sowed in Ioasaph's heart thoughts +that he might recover her from idolatry, and make her a Christian. + +But these were all stratagems of the wily serpent. For the king's son, +being in this frame of mind, could see in himself no unclean thought or +passionate affection for the damsel, but only sympathy and pity for her +misfortune, and the ruin of her soul, and knew not that this matter was +a device of the devil; for verily he is darkness, and feigneth to be +light. So he began to commune with the damsel, and talk with her over +the oracles of the knowledge of God, and said, "Lady, be thou +acquainted with the ever-living God, and perish not in the error of +these idols; but know thy Lord, and the Maker of all this world, and +thou shalt be happy, the bride of the immortal bridegroom." While he +exhorted her with many such-like words, immediately the evil spirit +whispered to the girl that she should spread under his feet the nets of +deceit to drag his blessed soul into the pit of lust, as he once did to +our first parent by means of Eve, thus miserably banishing him, alas! +from Paradise and God, and making him to become subject to death in +lieu of bliss and everlasting life. + +When the damsel heard Ioasaph's words fulfilled with all wisdom, being +without understanding, she understood them not, but made answer thus, +becoming the tongue and mouth-piece of the evil one: "If, sir, thou +takest thought for my salvation, and desirest to bring me to thy God, +and to save my poor soul, do thou also thyself grant me one request, +and straightway I will bid good-bye to my fathers' gods, and join thy +God, serving him until my last breath; and thou shalt receive +recompense for my salvation, and for my turning to God-ward." + +"Lady, and what is thy request?" said he. But she, setting her whole +self, figure, look and voice in a fashion to charm him, answered, "Be +thou joined with me in the bonds of wedlock, and I will joyfully follow +out thy behests." + +"In vain, O Lady," said he, "hast thou made this hard request. For +though I earnestly care for thy salvation, and long to heave thee from +the depth of perdition, yet to pollute my body through unclean union is +grievous for me, and utterly impossible." + +She, seeking to make the way straight and smooth for him, cried, "Why +dost thou, who are so wise, talk thus? Wherefore speakest thou of it +as of defilement and shameful intercourse? I am not unacquainted with +the Christian books: nay, I have met with many volumes in mine own +country, and have heard the discourses of many Christians. What, is it +not written in one of your books, 'Marriage is honourable, and the bed +undefiled'? and, 'It is better to marry than to burn'? and again, +'What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder'? Do not your +Scriptures teach that all the righteous men of old, patriarchs and +prophets, were wedded? Is it not written that the mighty Peter, whom +ye call Prince of the Apostles, was a married man? Who, then, hath +persuaded thee to call this defilement? Methink, sir, thou strayest +utterly away from the truth of your doctrines." + +"Yea, Lady," said he, "all this is even as thou sayest. It is +permitted to all who will to live in wedlock, but not to them that have +once made promise to Christ to be virgins. For myself, ever since I +was cleansed in the laver of Holy Baptism from the sins of my youth and +ignorance, I have resolved to present myself pure to Christ, and how +shall I dare break my covenants with God?" + +Again quoth the damsel, "Let this also be thy pleasure, as thou wilt. +But fulfil me one other small and trivial desire of mine, if thou art +in very truth minded for to save my soul. Keep company with me this +one night only, and grant me to revel in thy beauty, and do thou in +turn take thy fill of my comeliness. And I give thee my word, that, +with daybreak, I will become a Christian, and forsake all the worship +of my gods. Not only shalt thou be pardoned for this dealing, but thou +shalt receive recompense from thy God because of my salvation, for thy +Scripture saith, 'There is joy in heaven over one sinner that +repenteth.' If, therefore, there is joy in heaven over the conversion +of a sinner, shall not great recompense be due to the causer of that +conversion? Yea, so it is: and dispute it not. Did not even the +Apostles, the leaders of your religion, do many a thing by +dispensation, at times transgressing a commandment on account of a +greater one? Is not Paul said to have circumcised Timothy on account +of a greater dispensation? And yet circumcision hath been reckoned by +Christians as unlawful, but yet he did not decline so to do. And many +other such things shalt thou find in thy Scriptures. If then in very +sooth, as thou sayest, thou seekest to save my soul, fulfil me this my +small desire. And although I seek to be joined with thee in the full +estate of matrimony, yet, sith this is contrary to thy mind, I will +never constrain thee again, but will do everything that liketh thee. +For the rest, do not thou utterly abhor me; but hearken to me for the +nonce, and thou shalt deliver me from superstitious error, and thou +shalt do whatever seemeth thee good hereafter all the days of thy life." + +Thus spake she; for indeed she had, for her adviser, one to whom she +lent a privy ear, and the pirate was well versed in Scripture, being +verily the creator and teacher of iniquity. Thus then she spake with +fawning words entangling him, right and left, around with her toils and +meshes, and she began to shake the citadel of his soul, and to slacken +his tension of purpose, and to soften the temper of his mind. Then the +sower of these evil tares, and enemy of the righteous, when he saw the +young man's heart wavering, was full of joy, and straightway called to +the evil spirits that were with him, crying, "Look you how yond damsel +hasteth to bring to pass all that we were unable to accomplish! +Hither! fall we now furiously upon him: for we shall find none other +season so favourable to perform the will of him that sent us." Thus +spake this crafty spirit to his hounds: and straightway they lept on +that soldier of Christ, disquieting all the powers of his soul, +inspiring him with vehement love for the damsel, and kindling within +him the fiercest fire of lust. + +When Ioasaph saw that he was greatly inflamed, and was being led +captive into sin, and perceived that his thoughts about the salvation +of the damsel and her conversion to God had been set like bait on hook +to hide the deed which she purposed, and were troubling him with the +suggestion of the enemy, that, for the salvation of a soul, it was not +sin for once to lie with a woman, then in the agony of his soul he drew +a deep and lamentable groan, and nerved himself to pray, and, with +streams of tears running down his cheeks, he cried aloud to him that is +able to save them that trust in him, saying, "On thee, O Lord, have I +set my trust: let me not be confounded for ever; neither let mine +enemies triumph over me, that hold by thy right hand. But stand thou +by me at this hour, and according to thy will make straight my path, +that thy glorious and dreadful name may be glorified in me thy servant, +because thou art blessed for ever. Amen." + +Now when he had prayed in tears for many hours, and often bent the +knee, he sunk down upon the pavement. After he had slumbered awhile, +he saw himself carried off by certain dread men, and passing through +places which he had never heretofore beheld. He stood in a mighty +plain, all a-bloom with fresh and fragrant flowers, where he descried +all manner of plants of divers colours, charged with strange and +marvellous fruits, pleasant to the eye and inviting to the touch. The +leaves of the trees rustled clearly in a gentle breeze, and, as they +shook, sent forth a gracious perfume that cloyed not the sense. +Thrones were set there, fashioned of the purest gold and costly stones, +throwing out never so bright a lustre, and radiant settles among +wondrous couches too beautiful to be described. And beside them there +were running waters exceeding clear, and delightful to the eye. When +these dread men had led him through this great and wondrous plain, they +brought him to a city that glistered with light unspeakable, whose +walls were of dazzling gold, with high uprear'd parapets, built of gems +such as man hath never seen. Ah! who could describe the beauty and +brightness of that city? Light, ever shooting from above, filled all +her streets with bright rays; and winged squadrons, each of them itself +a light, dwelt in this city, making such melody as mortal ear ne'er +heard. And Ioasaph heard a voice crying, "This is the rest of the +righteous: this the gladness of them that have pleased the Lord." When +these dread men had carried him out from thence, they spake of taking +him back to earth. But he, that had lost his heart to that scene of +joyaunce and heartsease, exclaimed, "Reave me not, reave me not, I pray +you, of this unspeakable joy, but grant me also to dwell in one corner +of this mighty city." But they said, "It is impossible for thee to be +there now; but, with much toil and sweat, thou shalt come hither, if +thou constrain thyself." + +Thus spake they; and again they crossed that mighty plain, and bare him +to regions of darkness and utter woe, where sorrow matched the +brightness which he had seen above. There was darkness without a ray +of light, and utter gloom, and the whole place was full of tribulation +and trouble. There blazed a glowing furnace of fire, and there crept +the worm of torment. Revengeful powers were set over the furnace, and +there were some that were burning piteously in the fire, and a voice +was heard, saying, "This is the place of sinners; this the punishment +for them that have defiled themselves by foul practices." Hereupon +Ioasaph was carried thence by his guides; and, when he came to himself, +immediately he trembled from head to foot, and, like a river, his eyes +dropped tears, and all the comeliness of that wanton damsel and her +fellows was grown more loathsome to him than filth and rottenness. And +as he mused in his heart on the memory of the visions, in longing for +the good and in terror of the evil, he lay on his bed utterly unable to +arise. + +Then was the king informed of his son's sickness; and he came and asked +what ailed him. And Ioasaph told him his vision, and said, "Wherefore +hast thou laid a net for my feet, and bowed down my soul? If the Lord +had not helped me, my soul had well nigh dwelt in hell. But how loving +is God unto Israel, even unto such as are of a true heart! He hath +delivered me that am lowly from the midst of the dogs. For I was sore +troubled and I fell on sleep: but God my Saviour from on high hath +visited me, and showed me what joy they lose that provoke him and to +what punishments they subject themselves. And now, O my father, since +thou hast stopped thine ears not to hear the voice that will charm thee +to good, at least forbid me not to walk the straight road. For this I +desire, this I long for, to forsake all, and reach that place, where +Barlaam the servant of Christ hath his dwelling, and with him to finish +what remaineth of my life. But if thou keep me back by force, thou +shalt quickly see me die of grief and despair, and thou shalt be no +more called father, nor have me to thy son." + + + +XXXI. + +Again therefore the king was seized with despondency, and again he was +like to abjure his whole way of life; and with strange thoughts he went +again unto his own palace. But the evil spirits, that had been sent +out by Theudas for to attack the young saint, returned to him, and, +lovers of leasing though they were, confessed their shameful defeat, +for they bare visible tokens of their defeat, upon their evil +countenance. Said Theudas, "And be ye so weak and puny that ye cannot +get the better of one young stripling?" Then did the evil spirits, +constrained, to their sorrow, by the might of God, bring to light the +truth, saying, "We cannot abide even the sight of the might of Christ, +and the symbol of his Passion, which they call the Cross. For, when +that sign is made, immediately all we, the princes of the air, and the +rulers of the darkness of the world, are utterly routed and +discomfited, even before the sign is completed. When we first fell +upon this youth, we vexed him sore; but when he called on Christ for +help, and armed him with the sign of the Cross, he routed us in angry +wise, and stablished himself in safety. So incontinent we found a +weapon, wherewith our chief did once confront the first-made man and +prevailed against him. And verily we should have made this young man's +hope vain; but again Christ was called on for help, and he consumed us +in the fire of his wrath from above, and put us to flight. We have +determined to approach the prince no more." Thus, then, did the evil +spirits plainly make known unto Theudas all that was come to pass. + +But the king, perplexed on every side, again summoned Theudas, and +said, "Most wisest of men, all that seemed good to thee have we +fulfilled, but have found no help therein. But now, if thou hast any +device left, we will make trial thereof. Peradventure I shall find +some escape from this evil." + +Then did Theudas ask for a meeting with his son; and on the morrow the +king took him and went forth to visit the prince. The king sat down +and provoked debate, upbraiding and chiding him for his disobedience +and stubbornness of mind. When Ioasaph again maintained his ease, and +loudly declared that he valued nothing so much as the love of Christ, +Theudas came forward and said, "Wherefore, Ioasaph, dost thou despise +our immortal gods, that thou hast departed from their worship, and, +thus incensing thy father the king, art become hateful to all the +people? Dost thou not owe thy life to the gods? And did they not +present thee to the king in answer to his prayer, thus redeeming him +from the bondage of childlessness?" While this Theudas, waxen old in +wickedness, was putting forth these many vain arguments and useless +propositions, and weaving words about the preaching of the Gospel, +desiring to turn it into mockery, and magnify idolatry, Ioasaph, the +son of the heavenly king, and citizen of that city which the Lord hath +builded and not man, waited a