五十篇屬靈講道 第 1 章 第 10/19 段

and afterward, when they supposed they had been set free from it, the evil that had been hidden stirred up in them, and they were burned with desire, so that they were bewildered and said, 'After so long a time, whence has so great an evil risen up against us?' No one, then, of the sound-minded dares to say, 'Since grace is with me, I have been wholly set free from sin,' but the two persons are at work in the mind.

For those inexperienced in these matters, when grace has worked in them only a little, suppose that they have already conquered and are perfect Christians.

But I say that the matter is thus: just as when the sun is in heaven shining down in a clear sky, and clouds come about it and cover it and thicken the air, the sun itself, being within, is in no way harmed of its light and of its own subsistence—so it is with those not yet completely purified;

being in the grace of God and yet held fast in the depths by sin, they have their natural movements and their very thoughts vigorous toward God, although they are not wholly of the good.

So again, those held fast in the depths by the good part (I mean grace) are still slaves and subject to wicked thoughts and to the portion of evil.

There is need, then, of much discernment, that one may know by experience that these things are so.

And I tell you that even the apostles, having the Paraclete completely, were not free from care;

for together with the joy and the exultation there was fear and trembling from the grace itself, not from the portion of evil.

But the grace itself kept them secure, that they might not be turned aside even in some small thing.

For just as if someone, hurling a tiny pebble of stone against a wall, in no way damaged or shifted the wall;

or as a dart shot against one wearing a breastplate in no way harmed either the iron or the body (for it rebounds and falls back)—so, even if some portion of evil drew near to the apostles, it did not harm them, since they were clothed with the perfect power of Christ.

And these very ones, being perfect, had the freedom to work the works of righteousness.

Since, then, some say that after grace there is freedom from care for the soul, [we reply that] God seeks even in the perfect the will of the soul, for the ministry of the Spirit, that they may be in agreement;

and some used to provide for themselves, while others, receiving from worldly people, distributed to the poor;

for those who have grace and care only for themselves [are one thing], but others are diligent to profit other souls as well;

these far surpass those.

And others, having grace, deliver up their bodies for the name of God to insults and sufferings;

again, these are higher than those.

Some, pursuing virtue, wish to boast and to be honored by people, saying that they are Christians and partakers of the Holy Spirit; but others are diligent to hide themselves and to keep from contact with people;

these far surpass those.

Do you see how, even in perfection itself, there is found goodwill toward God accomplished from a natural willing, [a goodwill] that is higher and more abundant?

Just as if someone clothed in poor garments should see himself in a dream as rich, but rising up from sleep should again see himself poor and naked—so also those who speak a spiritual word seem to speak in proper sequence, but not having the work of the words confirmed in the mind by some taste and power and full assurance;

they stand in a kind of fantasy.

Or just as a woman, having silk garments and clad in pearls, takes her stand in a brothel—so also in the case of such people, their heart is a brothel of unclean spirits, and they wish to speak about righteousness without ever having peered into the realities.

For just as it is not possible for a fish to live without water, or for anyone to walk without feet, or to see light without eyes, or to speak without a tongue, or to hear without ears—so without the Lord Jesus and the working of the divine power it is not possible to know the mysteries and wisdom of God, or for anyone to be rich and a Christian.

For these are the wise and warriors and brave ones and philosophers of God—those who are guided and shepherded, according to the inner man, by the divine power.

For the philosophers of the Greeks learn words, while others are ignorant in word, yet rejoicing and exulting in the grace of God, men devout toward God.

Let us discern, then, which are the better.

'In deed and in power,' he says, 'is the kingdom of God';

'not in word, but in deed and in power.'

For someone to say that this bread has come from wheat is easy;

but how the bread is finely prepared and baked, that one must [actually] tell.

So to speak about freedom from passion and about perfection is easy;

but to pass through, by experience, into the attainment of perfection belongs to few.

For the gospel declared it in brief:

'Do not be angry; do not lust;'

'if anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other;'

'if anyone goes to law to take your cloak, give him your tunic also.'

But the apostle, following on, teaches how the work of purification must be accomplished little by little with patience and long-suffering, first feeding with milk as babes, then bringing them to growth and perfection;

for the gospel said that from wool a tunic is to be made;

but the apostle showed the fine detail of how it is fashioned.

Those, then, who speak spiritual words without the taste are like this: just as if someone, when a scorching heat has set in, should journey through a desert plain, and being parched should draw a picture of a spring flowing with water, sketching himself drinking, when his lips have become utterly dry and his tongue too, from the thirst that has seized him;

or just as someone should speak about honey, that it is sweet, but not having tasted it, does not know the power of its sweetness—so also are those who speak a word about perfection and exultation, that is, freedom from passion, but do not have the realities in actual working and full assurance;

things are not at all as they speak.