while and then said unto him, + +"Give ear, thou abyss of error, blacker than the darkness that may be +felt, thou seed of Babylon, child of the building of the tower of +Chalane, whereby the world was confounded, foolish and pitiable dotard, +whose sins out-weigh the iniquity of the five cities that were +destroyed by fire and brimstone. Why wouldest thou mock at the +preaching of salvation, whereby darkness hath been made light, the +wanderers have found the way, they that were lost in dire captivity +have been recalled. Tell me whether is better? To worship God +Almighty, with the only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, God increate +and immortal, the beginning and well-spring of good, whose power is +beyond compare, and his glory incomprehensible, before whom stand +thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand of Angels and +heavenly hosts, and heaven and earth are full of his glow, by whom all +things were brought into being out of nothing, by whom everything is +upheld and sustained and ordered by his providence; or to serve deadly +devils and lifeless idols, whose glory and boast is in adultery and the +corrupting of boys, and other works of iniquity that have been recorded +concerning your gods in the books of your superstition? Have ye no +modesty, ye miserable men, fuel for unquenchable fire, true copy of the +Chaldean race, have ye no shame to worship dead images, the works of +men's hands? Ye have carved stone and graven wood and called it God. +Next ye take the best bullock out of your folds, or (may be) some other +of your fairest beasts, and in your folly make sacrifice to your dead +divinity. Your sacrifice is of more value than your idol; for the +image was fashioned by man, but the beast was created by God. How much +wiser is the unreasonable beast than thou the reasonable man? For it +knoweth the hand that feedeth it, but thou knowest not that God by whom +thou wast created out of nothing, by whom thou livest, and art +preserved; and thou callest God that which thou sawest, but now, +smitten by steel, and burnt and moulded in the fire, and beaten with +hammers, which thou hast covered around with silver and gold, and +raised from the ground, and set on high. Then, falling upon the earth, +thou liest baser than the base stone, worshipping not God but thine own +dead and lifeless handiwork. Or rather, the idol hath no right to be +called even dead, for how can that have died which never lived? Thou +shouldest invent some new name worthy of such madness. Thy stone god +is broken asunder; thy potsherd god shattered; thy brazen god rusteth; +thy gold or silver god is melted down. Aye, and thy gods are sold, +some for a paltry, others for a great price. Not their divinity but +their material giveth them value. But who buyeth God? Who offereth +God for sale? And how is that god that cannot move called God? Seest +thou not that the god that standeth cannot sit, and the god that +sitteth cannot stand? + +"Be ashamed, thou fool, and lay thine hand upon thy mouth, thou victim +of folly, that commendest such things as these. Estranged from the +truth, thou hast been led astray by false images, fashioning statues +and attaching to the works of thine own hands the name of God. O +wretched man, return to thy senses, and learn that thou art older than +the god made by thee. This is downright madness. Being a man, thou +hast persuaded thyself that thou canst make God. How can this be? +Thou makest not God, but the likeness of a man, or of some beast, sans +tongue, sans throat, sans brains, sans inwards, so that it is the +similitude neither of a man, nor of a beast, but only a thing of no use +and sheer vanity. Why therefore flatterest thou things that cannot +feel? Why sittest thou at the feet of things that cannot move and help +thee? But for the skill of the mason, or timber-wright, or +hammer-smith, thou hadst not had a god. Had there been no warders nigh +at hand, thou hadst lost thy god. He, to whom many a populous city of +fools prayeth as God to guard it, the same hath suite of guards at hand +to save him from being stolen. And if he be of silver or gold, he is +carefully guarded; but if of stone or clay or any other less costly +ware, he guardeth himself, for with you, no doubt, a god of clay is +stronger than one of gold. + +"Do we not, then, well to laugh you to scorn, or rather to weep over +you, as men blind and without understanding? Your deeds are deeds of +madness and not of piety. Your man of war maketh to himself an image +after the similitude of a warrior, and calleth it Ares. And the +lecher, making a symbol of his own soul, deifieth his vice and calleth +it Aphrodite. Another, in honour of his own love of wine, fashioneth +an idol which he calleth Dionysus. Likewise lovers of all other evil +things set up idols of their own lusts; for they name their lusts their +gods. And therefore, before their altars, there are lascivious dances, +and strains of lewd songs and mad revelries. Who could recount in +order their abominable doings? Who could endure to defile his lips by +the repeating of their filthy communications? But these are manifest +to all, even if we hold our peace. These be thine objects of worship, +O Theudas, who art more senseless than thine idols. Before these thou +biddest me fall down and worship. This verily is the counsel of thine +iniquity and senseless mind. But thou thyself shalt be like unto them, +and all such as put their trust in them. + +"As for me, I will serve my God, and to him will I wholly sacrifice +myself, to God, the Creator and protector of all things through our +Lord Jesus Christ, my hope, by whom we have access unto the Father of +lights, in the Holy Ghost: by whom we have been redeemed from bitter +slavery by his blood. For if he had not humbled himself so far as to +take the form of a servant, we had not received the adoption of sons. +But he humbled himself for our sake, not considering the Godhead a +thing to be grasped, but he remained that which he was, and took on +himself that which he was not, and conversed with men, and mounted the +Cross in his flesh, and was laid in the sepulchre by the space of three +days; he descended into hell, and brought out from thence them whom the +fierce prince of this world held prisoners, sold into bondage by sin. +What harm then befell him thereby that thou thinkest to make mock of +him? Seest thou not yonder sun, into how many a barren and filthy +place he darteth his rays? Upon how many a stinking corpse doth he +cast his eye? Hath he therefore any stain of reproach? Doth he not +dry and shrivel up filth and rottenness, and give light to dark places, +himself the while unharmed and incapable of receiving any defilement? +And what of fire? Doth it not take iron, which is black and cold in +itself, and work it into white heat and harden it? Doth it receive any +of the properties of the iron? When the iron is smitten and beaten +with hammers is the fire any the worse, or doth it in any way suffer +harm? + +"If, then, these created and corruptible things take no hurt from +contact with things commoner than themselves, with what reason dost +thou, O foolish and stony-hearted man, presume to mock at me for saying +that the Son, the Word of God, never departing from the Father's glory, +but remaining the same God, for the salvation of men hath taken upon +him the flesh of man, to the end that he may make men partakers of his +divine and intelligent nature and may lead our substance out of the +nether parts of hell, and honour it with heavenly glory; to the end +that by taking of our flesh he may ensnare and defeat the ruler of the +darkness of this world, and free our race from his tyranny. Wherefore, +I tell thee, without suffering he met the suffering of the Cross, +presenting therein his two natures. For, as man, he was crucified; +but, as God, he darkened the sun, shook the earth, and raised from +their graves many bodies that had fallen asleep. Again, as man, he +died; but, as God, after that he had harried hell, he rose again. +Wherefore also the prophet cried, Hell is in bitterness at having met +thee below: for it was put to bitter derision, supposing that it had +received a mere man, but finding God, and being made suddenly empty and +led captive. Therefore, as God, he rose again, and ascended into +heaven, from whence he was never parted. And our nature, so worthless +and senseless beyond everything, so graceless and dishonoured, hath he +made higher than all things, and established it upon a throne of +honour, with immortal honour shining round. What harm therefore came +to God, the Word, that thou blasphemest without a blush? Go to! +Better were it to make this confession, and to worship such a God, who +is good and a lover of mankind, who commandeth righteousness, enjoineth +continency, ordaineth chastity, teacheth mercy, giveth faith, preacheth +peace; who is called and is himself the very truth, the very love, the +very goodness. Him were it not better to worship than thy gods of many +evil passions, of shameful names and shameful lives? Woe unto you that +are more stony-hearted than the stones, and more senseless than the +senseless, sons of perdition, inheritors of darkness! But blessed am I, +and all Christian folk, having a good God and a lover of mankind! They +that serve him, though, for a season in this life they endure evil, yet +shall they reap the immortal harvest of recompense in the kingdom of +unending and divine felicity." + + + +XXXII. + +Theudas said unto him, "Behold, it is evident that our religion was +instituted by many mighty wise men, and interpreters, marvellous in +virtue and learning; and all the kings and rulers of the earth have +received it as good and sure in every point. But that of the Galileans +was preached by some country peasants, poor and common men, a mere +handful, not exceeding twelve in number. How then should one prefer +the preaching of these few obscure countrymen to the ordinance of the +many that are mighty and brilliantly wise? What is the proof that your +teachers be right and the others wrong?" + +Again the king's son made answer, "Belike, Theudas, thou art the ass of +the proverb, that heard but heeded not the harp; or rather the adder +that stoppeth her ears, that she may not hear the voice of the +charmers. Well, therefore, spake the prophet concerning thee, If the +Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots, then mayest +thou also do good, that hast been taught to do evil. Thou fool and +blind, why doth not the force of truth bring thee to thy senses? The +very fact that your foul idols are commended by many men of marvellous +wisdom, and established by kings, while the Gospel is preached by a few +men of no mark, sheweth the might of our religion and the weakness and +deadliness of your wicked doctrines. Because your side, despite its +having wise advocates and mighty champions, is dying down, and waxing +weak, whilst our religion, though possessed of no human help, shineth +from afar brighter than the sun, and hath won the fulness of the world. +If it had been set up by orators and philosophers, and had had kings +for its succour, thou that art evil wouldst have found occasion to +declare that it was wholly of human power. But now, seeing, as thou +dost, that the holy Gospel, though composed but by common fishermen, +and persecuted by every tyrant, hath after this won the whole world for +its sound hath gone out into all lands, and its words into the ends of +the world--what canst thou say but that it is a divine and +unconquerable power establishing its own cause for the salvation of +mankind? But what proof seekest thou, O fool, that thy prophets are +liars and ours true, better than the truths I have told thee? Except +thy cause had been vain talk and falsehood, it could not, possessing +such human support as it did, have suffered loss and decline. For he +saith, 'I have seen the ungodly in great power, and exalted like the +cedars of Libanus: and I went by and lo, he was gone: and I sought him +but his place could nowhere be found.' + +"Concerning you, the defenders of idolatry, were these words spoken by +the prophet. For a very, very little while and your place shall not be +found: but, like as the smoke vanisheth, and like as wax melteth in +face of the fire, so shall ye fail. But, as touching the divine wisdom +of the Gospel, thus saith the Lord, 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, +but my words shall not pass away.' And again the Psalmist saith, +'Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; +and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou +endurest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a +vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed, but thou +art the same, and thy years shall not fail!' And those divine +preachers of the coming of Christ, those wise fishers of the world, +whose nets drew all men from the depths of deceit, whom thou, in thy +vileness and bondage to sin, dost vilify, did by signs and wonders and +manifold powers shine as the sun in the world, giving sight to the +blind, hearing to the deaf, motion to the lame, and life to the dead. +Their shadows alone healed all the ailments of men. The devils, whom +ye dread as gods, they not only cast forth from men's bodies, but even +drave out of the world itself by the sign of the cross, whereby they +destroyed all sorcery, and rendered witchcraft powerless. And these +men, by curing every disease of man by the power of Christ, and +renewing all creation, are rightly admired as preachers of truth by all +men of sound mind. But what hast thou thyself to say of thy wise men +and orators, whose wisdom God hath made foolish, the advocates of the +devil? What worthy memorial have they bequeathed to the world? Tell +me. And what canst thou tell of them but unreason and shamefulness, +and vain craft that with glosing words concealeth the mire of their +unsavoury worship? + +"Moreover such of your poets as have been able to soar a little above +this great madness have said, with more truth, that they, which are +called gods, were men; and because certain of them had been rulers of +regions and cities, and others had done something of no great account +in their lifetime, men were so deceived as to call them gods. It +standeth on record that the man Seruch was the first to bring in the +use of images. For it is said that in the old times he honoured those +who had achieved some memorable deed of courage, friendship, or any +other such virtue with statues and pillars. But after generations +forgat the intention of their ancestors: and, whereas it was only for +remembrance sake that they had set up statues and pillars to the doers +of noble deeds, now they were, little by little, led astray through the +working of the prince of evil, the devil, and treated as immortal gods +men of like passions and corruptible as themselves and further devised +sacrifices and drink-offerings for them,--the devils, thou mayest know, +taking up their abode in these images and diverting to themselves these +honours and sacrifices. Accordingly these devils persuade men, who +refuse to have God in their knowledge, to consider them as gods for two +reasons: first, that they may be glorified by this title (for they are +puffed up with arrogance, and delight to be honoured as gods) next, +that they may drag their poor dupes into the unquenchable fire prepared +for themselves. Hence they teach men all iniquity and filthiness, +seeing that they have once subjected themselves to their deceit. So +when men had arrived at this pinnacle of evil, they, being darkened, +set up every man an idol of his own vice and his own lust, and call it +a god. They were abominable in their error, more abominable in the +absurdity of the objects that they chose to worship, until the Lord +came, and of his tender mercy redeemed us that trust in him from this +wicked and deadly error, and taught men the true knowledge of God. For +there is no salvation except in him, and there is none other God, +neither in heaven, nor in earth, except him only, the Maker of all, who +moveth all things by the word of his power: for he saith, 'By the word +of the Lord were the heavens made stedfast, and all the power of them +by the breath of his mouth,' and, 'All things were made by him, and +without him was not anything made that was made.'" + +When Theudas had heard these sayings, and seen that the word was full +of divine wisdom, like one thunder-struck, he was smitten dumb. Now +late in time, and with difficulty, came he to understand his own +misery, for the word of salvation had touched the darkened vision of +his heart, and there fell upon him deep remorse for his past sins. He +renounced the error of his idols, and ran towards the light of +godliness, and from henceforth departed from his miserable life, and +made himself as bitter an enemy of vile affections and sorceries as he +before had pledged himself their devoted friend, For at this season he +stood up in the midst of the assembly, and cried with a loud voice, +saying, "Verily, O king, the Spirit of God dwelleth in thy son. +Verily, we are defeated, and have no further apology, and have no +strength to face the words that he hath uttered. Mighty therefore, in +sooth, is the God of the Christians: mighty is their faith: mighty are +their mysteries." + +Then he turned him round toward the king's son and said, "Tell me now, +thou man, whose soul is enlightened, will Christ accept me, if I +forsake my evil deeds and turn to him?" "Yea," said that preacher of +truth; "Yea, he receiveth thee and all that turn to him. And he not +only receiveth thee, but he goeth out to meet thee returning out of the +way of iniquity, as though it were a son returning from a far country. +And he falleth on his neck and kisseth him, and he strippeth him of the +shameful robe of sin, and putteth on him a cloak of brightest glory, +making mystic gladness for the powers on high, keeping feast for the +return of the lost sheep. The Lord himself saith, 'There is exceeding +great joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth': and again, 'I am +not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.' And he saith +also by the Prophet, 'As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in +the death of the sinner, and the ungodly, but that he should turn from +his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil way. And why will +ye die, O house of Israel?' For the wickedness of the wicked shall not +hurt him in the day that he turneth from his wickedness, if he do +righteousness and walk in the statutes of life, he shall surely live; +he shall not die. None of his sins which he hath committed shall be +remembered against him. Because he hath done the decree of +righteousness, he shall live thereby. And again he crieth by the mouth +of another prophet, 'Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of +your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil: learn to do well. +Come now, and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, I +will make them white as snow; though they be red like crimson, I will +make them white as wool.' Such therefore being the promises made by +God to them that turn to him, tarry not, O thou man, nor make delay: +but draw nigh to Christ, our loving God, and be enlightened, and thy +face shall not be ashamed. For as soon as thou goest down into the +laver of Holy Baptism, all the defilement of the old man, and all the +burden of thy many sins, is buried in the water, and passeth into +nothingness, and thou comest up from thence a new man, pure from all +pollution, with no spot or wrinkle of sin upon thee; and thenceforward +it is in thy power ever to keep for thyself the purity that thou +gainest hereby through the tender mercy of our God." + +When Theudas had been thus instructed, he went out immediately and gat +him to his evil den, and took his magical books, and, because they were +the beginnings of all evil, and the storehouses of devilish mysteries, +burnt them with fire. And he betook himself to the cave of that same +holy man, to whom Nachor also had resorted, and told him that which had +befallen him, casting dust upon his head, and groaning deeply, and +watering himself with his tears, and telling the aged man the full tale +of his loathly deeds. He, well skilled in the saving of a soul and the +snatching it from the jaw of the wily serpent, charmed away his sorrow +with words of salvation, and pledged him forgiveness and promised him a +merciful Judge. Then, after he had instructed and charged him to fast +many days, he cleansed him in Holy Baptism. And all the days of his +life Theudas heartily repented him of his misdeeds, with tears and +sighs seeking the favour of God. + + + +XXXIII. + +As for the king, when things fortuned thus, he was completely +bewildered, and plainly showed his sore vexation and tumult of soul. +So again he called all his senators together, and considered what means +were still his to deal with his son. Many men put forward many +counsels, but that Araches, of whom we have spoken, the most famous in +his office, and first of his councillors, spake unto the king, saying, +"What was there to be done with thy son, O king, that we have not done, +to induce him to follow our doctrines and serve our gods? But, as I +perceive, we aim at the impossible. By nature, or, it may be, by +chance, he is contentious and implacable. Now, if it be thy purpose to +deliver him to torture and punishment, thou shalt do contrary to +nature, and be no more called a father; and thou shalt lose thy son, +willing, as he is, to lay down his life for Christ his sake. This, +then, alone remaineth: to divide thy kingdom with him, and entrust him +with the dominion of that part which falleth to his lot; and if the +course of events, and the care of the business of life, draw him to +embrace our aim and way, then the thing shall be according to our +purpose; for habits, firmly established in the soul, are difficult to +obliterate, and yield quicker to persuasion than to violence. But if +he shall continue in the Christian religion, yet shall it be some +solace to time in thy distress, that thou hast not lost thy son." Thus +spake Araches, and all bare witness that they welcomed his proposal. +Therefore also the king agreed that this matter should thus be settled. +So at day-break he called his son, and said unto him, "This is now my +latest word with thee, my son. Unless thou be obedient thereto, and in +this way heal my heart, know thou well, that I shall no longer spare +thee." When his son enquired the meaning of his word, he said, "Since, +after all my labours, I find thee in all points unyielding to the +persuasion of my words, come now; I will divide with thee my kingdom, +and make thee king over the half-part thereof; and thou shalt be free, +from now, to go whatsoever way thou wilt without fear." He, though his +saintly soul perceived that the king was casting yet another snare to +trip his purpose, resolved to obey, in order that he might escape his +hands, and take the journey that he desired. So he answered and said, +"I have indeed been longing to go in quest of that man of God that +pointed out to me the way of salvation, and, bidding farewell to +everything, to pass the rest of my life in his company. But, father, +since thou sufferest me not to fulfil my heart's desire, I will obey +thee herein: for where there is no clear danger of perdition and +estrangement from God, it is right to obey one's father." + +The king was filled with exceeding great joy, and divided all the +country under his sovranty into two parts, and appointed his son king, +and adorned him with the diadem, and arrayed him in all the splendour +of kingship, and sent him forth with a magnificent body-guard into the +kingdom set apart for him. And he bade his rulers and governors and +satraps, every one that would, to depart together with his son the +king. And he set apart a mighty and populous city for his kingdom, and +gave him everything that befitted a king. Thus then did Ioasaph +receive the power of kingship; and when he had reached that city, where +royal state had been prepared for him, on every tower of his city he +set up the sign of his Lord's passion, the venerable Cross of Christ. +And in person he besieged the idolatrous temples and altars, and razed +them to the ground, and uncovered their foundations, leaving no trace +of their ungodliness. + +And in the middle of the city he upreared for Christ, his Lord, a +temple mighty and passing fair, and he bade the people there often to +resort thither, and offer their worship to God by the veneration of the +Cross, himself standing in the midst in the presence of all, and +earnestly giving himself unto prayer. And as many as were under his +hand he admonished and exhorted, and did everything to tear them away +from superstitious error, and to unite them to Christ; and he pointed +out the deceits of idolatry, and proclaimed the preaching of the +Gospel, and recounted the things concerning the condescension of God, +the Word, and preached the marvels of his coming, and made known his +sufferings on the Cross whereby we were saved, and the power of his +Resurrection, and his Ascension into heaven. Moreover he declared the +terrible day of his dreadful second coming, and the bliss laid up for +the righteous, and the punishments awaiting sinners. All these truths +he expounded with kindly mien and gentle words. For he was not minded +to be reverenced and feared for the grandeur of his power and kingly +magnificence, but rather for his humility and meekness. Hereby also he +more easily drew all men unto himself, being verily marvellous in his +acts, and equitable and modest in spirit. Wherefore his power, being +strongly reinforced by his gentleness and equity, caused all men to +yield themselves to his words. + +What wonder, then, if, in a little while, all his subjects, in city or +country, were so well initiated into his inspired teachings, that they +renounced the errors of their many gods, and broke away from idolatrous +drink-offerings and abominations, and were joined to the true faith and +were created anew by his doctrine, and added to the household of +Christ? And all, who for fear of Ioasaph's father had been shut up in +mountains and dens, priests and monks, and some few bishops, came forth +from their hiding places and resorted to him gladly. He himself would +meet and receive with honour those who had fallen upon such tribulation +and distress, for Christ his sake, and bring them to his own palace, +washing their feet, and cleansing their matted hair, and ministering to +them in every way. Then he dedicated his newly built church, and +therein appointed for chief-priest one of the bishops that had suffered +much, and had lost his own see, on account of his faith in Christ, an +holy man, and learned in the canons of the Church, whose heart was +fulfilled with heavenly zeal. And forthwith, when he had made ready a +rude font, he bade baptize them that were turning to Christ. And so +they were baptized, first the rulers and the men in authority; next, +the soldiers on service and the rest of the multitude. And they that +were baptized not only received health in their souls, but indeed as +many as were afflicted with bodily ailments and imperfections cast off +all their trouble, and came up from the holy font pure in soul, and +sound in body, reaping an harvest of health for soul and body alike. + +Wherefore also from all quarters multitudes flocked to King Ioasaph, +desirous to be instructed by him in godliness. And all idolatrous +images were utterly demolished, and all their wealth and temple +treasure was taken from them, and in their stead holy courts were built +for God. For these King Ioasaph dedicated the riches and costly +vestments and treasures of the idolatrous temples, thereby making this +worthless and superfluous material fit for service, and profitable. +And the foul fiends that dwelt in their altars and temples were +rigorously chased away and put to flight; and these, in the hearing of +many, loudly lamented the misfortune that had overtaken them. And all +the region round about was freed from their dark deceit, and +illuminated with the light of the blameless Christian faith. + +And, soothly, the king was a good example to all; and he inflamed and +kindled the hearts of many to be of the same mind with himself. For +such is the nature of authority. Its subjects alway conform to its +likeness, and are wont to love the same objects, and to practise the +pursuits which they perceive to be pleasing to their governor. Hence, +God helping, religion grew and