For when such a one is at some time counted worthy to be found in part in the [actual] work, he discerns within himself that he has not found things as he supposed;

for he spoke in one way, but the Spirit works in another way.

For Christianity is food and drink;

being unrestrainable and insatiable, and insatiably seeking and eating.

Or just as if someone thirsting should have a sweet drink given to him, then, having begun to taste, should approach the drink all the more vehemently, being the more inflamed, and the taste of the Spirit is well-nigh unceasing—so that it is likened to such a thing.

And these are not bare words;

for it is a working of the Holy Spirit, ministering to the mind in a mystery.

But some suppose that, by abstaining from woman and from all visible things, they are already holy.

Yet evil still lives and rises up in the mind and in the heart.

But this one is holy who has been purified and sanctified according to the inner man.

For where the truth rises up, there error battles, striving to cover and to make it turbid.

When the Jews held the priesthood, even from their own nation Eleazar and the Maccabees were persecuted and afflicted, because they stood firm in the truth.

But now, since the Spirit withdrew from them at the cross and the rending of the veil, henceforth the truth has been revealed and is at work here.

So again it is by that same nation that they are persecuted.

They were persecuted and afflicted by their own nation, so that the lovers of truth might become martyrs.

For how shall the truth be made manifest, unless it has its adversaries, who are liars and run counter to the truth? But there are also among the brethren those who bear sufferings and afflictions, and they have great need of safekeeping, lest they fall.

For one of the brethren, while praying together with someone, was caught up by a divine power, and being snatched away he saw the city above, Jerusalem, and luminous images and boundless light, and he heard a voice saying:

This is the place of rest of the righteous.

And after a little while, becoming puffed up and supposing that he had seen this concerning himself, after that he was found fallen into the innermost and deepest pits of sin, into countless evils.

If then one so inward and exalted fell, how can anyone offhand say, 'Because I fast and live as a stranger and scatter my possessions, I am already holy'? For abstinence from evils is not itself perfection; rather, the question is whether you have entered into the mind that has been laid waste, and have slain the serpent lurking beneath the mind and deeper than the thoughts, hiding in what are called the storehouses and treasuries of the soul and murdering you (for the heart is an abyss);

if then you have slain that serpent, and cast out all the uncleanness within you—

For all the philosophers and the Law and the apostles and the coming of the Saviour make their discourse concerning purity.

For every man, whether of the Jews or of the Greeks, loves purity, even though they cannot be pure.

One must therefore inquire how and through what means purity of heart can come about.

By no other means at all, except through him who was crucified for us;

for he himself is the way, the life, the truth, the door, the pearl, the living and heavenly bread.

And it is not possible for anyone, apart from that Truth, to know truth or to be saved.

As therefore in the outer man and in visible things you renounced all and distributed your substance, so also in worldly wisdom, if you have knowledge and power of words, you ought to cast away everything and count it as nothing, that thus you may be built up by the foolishness of the preaching—which preaching is the true wisdom, having no bombast of words, but a power wrought through the holy cross.

Glory to the consubstantial Trinity unto the ages.

If anyone in the world happens to be exceedingly rich and possesses a hidden treasure, from the treasure and wealth he has he acquires everything he wishes, and whatever choice possessions he wants in the world he easily gathers to his treasure, confident that through it he readily acquires any possession he may want.

Having found and possessed from God the heavenly treasure of the Spirit, the Lord himself shining in their hearts, they accomplish every righteousness of the virtues and every acquisition of the goodness of the Lord's commandments out of the treasure of Christ that is within them, and through him they gather more abundant heavenly riches.

For through the heavenly treasure they accomplish every virtue of righteousness, trusting in the abundance of the spiritual wealth within them, and they easily work every righteousness and commandment of the Lord through the invisible riches of grace within them.

Having this treasure in earthen vessels—that is, that which, while still in the flesh, they were counted worthy to acquire within themselves, the sanctifying power of the Spirit—and again:

who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

He, then, who has found and possesses within himself this heavenly treasure of the Spirit, accomplishes in it every righteousness of the commandments and every working of the virtues blamelessly and purely, henceforth without constraint and with ease.

Let us also therefore beseech God and seek and pray to him, that he may bestow on us the treasure of his Spirit, and that so we may be able to walk in all his commandments blamelessly and purely, and to fulfil all the righteousness of the Spirit purely and perfectly through the heavenly treasure, which is Christ.

For the needy and naked and poor and famished man in the world can acquire nothing, since poverty constrains him;

but he who has a treasure, as was said before, easily and painlessly acquires whatever possessions he wishes.

So also the soul that is naked and bereft of fellowship with the Spirit, and is under the dire poverty of sin, can do nothing, even if it wills, of the true fruits of the righteousness of the Spirit before partaking of the Spirit.