increased amongst them. The king was +wholly dependent on the commandments of Christ and on his love, being a +steward of the word of grace, and pilot to the souls of many, bringing +them to safe anchorage in the haven of God. For he knew that this, +afore all things, is the work of a king, to teach men to fear God and +keep righteousness. Thus did he, training himself to be king over his +own passions, and, like a good pilot, keeping a firm hold of the helm +of good government for his subjects. For this is the end of good +kingship, to be king and lord over pleasure--which end also he +achieved. Of the nobility of his ancestors, or the royal splendour +around him, he was in no wise proud, knowing that we all have one +common forefather, made of clay, and that, whether rich or poor, we are +all of the same moulding. He ever abased his soul in deepest humility, +and thought on the blessedness of the world to come, and considered +himself a stranger and pilgrim in this world, but realised that that +was his real treasure which he should win after his departure hence. +Now, since all went well with him, and since he had delivered all the +people from their ancient and ancestral error, and made them servants +of him who redeemed us from evil servitude by his own precious blood, +he turned his thoughts to his next task, the virtue of almsgiving. +Temperance and righteousness he had already attained; he wore on his +brow the crown of temperance, and wrapped about him the purple of +righteousness. He called to mind the uncertainty of earthly riches, +how they resemble the running of river waters. Therefore made he haste +to lay up his treasure where neither 'moth nor rust doth corrupt and +where thieves do not break through nor steal.' So he began to +distribute all his money to the poor, sparing naught thereof. He knew +that the possessor of great authority is bound to imitate the giver of +that authority, according to his ability; and herein he shall best +imitate God, if he hold nothing in higher honour than mercy. Before +all gold and precious stone he stored up for himself the treasure of +almsgiving; treasure, which here gladdeneth the heart by the hope of +enjoyment to come, and there delighteth it with the taste of the +hoped-for bliss. After this he searched the prisons, and sought out +the captives in mines, or debtors in the grip of their creditors; and +by generous largesses to all he proved a father to all, orphans, and +widows, and beggars, a loving and good father, for he deemed that by +bestowing blessings on these he won a blessing for himself. Being +endowed with spiritual riches, and, in sooth, a perfect king, he gave +liberally to all that were in need, for he hoped to receive infinitely +more, when the time should come for the recompense of his works. + +Now, in little while, the fame of Ioasaph was blazoned abroad; and led, +as it were by the scent of sweet ointment, all men flocked to him +daily, casting off their poverty of soul and body: and his name was on +every man's lips. It was not fear and oppression that drew the people +to him, but desire and heart-felt love, which by God's blessing and the +king's fair life had been planted in their hearts. + +Then, too, did his father's subjects begin to come to him, and, laying +aside all error, received the Gospel of truth. And the house of +Ioasaph grew and waxed strong, but the house of Abenner waned and grew +weak, even as the Book of the Kings declareth concerning David and Saul. + + + +XXXIV. + +When king Abenner saw this, though late and loth, he came to his +senses, and renounced his false gods with all their impotence and vain +deceit. Again he called an assembly of his chief counsellors, and +brought to light the thoughts of his heart. As they confirmed his +words (for the day-spring from on high had visited them, the Saviour +who had heard the prayer of his servant Ioasaph), it pleased the king +to signify the same to his son. Therefore on the morrow he wrote a +letter to Ioasaph, running thus: + +"King Abenner to his well-beloved son Ioasaph, greeting. Dearest son, +many thoughts have been stealing into my soul, and rule it with a rod +of iron. I see our state vanishing, like as smoke vanisheth, but thy +religion shining brighter than the sun; and I have come to my senses, +and know that the words which thou hast ever spoken unto me are true, +and that a thick cloud of sin and wickedness did then cover us, so that +we were unable to discern the truth, and recognize the Creator of all. +Nay, but we shut our eyes, and would not behold the light which thou +didst enkindle more brightly for us. Much evil did we do unto thee, +and many of the Christians, alas! did we destroy; who, strengthened by +the power that aided them, finally triumphed over our cruelty. But now +we have removed that dense mist from our eyes, and see some small ray +of truth, and there cometh on us repentance of our misdeeds. But a new +cloud of despair would overshadow it; despair at the multitude of mine +offences, because I am now abominable and unacceptable to Christ, being +a rebel and a foeman unto him. What, then, sayest thou, dearest son, +hereto? Make known to me thine answer, and teach me that am thy father +what I should do, and lead me to the knowledge of my true weal." + +When Ioasaph had received this letter, and read the words therein, his +soul was filled with mingled joy and amazement. Forthwith he entered +his closet, and falling on his face before the image of his Master, +watered the ground with his tears, giving thanks to his Lord and +confessing him, and tuning lips of exultation to sing an hymn of +praise, saying: + +"I will magnify thee, O God, my King, and I will praise thy name for +ever and ever. Great art thou O Lord, and marvellous-worthy to be +praised, and of thy greatness there is no end. Who can express thy +noble acts, or show forth all thy praise, who hast turned the hard rock +into a standing water and the flint-stone into a springing well? For +behold this my father's flinty and more than granite heart is at thy +will melted as wax; because thou art able of these stones to raise up +children unto Abraham. I thank thee, Lord, thou lover of men, and God +of pity, that thou hast been, and art, long-suffering towards our +offences, and hast suffered us until now to go unpunished. Long have +we deserved to be cast away from thy face, and made a by-word on earth, +as were the sinful inhabiters of the five cities, consumed with fire +and brimstone; but thy marvellous long-suffering hath dealt graciously +with us. I give thanks unto thee, vile and unworthy though I be, and +insufficient of myself to glorify thy greatness. And, by thine infinite +compassions, I pray thee, Lord Jesu Christ, Son and Word of the +invisible Father, who madest all things by thy word, and sustainest +them by thy will; who hast delivered us thine unworthy servants from +the bondage of the arch-fiend our foe: thou that wast stretched upon +the Rood, and didst bind the strong man, and award everlasting freedom +to them that lay bound in his fetters: do thou now also stretch forth +thine invisible and almighty hand, and, at the last, free thy servant +my father from that cruel bondage of the devil. Show him full clearly +that thou art the ever living true God, and only King, eternal and +immortal. Behold, O Lord, with favourable and kindly eye, the +contrition of my heart; and, according to thine unerring promise, be +with me that acknowledge and confess thee the Maker and protector of +all creation. Let there be a well of water within me springing up, and +let utterance be given unto me that I may open my mouth, and a mind +well fixed in thee, the chief corner-stone, that I, thine unprofitable +servant, may be enabled to preach to my father, as is right, the +mystery of thine Incarnation, and by thy power deliver him from the +vain deceit of wicked devils, and bring him unto thee his God and Lord, +who willest not the death of us sinners, but waitest for us to return +and repent, because thou art glorified for ever and ever. Amen." + +When he had thus prayed, and received fulness of assurance that he +should not miscarry in his desire, he took courage by the tender mercy +of Christ, and arose thence, with his royal bodyguard, and arrived at +his father's palace. When it was told unto his father, "Thy son is +come," he went forth straightway for to meet him, and embraced and +kissed him lovingly, and made exceeding great joy, and held a general +feast in honour of the coming of his son. And afterward, they two were +closeted together. + +But how tell of all that the son spake with his father, and of all the +wisdom of his speech? And what was that speech but the words put into +his mouth by the Holy Ghost, by whom the fishermen enclosed the whole +world in their nets for Christ and the unlearned are found wiser than +the wise. This Holy Spirit's grace and wisdom taught Ioasaph to speak +with the king his father, enlightening him with the light of knowledge. +Before now he had bestowed much labour to drag his father from +superstitious error, leaving nothing unsaid and nothing undone to win +him over, but he seemed to be twanging on a broken string, and speaking +to deaf ears. But when the Lord looked upon the lowliness of his +servant Ioasaph, and, in answer to his prayer, opened the closed gates +of his father's heart (for it is said, he will fulfil the desire of +them that fear him, and will hear their cry), then the king easily +understood the things that were spoken; so that, when a convenient +season came, through the grace of Christ, this son triumphed over those +evil spirits that had lorded it over the soul of his father, and clean +freed him from their error, and made the word of salvation clearly +known unto him, and joined him to the living God on high. + +Ioasaph took up his tale from the beginning, and expounded to his +father great and marvellous things which he knew not, which he had +never heard with the ears of his heart; and he told him many weighty +sayings concerning God, and showed him righteousness: to wit that there +is no other God in heaven above, nor in the earth beneath, except the +one God, revealed in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And he +made known unto him many mysteries of divine knowledge; and amongst +them he told him the history of creation, visible and invisible, how +the Creator brought every thing out of nothing, and how he formed man +after his own image and likeness and endowed him with power of +free-will, and gave him Paradise to his enjoyment, charging him only to +abstain from one thing, the tree of knowledge; and how, when man had +broken his commandment, he banished him out of Paradise; and how man, +fallen from union with God, stumbled into these manifold errors, +becoming the slave of sins, and subject unto death through the tyranny +of the devil, who, having once taken men captive, hath made them +utterly forget their Lord and God, and hath persuaded them to serve him +instead, by the abominable worshipping of idols. So our Maker, moved +with compassion, through the good-will of the Father, and the +co-operation of the Holy Ghost, was pleased, for our sakes, to be born +of an holy Virgin, Mary, the mother of God, and he, that cannot suffer, +was acquainted with sufferings. On the third day he rose again from +the dead, and redeemed us from our first penalty, and restored to us +our first glory. When he ascended into the heavens, from whence he had +descended, he raised us up together with him; and thence, we believe +that he shall come again, to raise up his own handiwork; and he will +recompense every man according to his works. Moreover Ioasaph +instructed his father concerning the kingdom of heaven that awaiteth +them that are worthy thereof, and the joy unspeakable. Thereto he +added the torment in store for the wicked, the unquenchable fire, the +outer darkness, the undying worm and whatsoever other punishment the +servants of sin have laid up in store for themselves. + +All these things set he forth in many words, which bore witness that +the grace of the Spirit was dwelling richly within him. Then he +described the uncharted sea of the love of God towards mankind, and how +he is ready to accept the repentance of them that turn to him; and how +there is no sin too great for his tender mercy, if we will but repent. +And when he had confirmed these truths by many an example, and +testimony of Scripture, he made an end of speaking. + + + +XXXV. + +King Abenner was pricked to the heart by this inspired wisdom and with +loud voice and fervent heart confessed Christ his Saviour, and +forthwith forsook all superstitious error. He venerated the sign of +the life-giving Cross in the sight of all and, in the hearing of all, +proclaimed our Lord Jesus Christ to be God. By telling in full the +tale of his former ungodliness, and of his own cruelty and +blood-thirstiness toward the Christians, he proved himself a great +power for religion. So here was proved in fact, the saying of Paul; +that where sin abounded, there did grace much more abound. + +While then the learned Ioasaph was speaking of God, and of piety +towards him, to the dukes and satraps and all the people there +assembled, and was as it were with a tongue of fire piping unto them a +goodly ode, the grace of the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and moved +them to give glory to God, so that all the multitude cried aloud with +one voice, "Great is the God of the Christians, and there is none other +God but our Lord Jesus Christ, who, together with the Father and Holy +Ghost, is glorified." + +Waxen full of heavenly zeal, King Abenner made a sturdy assault on the +idols, wrought of silver and gold, that were within his palace, and +tore them down to the ground. Then he brake them into small pieces, +and distributed them to the poor, thus making that which had been +useless useful. Furthermore he and his son besieged the idols' temples +and altars and levelled them even to the ground, and in their stead, +and to the honour of God, built holy courts. And not only in the city +but throughout all the country also, thus did they in their zeal. And +the evil spirits that dwelt in those altars were driven forth with +shrieks, and cried out in terror at the invincible power of our God. +And all the region round about, and the greater part of the neighbour +nations, were led, as by the hand, to the true Faith. Then came the +holy Bishop, of whom we have spoken, and King Abenner was instructed, +and made perfect with Holy Baptism, in the name of the Father, and of +the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And Ioasaph received him as he came up +from the Holy Font, in this strange way appearing as the begetter of +his own father, and proving the spiritual father to him that begat him +in the flesh: for he was the son of his heavenly Father, and verily +divine fruit of that divine Branch, which saith, "I am the vine, ye are +the branches." + +Thus King Abenner, being born again of water and of the spirit, +rejoiced with joy unspeakable, and with him all the city and the region +round about received Holy Baptism, and they that were before darkness +now became children of light. And every disease, and every assault of +evil spirits was driven far from the believers, and all were sane and +sound in body and in soul. And many other miracles were wrought for +the confirmation of the Faith. Churches too were built, and the +bishops, that had been hiding for fear, discovered themselves, and +received again their own churches, whilst others were chosen from the +priests and monks, to shepherd the flock of Christ. But King Abenner, +having thus forsaken his former disgraceful life, and repented of his +evil deeds, handed over to his son the rule of all his kingdom. He +himself dwelt in solitude, continually casting dust on his head, and +groaning for very heaviness, and watering his face with his tears, +being alone, communing with him who is everywhere present and imploring +him to forgive his sins. And he abased himself to such a depth of +contrition and humility, that he refused to name the name of God with +his own lips, and was scarce brought by his son's admonitions to make +so bold. Thus the king passed through the good change and entered the +road that leadeth to virtue, so that his righteousness now surpassed +his former sins of ignorance. For four years did he live thus in +repentance and tears and virtuous acts, and then fell into the sickness +whereof he died. But when the end drew nigh, he began to fear and to +be dismayed, calling to remembrance the evil that he had wrought. But +with comfortable words Ioasaph sought to ease the distress that had +fallen on him, saying, "Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my father, +and wily art thou so disquieted within time? Set thy hope on God, and +give him thanks, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of +them that remain in the sea afar, who crieth by the mouth of his +prophet, 'Wash you, make you clean: put away from before mine eyes the +wickedness of your souls; learn to do well'; and 'Though your sins be +as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; though they be red like +crimson, I will make them as wool.' Fear not, therefore, O my father, +neither be of doubtful mind: for the sins of them that turn to God +prevail not against his infinite goodness. For these, however many, +are subject to measure and number: but measure and number cannot limit +his goodness. It is impossible then for that which is subject to +measure to exceed the unmeasurable." + +With such comfortable words did Ioasaph cheer his soul, and bring him +to a good courage. Then his father stretched out his hands, and gave +him thanks and prayed for him, blessing the day whereon Ioasaph was +born, and said "Dearest child, yet not child of me, but of mine +heavenly Father, with what gratitude can I repay thee? With what words +of blessings may I bless thee? What thanks shall I offer God for thee? +I was lost, and was found through thee: I was dead in sin and am alive +again: an enemy, and rebel against God, and am reconciled with him. +What reward therefore shall I give thee for all these benefits? God is +he that shall make the due recompense." Thus saying, he pressed many +kisses on his beloved son; then, when he had prayed, and said, "Into +thy hands, O God, thou lover of men, do I commit my spirit," he +committed his soul unto the Lord in penitence and peace. + +Now, when Ioasaph had honoured with his tears his father that was dead, +and had reverently cared for his body, he buried him in a sepulchre +wherein devout men lay; not indeed clad in royal raiment, but robed in +the garment of penitence. Standing on the sepulchre, and lifting up +his hands to heaven, the tears streaming in floods from his eyes, he +cried aloud unto God saying, + +"O God, I thank thee, King of glory, alone mighty and immortal, that +thou hast not despised my petition, and hast not held thy peace at my +tears, but hast been pleased to turn this thy servant, my father, from +the way of wickedness, and to draw him to thyself, the Saviour of all, +departing him from the deceitfulness of idolatry, and granting him to +acknowledge thee, who art the very God and lover of souls. And now, O +my Lord and God, whose ocean of goodness is uncharted, set him in that +place where much grass is, in a place of refreshment, where shineth the +light of thy countenance. Remember not his old offences; but, +according to the multitude of thy mercies, blot out the handwriting of +his sins, and destroy the tablets of his debts, and set him at peace +with thy Saints whom he slew with fire and sword. Charge them not to +be bitter against him. For all things are possible with thee, the Lord +of all, save only to withhold pity from them that turn not unto thee; +this is impossible. For thy pity is poured out upon all men, and thou +savest them that call upon thee, Lord Jesu Christ, because glory +becometh thee for ever and ever. Amen." + +Such were the prayers and intercessions that he made unto God, by the +space of seven full days, never leaving the grave, and never thinking +of meat or drink, and taking no refreshment of sleep: but he watered +the ground with his tears, and continued praying and moaning +unceasingly. But, on the eighth day, he went back to his palace and +distributed amongst the poor all his wealth and riches, so that not one +person was left in want. + + + +XXXVI. + +In a few days, after he had ended this ministry, and emptied all his +coffers, in order that the burden of his money might not hinder him +from entering in at the narrow gate, on the fortieth day after his +father's decease, and in remembrance of him, he called together all his +officers, and those who wore soldiers' attire, and of the citizens not +a few. Sitting in the front, according to custom, in the audience of +all he said, "Lo, as ye see, Abenner, my father the king, hath died +like any beggar. Neither wealth nor kingly glory, nor I his loving son, +nor any of his kith and kindred, has availed to help him, or to save +him from the sentence without reprieve. But he is gone to yonder +judgement seat, to give account of his life in this world, carrying +with him no advocate whatsoever, except his deeds, good or bad. And +the same law is ordained by nature for every man born of woman, and +there is no escape. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, friends and +brethren, people and holy heritage of the Lord, whom Christ our God +hath purchased with his own precious blood, and delivered from the +ancient error, and bondage of the adversary. Ye yourselves know my +manner of life among you; that ever since I knew Christ, and was +counted worthy to become his servant, I have hated all things, and +loved him only, and how this was my desire, to escape from the tempest +and vain tumult of the world, and commune alone with him, and in +undisturbed peace of soul serve my God and Master. But my father's +opposition held me back, and the command that biddeth us to honour our +fathers. So, by the grace and help of God, I have not laboured in vain, +nor spent these days for naught, I have brought my father nigh to +Christ, and have taught you all to know the one true God, the Lord of +all; and yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me, which +rescued me also from superstitious error, and from the worship of +idols, and freed you, O my people, from cruel captivity. So now it is +high time to fulfil the service that I promised to God; high time to +depart thitherward, where he himself shall lead me, where I may perform +my vows which I made unto him. Now, therefore, look you out a man whom +ye will, to be your leader and king; for by this time ye have been +conformed to the will of the Lord, and of his commandments nothing hath +been hidden from you. Walk ye therein; turn not aside, neither to the +right hand, nor to the left, and the God of peace be with you all!" + +When all that company and the common people heard thereof, anon there +arose a clamour, an uproar, and a mighty cry and confusion, all weeping +like orphans and bewailing their loss. Lamenting bitterly, they +protested with oaths and with tears, that they would never let him go, +but would restrain him and not suffer in any wise his departure. While +the common people, and they in authority, were thus crying aloud, the +king broke in, and beckoned with his hand to the multitude and charged +them to keep silence. He declared that he gave in to their instancy, +and dismissed them still grieving, and bearing on their cheeks the +signs of sorrow. And Ioasaph did thus. There was one of the senators +first in favour with Ioasaph, a man honoured for his godliness and +dignity, Barachias by name, who, as hath been already told, when +Nachor, feigning to be Barlaam, was disputing with the philosophers, +alone was ready to stand by Nachor and fight for him, for his heart was +fired with heavenly love. Him the king took apart, and spake gently +with him, and earnestly besought him to receive the kingdom, and, in +the fear of God, to shepherd his people; in order that he himself might +take the journey that he desired. + +But Barachias would put aside and reject his offer, saying, "O king, +how wrongful is thy judgement, and thy word contrary to divine command! +If thou hast learned to love thy neighbour as thyself, with what right +art thou eager to shift the burden off thy back and lay it upon mine? +If it be good to be king, keep the good to thy self: but, if it be a +stone of stumbling and rock of offence to thy soul, why put it in my +pathway and seek to trip me up?" When Ioasaph perceived that he spake +thus, and that his purpose was fixed, he ceased from communing with +him. And now, at about the dead of night, he wrote his people a +letter, full of much wisdom, expounding to them all godliness; telling +them what they should think concerning God, what life, what hymns and +what thanksgiving they should offer unto him. Next, he charged them to +receive none other than Barachias to be ruler of the kingdom. Then left +he in his bed-chamber the roll containing his letter, and, unobserved +of all, went forth from his palace. But he might not win through +undetected, for, early on the morrow, the tidings, that he was +departed, anon made commotion and mourning among the people, and, in +much haste, forth went every man for to seek him; they being minded by +all means to cut off his flight. And their zeal was not spent in vain; +for, when they had occupied all the high-ways, and encompassed all the +mountains, and surrounded the pathless ravines, they discovered him in +a watercourse, his hands uplifted to heaven, saying the prayer proper +of the Sixth Hour. + +When they beheld him, they surrounded him, and besought him with team, +upbraiding him for departing from them. "But," said he, "why labour ye +in vain? No longer hope to have me to your king." Yet gave he way to +their much opposition, and turned again to his palace. And, when he had +assembled all the folk, he signified his will. Then with oath he +confirmed his word, that he would dwell with them not one day more. +"For," said he, "I have fulfilled my ministry toward you, and have +omitted naught, neither have I kept back anything that was profitable +unto you, in failing to show or teach you, testifying to all the faith +in our Lord Jesus Christ, and pointing out the paths of repentance. And +now behold I go the road that I have long time desired, and all ye +shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, as +saith the holy Apostle, that I am pure from the blood of you all, for I +have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." + +When they heard this, and perceived the steadfastness of his purpose, +that nothing could hinder him from his resolve, they wept like orphans +over their bereavement, but could in no wise over-persuade him. Then +did the king take that Barachias, of whom we have already spoken, +saying, "This is he, brethren, whom I appoint to be your king." And +though Barachias stoutly resisted, yet he established him, unwilling +and reluctant, upon the royal throne, and placed the diadem on his +head, and gave the kingly ring into his hand. Then he stood facing the +cast and made prayer for King Barachias, that his faith toward God +might be preserved unwavering, and that he might keep without faltering +the path of Christ's commandments. Therewith he prayed for the clergy +and all the flock, asking of God succour for them and salvation, and +all that might fitly be asked for their welfare. + +Thus he prayed, and then turning said unto Barachias, "Behold, brother, +I charge thee, as the Apostle once adjured his people, 'Take heed unto +thyself, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made +thee king, to feed the Lord's people, whom he hath purchased with his +own blood.' And even as thou wast before me in the knowledge of God, +and didst serve him with a pure conscience, so now also show the more +zeal in pleasing him. For, as thou hast received of God a mighty +sovereignty, thou owest him the greater repayment. Render therefore to +thy Benefactor the debt of thanksgiving, by the keeping of his holy +commandments and by turning aside from every path whose end is +destruction. For it is with kingdoms as with ships. If one of the +sailors blunder it bringeth but small damage to the crew. But if the +steersman err, he causeth the whole ship to perish. Even so it is with +sovranty: if a subject err, he harmeth himself more than the state. +But if the king err, he causeth injury to the whole realm. Therefore, +as one that shall render strict account, if thou neglect aught of thy +duty, guard thyself with all diligence in that which is good. Hate all +pleasure that draweth into sin: for, saith the Apostle, 'Follow peace +with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.' +Consider the wheel of men's affairs, how it runneth round and round, +turning and whirling them now up, now down: and amid all its sudden +changes, keep thou unchanged a pious mind. To change with every change +of affairs betokeneth an unstable heart. But be thou steadfast, wholly +established upon that which is good. Be not lifted and vainly puffed up +because of temporal honour; but, with purified reason, understand the +nothingness of thine own nature, and the span-length and swift flight +of life here, and death the yoke-fellow of the flesh. If thou consider +these things, thou shalt not be cast into the pit of arrogance, but +shalt fear God, the true and heavenly King, and verily thou shalt be +blessed. For he saith, 'Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and +walk in his ways,' and 'Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he +shall have great delight in his commandments.' And which commandments +above all shouldest thou observe? 'Blessed are the merciful, for they +shall obtain mercy,' and 'Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is +merciful.' For the fulfilment of this commandment, above all, is +required of them that are in high authority. And, soothly, the holder +of great authority ought to imitate the giver of that authority to the +best of his ability. And herein shall he best imitate God, by +considering that nothing is to be preferred before showing mercy. Nay, +further, nothing so surely draweth the subject to loyalty toward his +Sovereign as the grace of charity bestowed on such as need it. For the +service that cometh from fear is flattery in disguise, with the +pretence of respect cozening them that pay heed to it; and the +unwilling subject rebelleth when he findeth occasion. Whereas he that +is held by the ties of loyalty is steadfast in his obedience to the +ruling power. Wherefore be thou easy of access to all and open thine +ears unto the poor, that thou mayest find the ear of God open unto +thee. For as we are to our fellow-servants, such shall we find our +Master to us-ward. And, like as we do hear others, so shall we be +heard ourselves: and, as we see, so shall we be seen by the divine +all-seeing eye. Therefore pay we first mercy for mercy, that we may +obtain like for like. + +"But hear yet another commandment, the fellow of the former; 'Forgive, +and it shall be forgiven unto you;' and 'If ye forgive not men their +trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive you your +trespasses.' Wherefore bear no malice against them that offend against +thee; but, when thou askest forgiveness of thy sins, forgive thyself +also them that injure thee, because forgiveness is repaid by +forgiveness, and by making peace with our fellow-servants we are +ourselves delivered from the wrath of our Master. Again, a lack of +compassion towards them that trespass against us maketh our own +trespasses unpardonable, even as thou hast heard what befell the man +that owed ten thousand talents, how, through his want of pity on his +fellow-servant, he was again required to pay all that mighty debt. So +we must take good heed lest a like fate betide us. But let us forgive +every debt, and cast all anger out of our hearts, in order that our +many debts, too, may be forgiven. Beside this, and before all things, +keep thou that good thing which is committed to thy trust, the holy +Word of faith wherein thou hast been taught and instructed. And let no +tare of heresy grow up amongst you, but preserve the heavenly seed pure +and sincere, that it may yield a manifold harvest to the master, when +he cometh to demand account of our lives, and to reward us according to +our deeds, when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, but +darkness and everlasting shame shall cover the sinners. And now, +brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is +able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them +which are sanctified." + +And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, as it is written, and +prayed again in tears. And he turned him round, and kissed Barachias, +whom he had chosen to their king, and all the officers. Then came a +scene fit, belike, to make one weep. They all crowded around him, as +though his presence meant life to them, and his departure would reave +them of their very souls; and what piteous pleading, what extravagance +of grief did they omit? They kissed him; they hung about him; they were +beside themselves for anguish of heart. "Wo is us," cried they, "for +this grievous calamity!" They called him, Master, Father, Saviour, +Benefactor. "Through thine," said they, "we learned to know God, and +were redeemed from error, and found rest from every ill. What +remaineth us after thou art gone? What evils shall not befall us?" +Thus saying, they smote upon their breasts, and bewailed the misfortune +that had overtaken them. But he with words of comfort hushed their +sobs, and promised to be with them still in the spirit though he might +no longer abide with them in the body. And when he had thus spoken, in +the sight of all he went forth from the palace. And immediately all +the people followed him. They despaired of his return; they ran from +the city, as from a sight that they could no longer endure. But when +they were outside the city, Ioasaph addressed them with sharp words, +and chode with them harshly; and so they were parted from him, and +unwillingly went home, often turning round to look on him, and +stumbling on their road. And some of the hotter spirits also followed +afar off weeping, until the shades of night parted them one from +another. + + + +XXXVII. + +Thus this noble man went forth from his palace rejoicing, as when after +long exile a man returneth with joy to his own country. Outwardly he +wore the robes that he was wont to wear, but beneath was the hair-shirt +which Barlaam had given him. That night he halted at a poor man's +cabin, and stripped himself of his outer raiment, which, as his last +alms, he bestowed upon his poor host, and thus by the prayers of that +poor man, as well as of so many others, he made God his ally, and put +on his grace and help as a garment of salvation; and, clad in a coat of +gladness, thus went he off to his hermit-life, carrying with him +neither bread, nor water, nor any necessary food, with no garment upon +him save the aforesaid rough shirt. For his heart was wounded with a +marvellous longing and divine love for Christ the immortal King; he was +beside himself with longing, mad for God, possessed by love of him; +"For love," he saith, "is strong as fire." So drunken was he with this +heavenly love, so parched with thirst, according to him that saith, +"Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after +time, O God. My soul is athirst for the mighty and living God"; or, as +the soul that is sick of love crieth in the Song of Songs, "Thou hast +ravished us, ravished us with the desire of thee"; and, "Let me see thy +countenance, and let me hear thy voice, for thy voice is a sweet voice, +and thy countenance is comely." + +It was the desire for this unspeakable comeliness of Christ that fired +the hearts of the Apostolic Quire and of the Martyr folk to despise the +things that are seen, and all this temporal life, and the rather to +choose ten thousand forms of death and torture, being enamoured of his +heavenly beauty, and bearing in mind the charm that the divine Word +used for to win our love. Such was the fire that was kindled in the +soul of this fair youth also, noble in body, but most noble and kingly +in soul, that led him to despise all earthly things alike, to trample +on all bodily pleasures, and to contemn riches and glory and the praise +of men, to lay aside diadem and purple, as of less worth than cobwebs, +and to surrender himself to all the hard and irksome toils of the +ascetic life, crying, "O my Christ, my soul is fixed upon thee, and thy +right hand hath upholden me." + +Thus, without looking back, he passed into the depth of the desert; +and, laying aside, like a heavy burden and clog, the stress of +transitory things, he rejoiced in the Spirit, and looked steadfastly on +Christ, whom he longed for, and cried aloud to him, as though he were +there present to hear his voice, saying, "Lord, let mine eyes never +again see the good things of this present world. Never, from this +moment, let my soul be excited by these present vanities, but fill mine +eyes with spiritual tears; direct my goings in thy way, and show me thy +servant Barlaam. Show me him that was the means of my salvation, that +I may learn of him the exact rule of this lonely and austere life, and +may not be tripped up through ignorance of the wiles of the enemy. +Grant me, O Lord, to discover the way whereby to attain unto thee, for +my soul is sick of love for thee, and I am athirst for thee, the well +of salvation." + +These were the thoughts of his heart continually, and he communed with +God, being made one with him by prayer and sublime meditation. And +thus eagerly he pursued the road, hoping to arrive at the place where +Barlaam dwelt. His meat was the herbs that grow in the desert; for he +carried nothing with him, as I have already said, save his own bones, +and the ragged garment that was around him. + +But whilst he found some food, though scanty and insufficient, from the +herbs, of water he was quite destitute in that waterless and dry +desert. And so at noon-tide, as he held on his way under the fierce +blaze of the sun, he was parched with thirst in the hot drought of that +desert place, and he suffered the extreme of anguish. But desire of +Christ conquered nature, and the thirst wherewith he thirsted for God +bedewed the heat of thirst for water. + +Now the devil, being envious and full of hate for that which is +beautiful, unable to endure the sight of such steadfastness of purpose, +and glowing love towards God, raised up against Ioasaph many +temptations in the wilderness. He called to his remembrance his kingly +glory, and his magnificent body-guard, his friends, kinsfolk and +companions, and how the lives of all had depended on his life, and he +minded him of the other solaces of life. Then he would confront him +with the hardness of virtue, and the many sweats that she requireth, +with the weakness of his flesh, with his lack of practice in such +rigours, the long years to come, this present distress from thirst, his +want of any comfort, and the unendingness of his toils. In a word, he +raised a great dust-cloud of reasonings in his mind, exactly, I ween, +as it hath been recorded of the mighty Antony. + +But, when the enemy saw himself too weak to shake that purpose (for +Ioasaph set Christ before his mind, and glowed with love of him, and +was well strengthened by hope, and steadfast in faith, and recked +nothing of the devil and his suggestions), then was the adversary +ashamed of having fallen in the first assault. So he came by another +road (for many are his paths of wickedness), and endeavoured to +overthrow and terrify Ioasaph by means of divers apparitions. +Sometimes he appeared to him in black, and such indeed he is: sometimes +with a drawn sword he leapt upon him, and threatened to strike, unless +he speedily turned back. At other times he assumed the shapes of all +manner of beasts, roaring and making a terrible din and bellowing; or +again he became a dragon, adder, or basilisk. But that fair and right +noble athlete kept his soul in quietness, for he had made the Most High +his refuge: and, being sober in mind, he laughed the evil one to scorn, +and said, "I know thee, deceiver, who thou art, which stiffest up this +trouble for me; which from the beginning didst devise mischief against +mankind, and art ever wicked, and never stintest to do hurt. How +becoming and right proper is thy habit, that thou shouldest take the +shape of beasts and of creeping things, and thus display thy bestial +and crooked nature, and thy venomous and hurtful purpose! Wherefore, +wretch, attempt the impossible? For ever since I discovered that these +be the contrivances and bug-bears of thy malice, I have now no more +anxiety concerning thee. The Lord is on my side, and I shall see my +desire upon mine enemies. I shall go upon the adder and basilisk, the +which thou dost resemble; thee, the lion and dragon I shall tread under +my feet; for I am strengthened with the might of Christ. Let mine +enemies be ashamed and turned backward: let them be driven and put to +shame suddenly." + +Thus speaking, and girding on that invincible weapon, the sign of the +Cross, he made vain the devil's shows. For straightway all the beasts +and creeping things disappeared, like as the smoke vanisheth, and like +as wax melteth at the fire. And he, strong in the might of Christ, +went on his way rejoicing and giving thanks unto the Lord. But there +dwelt in that desert many divers beasts, and all kinds of serpents, and +dragon-shaped monsters, and these met him, not now as apparitions but +in sober sooth, so that his path was beset by fear and toil. But he +overcame both, for love, as saith the scripture, cast out fear, and +longing made toil light. Thus he wrestled with many sundry misfortunes +and hardships until, after many days, he arrived at that desert of the +land of Senaar, wherein Barlaam dwelt. There also he found water and +quenched the burning of his thirst. + + + +XXXVIII. + +Now two full years spent Ioasaph wandering about the ocean of that +desert, without finding Barlaam; for here also God was proving the +steadfastness of his purpose, and the nobility of his soul. He lived +thus in the open air, scorched with heat or frozen with cold, and, as +one in search of precious treasure, continually looking everywhere for +his treasured friend, the aged Barlaam. Frequent were the temptations +and assaults of the evil spirits that he encountered, and many the +hardships that he endured through the lack of herbs that he needed for +meat, because the desert, being dry, yielded even these in but scant +supply. But, being kindled by love of her Master, this adamantine and +indomitable soul bore these annoyances more easily than other men bear +their pleasures. Wherefore he failed not of the succour that is from +above, but, many as were the sorrows and toils Chat he endured, comfort +came to him from Christ, and, asleep or awake, refreshed his soul. By +the space of those two years Ioasaph went about continually, seeking +him for whom he yearned, and rivers of waters ran from his eyes, as he +implored God, crying aloud and saying, "Show me, O Lord, show me the +man that was the means of my knowledge of thee, and the cause of my +many blessings. Because of the multitude of mine offences, deprive me +not of this good thing; but grant me to see him, and fight with him the +ascetic fight." + +By the grace of God, he found a cave, by following footsteps that led +thither. There he met a monk pursuing a hermit life. Him he embraced +and saluted tenderly. He asked where to find Barlaam's dwelling, and +told him his own tale, laying all bare. Of him then he learned the +abode of the man whom he sought, and thither went foot-hot, as when a +cunning hunter happeneth on the tracks of his game. And when he had +met with certain signs, pointed out to him by this other old hermit, he +went on rejoicing, strong in hope, like a child hoping after long +absence to see his father. For when divine love hath broken into a +soul, it proveth hotter and stronger than the natural. + +So he stood before the door of the cave, and knocked, saying "Benedic, +father, benedic!" When Barlaam heard his voice, he came forth from the +cave, and by the spirit knew him, who by outward appearance could not +easily be known, because of the marvellous change and alteration that +had changed and altered his face from its former bloom of youth; for +Ioasaph was black with the sun's heat, and overgrown with hair, and his +cheeks were fallen in, and his eyes deep sunken, and his eyelids seared +with floods of tears, and much distress of hunger. And Ioasaph +recognised his spiritual father, for his features were, for the more +part, the same. So the old man stood, and, facing the East, offered up +to God a prayer of thanksgiving; and, after the prayer, when they had +said the Amen, they embraced and kissed each other affectionately, +taking their full fill of long deferred desire. + +But, when they had done with embracing and greeting, they sat them down +and conversed. Barlaam began, saying, "Welcome art thou, son well +beloved son of God, and inheritor of the heavenly kingdom through Jesus +Christ our Lord, whom thou lovest, whom thou rightly desirest above the +things that are temporal and corruptible! Like a prudent and wise +merchant, thou hast sold all, and bought the pearl that is beyond +price, and hast found the treasure that cannot be stolen, hidden in the +field of the commandments of the Lord; thou hast parted with all, and +spared naught of the things that so soon pass away, that thou mightest +purchase that field for thyself. The Lord give thee the eternal for +the temporal, the things that are incorruptible and wax not old for the +corruptible! + +"But tell me, dearly beloved, how thou camest hither? How did thy +matters speed after my departure? And hath thy father learned to know +God, or is he still carried away with his former foolishness, still +under the bondage of devilish deceits?" + +Thus questioned Barlaam, and Ioasaph answered, telling him piece by +piece all that had befallen him since he went away; and in how many +ways the Lord had prospered him, until they were come together again. + +The old man listened with pleasure and amazement, and with hot tears +said, "Glory to thee, our God, that ever standest by and succourest +them that love thee! Glory to thee, O Christ, King of all and God +all-good, that it was thy pleasure that the seed, which I sowed in the +heart of Ioasaph, thy servant, should thus bring forth fruit an +hundredfold worthy of the husbandman and Master of our souls! Glory to +thee, good Paraclete, the all-holy Spirit, because thou didst vouchsafe +unto this man to partake of that grace which thou gavest thine holy +Apostles, and by his hand hast delivered multitudes of people from +superstitious error, and enlightened them with the true knowledge of +God!" + +Thus was God blessed by both, and thus were they conversing and +rejoicing in the grace of God until evenfall. Then stood they up for +to pray and to perform the sacred services. Then also remembered they +that it was meal-time, and Barlaam spread his lavish table, laden with +spiritual dainties, but with little to attract the palate of sense. +These were uncooked worts, and a few dates, planted and tended by +Barlaam's own hands, such as are found in the same desert, and wild +herbs. So they gave thanks and partook of the victuals set before +them, and drank water from the neighbour springing well, and again gave +thanks to God, who openeth his hand and filleth all things living. +Then they arose again, and, when they had ended their Night Hours, +after prayer, they joined in spiritual converse again, discoursing +wholesome words, and full of heavenly wisdom, all the night long until +daybreak bade them once more remember the hour of prayer. + +So Ioasaph abode with Barlaam for some many years, pursuing this +marvellous and more than human life, dwelling with him as with a father +and tutor, in all obedience and lowliness, exercising himself in every +kind of virtue, and learning well from practice how to wrestle with the +invisible spirits of evil. From that time forward he mortified all his +sinful passions, and made the will of the flesh as subject to the +spirit as slave is to his master. He was altogether forgetful of +comforts or repose, and tyrannized over sleep as over a wicked servant. +And, in brief, such was his practice of the religious life, that +Barlaam, who had spent many years therein, marvelled at him, and failed +to equal the earnestness of his life. For he took only so much of that +coarse and cheerless food as would keep him alive; else had he died +afore his time, and forfeited the reward of his well-doing. He subdued +himself to watchings, as though he were without flesh and body. In +prayer and mental exercise his work was unceasing, and all the time of +his life was spent in spiritual and heavenly contemplation, so that not +an hour, nor even a single moment was wasted, from the day that he came +to dwell in the desert. For this is the end of monastic life, never to +be found idle in spiritual employment: and well herein did this noble +and active runner of the heavenly race order his way. And he kept his +ardour unquenched from beginning to end, ever ascending in his heart, +and going from strength to strength, and continually adding desire to +desire, and zeal to zeal, until he arrived at the bliss that he had +hoped and longed for. + + + +XXXIX. + +Thus did Barlaam and Ioasaph dwell together, rivals in the good +rivalry, apart from all anxious care and all the turmoils of life, +possessing their minds undisturbed and clear of all confusion. After +their many labours after godliness, one day Barlaam called to him his +spiritual son, whom he had begotten through the Gospel, and opened his +mouth to discourse of spiritual things, saying, "Long ago, dearly +beloved Ioasaph, was it destined that thou shouldest dwell in this +wilderness; and, in answer to my prayer for thee, Christ promised me +that I should see it before the ending of my life. I have seen my +desire: I have seen thee severed from the world and the concerns of the +world, united to Christ, thy mind never wavering, and come to the +measure of the perfection of his fulness. Now therefore as the time of +my departure is at the door, and seeing that my desire, that hath grown +with my growth and aged with my years, to be for ever with Christ, is +even now being fulfilled, thou must bury my body in the earth and +restore dust to dust, but thyself abide for the time to come in this +place, holding fast to thy spiritual life, and making remembrance of +me, poor as I am. For I fear lest perchance the darksome army of +fiends may stand in the way of my soul, by reason of the multitude of +mine ignorances. + +"So do thou, my son, think no scorn of the laboriousness of thy +religious life, neither dread the length of the time, nor the tricks of +devils. But, strong in the grace of Christ, confidently laugh at the +weakness of these thy foes; and, as for the hardness of thy toils, and +the long duration of the time, be as one that daily expecteth his +departure hence, and as if the same day were the beginning and the end +of thy religious life. Thus, always forgetting the things which are +behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, press +toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ +Jesus, according to the exhortation of the holy Apostle, who saith, +'Let us not faint; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward +man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for +a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory; +while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which +are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the +things which are not seen are eternal." + +"Ponder thou over these things, beloved: quit thee like a man; yea, be +strong; and, as a good soldier, do thy diligence to please him who hath +called thee to be a soldier. And, even if the evil one stir in thee +thoughts of neglecting duty, and thou art minded to slacken the string +of thy purpose, fear not his devices, but remember the Lord's command, +which saith, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good +cheer; I have overcome the world.' Wherefore, rejoice in the Lord +alway; for he hath chosen and separated thee out of the world, and set +thee, as it were before his countenance. The Master, who hath called +thee with a holy calling, is alway near. Be careful for nothing, but +in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let thy +requests be made known unto God. For he himself hath said, "I will +never leave thee, nor forsake thee." So, by the hardness of thy life, +and by scorn of its rigours, win such thoughts as these, and rejoice, +remembering our Lord God, for he saith, 'I remembered God and was glad.' + +"But when the adversary, seeking another fashion of war, proposeth high +and arrogant thoughts, and suggesteth the glory of the kingdom of this +world, which thou hast forsaken, and all its lures, hold out, as a +shield before thee, the saving word that saith, 'When ye shall have +done all those things which are commanded you, say, "We are +unprofitable servants, for we have done that which was our duty to +do."' And, indeed, which of us is able to repay the debt that we owe +our Master, for that he, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became +poor, that we through his poverty might become rich, and, being without +suffering, yet suffered, that we might be delivered from suffering? +What thanks hath the servant if he suffer like as his Master? But we +fall far short of his sufferings. Meditate upon these things, casting +down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against +the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the +obedience of Christ. And the peace of God which passeth all +understanding shall keep thy heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus." + +When blessed Barlaam had so said, Ioasaph's tears knew no measure, but, +like water from the brimming fountain, bedewed him and the ground +whereon he sat. He mourned over the parting, and earnestly implored +that he might be his companion on his last journey, and might remain no +longer in this world after Barlaam's decease, saying, "Wherefore, +father, seekest thou only thine own, and not thy neighbour's welfare? +How fulfillest thou perfect love in this, according to him that said, +'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' in departing thyself to +rest and life, and leaving me to tribulation and distress? And, before +I have been well exercised in the conflicts of the religious life, +before I have learned the wily attacks of the enemy, why expose me to +fight singlehanded against their marshalled host? And for what purpose +but to see me overthrown by their mischievous machinations, and to see +me die, alas! the true spiritual and eternal death? That is the fate +which must befall inexperienced and cowardly monks. But, I beseech +thee, pray the Lord to take me also together with thee from life. Yea, +by the very hope that thou hast of receiving the reward of thy labour, +pray that, after thy departure, I may not live one day more in the +world, nor wander into the ocean depths of this desert." + +While Ioasaph spake thus in tears, the old man cheeked him gently and +calmly, saying, "Son, we ought not to resist the judgements of God, +which are beyond our reach. For though I have oftentimes prayed +concerning this matter, and constrained the Master, that cannot be +constrained, not to part us one from the other, yet have I been taught +by his goodness that it is not expedient for thee now to lay aside the +burden of the flesh: but thou must remain behind in the practice of +virtue, until the crown, which thou art weaving, be more glorious. As +yet, thou hast not striven enough after the recompense in store for +thee, but must toil yet a little longer, that thou mayest joyfully +enter into the joy of thy Lord. For myself, I am, as I reckon, +well-nigh an hundred winters old, and have now spent seventy and five +years in this desert place. But for thee, even if thy days be not so +far lengthened as mine, yet must thou approach thereto, as the Lord +ordereth, that thou mayest prove no unworthy match for them that have +borne the burden and heat of the day. Therefore, beloved, gladly +accept the decrees of God. What God hath ordered, who, of men, can +scatter? Endure, then, under the protection of his grace. + +"But be thou ever sober against thoughts other than these; and, like a +right precious treasure, keep safely from robbers thy purity of heart, +stepping up day by day to higher work and contemplation, that that may +be fulfilled in thee, which the Saviour promised to his friends, when +he said, 'If any man love me, he will keep my word: and my father will +love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.'" + +With these words, and many others, full worthy of that sanctified soul +and inspired tongue, did the old man comfort Ioasaph's anguished soul. +Then he sent him unto certain brethren, which abode a long way off, for +to fetch the things fitting for the Holy Sacrifice. And Ioasaph girded +up his loins, and with all speed fulfilled his errand: for he dreaded +lest peradventure, in his absence, Barlaam might pay the debt of +nature, and, yielding up the ghost to God, might inflict on him the +loss of missing his departing words and utterances, his last orisons +and blessings. + +So when Ioasaph had manfully finished his long journey, and had brought +the things required for the Holy Sacrifice, saintly Barlaam offered up +to God the unbloody Sacrifice. When he had communicated himself, and +also given to Ioasaph of the undefiled Mysteries of Christ, he rejoiced +in the Spirit. And when they had taken together of their ordinary +food, Barlaam again fed Ioasaph's soul with edifying words, saying, +"Well-beloved son, no longer in this world shall we share one common +hearth and board; for now I go my last journey, even the way of my +fathers. Needs must thou, therefore, prove thy loving affection for me +by thy keeping of God's commandments, and by thy continuance in this +place even to the end, living as thou hast learned and been instructed, +and alway remembering my poor and slothful soul. Rejoice, therefore, +with great joy, and make merry with the gladness that is in Christ, +because thou hast exchanged the earthly and corruptible for the eternal +and incorruptible; and because there draweth nigh the reward of thy +works, and thy rewarder is already at hand, who shall come to see the +vineyard which thou hast dressed, and shall richly pay thee the wages +of thine husbandry. 'Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all +acceptation,' as proclaimed by Paul the divine, 'For if we be dead with +him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign +with him in his eternal and everlasting kingdom, being illuminated with +the light unapproachable, and guerdoned with the effulgence of the +blessed and life-giving Trinity.'" + +Thus until even-tide and all night long did Barlaam converse with +Ioasaph, who wept tears that could not be stayed, and could not bear +the parting. But just as day began to dawn, Barlaam ended his +discourse, lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, and offered his +thanks to God, thus saying, "O Lord, my God, who art everywhere +present, and fillest all things, I thank thee, for that thou hast +looked upon my lowliness, and hast granted me to fulfil the course of +this mine earthly pilgrimage in thy true Faith, and in the way of thy +commandments. And now, thou lover of good, all-merciful Master, +receive me into thine everlasting habitations; and remember not all the +sins that I have committed against thee, in knowledge or in ignorance. +Defend also this thy faithful servant, before whom thou hast granted to +me, thine unprofitable servant, to stand. Deliver him from all vanity, +and all despiteful treatment of the adversary, and set him clear of the +many-meshed nets which the wicked one spreadeth abroad for to trip all +them that would full fain be saved. Destroy, Almighty Lord, all the +might of the deceiver from before the face of thy servant, and grant +him authority to trample on the baneful head of the enemy of our souls. +Send down from on high the grace of thy Holy Spirit; and strengthen him +against the invisible hosts, that he may receive at thy hands the crown +of victory, and that in him thy name may be glorified, the Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, for to thee belongeth glory and praise for +ever and ever. Amen." + +Thus prayed he, and in fatherly wise embraced Ioasaph, and saluted him +with an holy kiss. Then he sealed himself with the sign of the Cross, +and gathered up his feet, and, with exceeding great joy, as at the +home-coming of friends, departed on that blessed journey, to receive +his reward yonder, an old man and full of days in the Spirit. + + + +XL. + +Then did Ioasaph embrace the good father, with all the devotion and +sorrow that can be told, and washed his corpse with his tears. Then he +wrapped it in the hair-shirt, which Barlaam had given him in his +palace; and over him he recited the proper psalms, chanting all the day +long, and throughout the night, and watering the venerable body of the +Saint with his tears. On the morrow, he made a grave hard by the cave, +and thither reverently bore the sacred body, and there, like a good and +honourable son, laid his spiritual father in his sepulchre. And then, +the fire of grief kindling all the hotter within his soul, he set +himself to pray the more earnestly, saying: + +"O Lord my God, hearken unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Have mercy +upon me, and hear me, for I seek thee with all my heart. My soul hath +sought for thee: O hide not thy face from me, and turn not away in +anger from thy servant. Be thou my helper; cast me not utterly away, +and forsake me not, O God my Saviour, because my father and mother +forsake me; but do thou, O Lord, take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, +and lead me in the right way because of mine enemies. Deliver me not +over unto the souls of them that afflict me; for I have been cast upon +thee ever since I was born; thou art my God even from my mother's womb. +O go not from me, because, except thee, there is none to help me. For +lo, I set the hope of my soul upon the ocean of thy mercies. Be thou +the pilot of my soul, thou that steerest all creation with the +unspeakable forethought of thy wisdom; and shew thou me the way that I +should walk in; and, as thou art a good God and a lover of men, save me +by the prayers and intercessions of Barlaam thy servant, for thou art +my God, and thee I glorify, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, +world without end. Amen." + +Thus prayed he, and sat him down nigh the sepulchre, a-weeping. And as +he sat, he fell asleep, and saw those dread men, whom he had seen +before, coming to him, and carrying him away to the great and +marvellous plain, and bringing him to that glorious and exceeding +bright city. When he had passed within the gate, there met him others, +gloriously apparelled with much light, having in their hands crowns +radiant with unspeakable beauty, such as mortal eye hath never seen. +And, when Ioasaph enquired, "Whose are these exceeding bright crowns of +glory, which I see?" "Thine," said they, "is the one, prepared for +thee, because of the many souls which thou hast saved, and now made +still more beautiful because of the religious life that thou leadest, +if thou continue therein bravely until the end. And this other crown +is thine also; but it must thou give unto thy father, who, by thy +means, turned from his evil way unto the Lord, and was truly penitent." +But Ioasaph was as one sore vexed, and said, "How is it possible that, +for his repentance alone, my father should receive reward equal to +mine, that have laboured so much?" Thus spake he, and straightway +thought that he saw Barlaam, as it were, chiding him and saying, "These +are my words, Ioasaph, which I once spake unto thee, saying, 'When thou +waxest passing rich, thou wilt not be glad to distribute,' and thou +understoodest not my saying. But now, why art thou displeased at thy +father's equality with thee in honour, and art not rather glad at heart +that thine orisons in his behalf have been heard?" Then Ioasaph said +unto him, as he was ever wont to say, "Pardon! father, pardon! But +shew me where thou dwellest?" Barlaam answered, "In this mighty and +exceeding fair city. It is my lot to dwell in the mid-most street of +the city, a street that flasheth with light supernal." Again Ioasaph +thought he asked Barlaam to bring him to his own habitation, and, in +friendly wise, to shew him the sights thereof. But Barlaam said that +his time was not yet come to win those habitations, while he was under +the burden of the flesh. "But," said he, "if thou persevere bravely, +even as I charged thee, in a little while thou shalt come hither, and +gain the same habitations, and obtain the same joy and glory, and be my +companion for ever." Hereupon Ioasaph awoke out of sleep, but his soul +was still full of that light and ineffable glory; and greatly +wondering, he raised to his Lord a song of thanksgiving. + +And he continued to the end, verily leading on earth the life of an +angel, and after the death of his aged friend using himself to severer +austerity. Twenty and five years old was he when he left his earthly +kingdom, and adopted the monastic life; and thirty and five years in +this vast desert did he, like one dis-fleshed, endure rigours above the +endurance of man, but not before he had delivered the souls of many men +from the soul-devouring dragon, and presented them to God, saved for +aye; winning herewith the Apostolic grace. In will he had proved a +martyr, and had with boldness confessed Christ before kings and +tyrants, and had proved himself the mighty-voiced preacher of his +greatness, and had overthrown many spirits of wickedness in the desert, +and had overcome all in the strength of Christ. Partaking richly of +the gift of grace from above, he kept his mind's eye purified from +every earth-born cloud, and looked forward to the things that are to +come, as though they were already come. Christ was his recompense for +all: Christ was his desire: Christ he ever saw as present with him: +Christ and his fair beauty everywhere met his sight, according to the +saying of the prophet, "I have set God always before me; for he is on +my right hand, therefore I shall not fall." And again, "My soul +cleaveth to thee; thy right hand hath upholden me." For verily +Ioasaph's soul clave to Christ, being knit to him in indissoluble +union. From this marvellous work he never swerved, never altered the +rule of his ascetic life, from beginning to end, but maintained his +zeal from his youth even until old age; or rather, he daily advanced +higher in virtue, and daily gained purer power of vision. + +Thus did Ioasaph spend his days, and render unto him that called him +labour worthy of his calling, having crucified the world to himself, +and himself unto the world, and, at the last, departed in peace unto +the God of peace, and passed to that Master whom he had alway longed +for. There he appeared in the immediate presence of the Lord, and was +crowned with the crown of glory already prepared for him: there it is +granted to him to behold Christ, to be with Christ, to rejoice for ever +in the fair beauty of Christ, into whose hands he commended his spirit, +when he departed to walk in the land of the living, where is the song +of them that feast, the dwelling-place of them that rejoice. + +As for his venerable body, it befell thus; about the very hour of +Ioasaph's death, there came by divine revelation, from one of the +neighbouring cells, a certain holy man. It was the same that once +pointed out to Ioasaph his way to Barlaam. This man honoured the +corpse with sacred hymns, and shed tears, the token of affection, over +him, and performed all the last Christian rites, and laid him in the +sepulchre of his father Barlaam; for it was only meet that their bodies +should rest side by side, since their souls were to dwell through +eternity together. + +In obedience to the strict command of a dread Angel that appeared to +him in a dream, this hermit, who had performed the last rites, +journeyed to the kingdom of India, and, entering in to King Barachias, +made known unto him all that had befallen Barlaam, and this blessed +Ioasaph. Barachias, making no delay, set forth with a mighty host, and +arrived at the cave, and beheld their sepulchre, and wept bitterly over +it, and raised the gravestone. There he descried Barlaam and Ioasaph +lying, as they had been in life. Their bodies had not lost their +former hue, but were whole and uncorrupt, together with their garments. +These, the consecrated tabernacles of two holy souls, that sent forth +full sweet savour, and showed naught distressful, were placed by King +Barachias in costly tombs and conveyed by him into his own country. + +Now when the people heard tell of that which had come to pass, there +assembled a countless multitude out of all the cities and regions round +about, to venerate and view the bodies of these Saints. Thereupon, +sooth to say, they chanted the sacred hymns over them, and vied one +with another to light lamps lavishly, and rightly and fitly, might one +say, in honour of these children and inheritors of light. And with +splendour and much solemnity they laid their bodies in the Church which +Ioasaph had built from the very foundation. And many miracles and +cures, during the translation and deposition of their relics, as also +in later times, did the Lord work by his holy servants. And King +Barachias and all the people beheld the mighty virtues that were shown +by them; and many of the nations round about, that were sick of +unbelief and ignorance of God, believed through the miracles that were +wrought at their sepulchre. And all they that saw and heard of the +Angelic life of Ioasaph, and of his love of God from his childhood +upward, marvelled, and in all things glorified God that alway worketh +together with them that love him, and granteth them exceeding great +reward. + +Here endeth this history, which I have written, to the best of my +ability, even as I heard it from the truthful lips of worthy men who +delivered it unto me. And may God grant that all we that read or hear +this edifying story may obtain the heritage of such as have pleased the +Lord, by the prayers and intercessions of blessed Barlaam and Ioasaph, +of whom this story telleth, in Christ Jesu our Lord; to whom belongeth +worship, might, majesty and glory, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, +now and for evermore, world without end. Amen. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Barlaam and Ioasaph, by St. John of Damascus + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BARLAAM AND IOASAPH *** + +***** This file should be named 749.txt or 749.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/7/4/749/ + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings. 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