Nevertheless each one must compel himself to ask of the Lord, that he may be counted worthy to receive and to find the heavenly treasure of the Spirit, so as to be able, without toil and easily, to do all the Lord's commandments blamelessly and purely, which before, even with force, he could not perform.

For being needy and naked of fellowship with the Spirit, how could he acquire such spiritual possessions without the treasure and wealth of the Spirit? But the soul that has found the Lord—the true treasure—through seeking the Spirit and through faith and much patience, works the fruits of the Spirit, as was said, with ease;

and all the righteousness and commandments of the Lord which he commanded, the Spirit works in it and through it purely and perfectly and blamelessly.

Or again let us make use of another illustration.

Just as if someone is rich and makes a costly banquet:

from the wealth and treasure he has he spends, and does not fear that anything will fail him, having great riches, and so he sumptuously and splendidly gladdens the guests invited by him, providing them with various and ever-new dishes.

But the poor man, lacking wealth, if he wishes to prepare a dinner for some people, borrows everything—the very utensils and garments and other articles—and then, after the invited guests have dined as at a poor man's dinner, afterwards he returns to each one whence he borrowed the silver vessel or garment or other article;

and so, when everything has been returned to each, he himself remains poor and naked, having no wealth of his own from which he is able to be gladdened.

...the souls of those who hear the spiritual word, and they do not fear that it will fail them;

for they possess within themselves a heavenly treasure of goodness, out of which they bring forth and gladden those who are spiritually feasted.

But he who is poor and has acquired nothing of the wealth of Christ, nor has spiritual riches in his soul that gush forth all goodness of words and deeds and divine reflections and unspeakable mysteries—even if he wishes to speak a word of truth and to gladden some of his hearers, yet not possessing in himself the word of God in power and truth, but only remembering and borrowing words out of each Scripture, or having heard from spiritual men, and narrating and teaching them—behold, he seems to gladden others, and others profit from the words;

but after he has narrated, each word departs to its own source whence it was taken, and he himself again remains naked and poor, having no treasure of the Spirit of his own from which to bring forth and to benefit and gladden others—he himself first being neither gladdened nor rejoicing in the Spirit.

And so, having first found within ourselves benefit and salvation and eternal life—the Lord—then let us also benefit others, as far as is possible and attainable, bringing forth from the inward treasure of Christ every goodness of spiritual words, and making narration of heavenly mysteries.

For thus it pleased the goodness of the Father's will to dwell in everyone who believes and asks of him;

for he says, He who loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him; and again:

My Father and I will come and make our abode with him.

Thus the boundless kindness of the Father willed it, thus the inconceivable love of Christ was well pleased, thus the unutterable goodness of the Spirit promised it.

Glory to the unutterable compassion of the Holy Trinity.

For those who have been counted worthy to become children of God and to be born from above of the Holy Spirit, and who have Christ within them shining and giving them rest, are led in manifold and various ways by the Spirit, and are invisibly wrought upon in the heart in spiritual rest by grace.

Let us bring forward illustrations from the visible enjoyments in the world, partially indicating by examples the workings of grace in the soul.

There are times when they become as those gladdened at a royal banquet, rejoicing with joy and gladness unspeakable;

at another hour they are like a bride resting together in fellowship with her bridegroom in divine rest.

At another time they become like bodiless angels, being in such lightness and weightlessness while still with the body.

At another time they are as if gladdened by the drinking of wine, intoxicated in the Spirit with a divine intoxication of spiritual mysteries.

At another time they are as in weeping and lamentation over the human race, and praying for the whole of Adam they take up mourning and weeping, being kindled by the love of the Spirit toward humanity.

At another time they are so kindled by the Spirit with joy and love, that, were it possible, they would take every man into their own bowels, making no distinction of evil from good.

At another time they are so humbled beneath every man in the humility of the Spirit, that they reckon themselves the last and least of all.

At another time they are swallowed up by the Spirit in unspeakable joy.

At another time they are like some mighty man who, taking up royal armour and going down into battle against the enemies, mightily overcomes them, having conquered;

he takes up the heavenly weapons of the Spirit and goes down against the enemies and fights and subjects them under his feet.

At another time the soul rests in some great stillness and calm and peace, being in spiritual pleasure alone and in unspeakable rest and well-being.

At another time it is made wise by grace in some understanding and unspeakable wisdom and knowledge of the unsearchable Spirit, things which it is impossible to utter through tongue and mouth.

At another time it becomes like one of ordinary men.

Thus variously does grace turn within them and in manifold ways guide the soul, giving it rest according to the will of God, and trains it in diverse ways, that it may present it perfect and blameless and pure to the heavenly Father.

Now these aforesaid workings of the Spirit are of those of great measure who are near to perfection;

for the aforesaid varied rests of grace, though spoken of variously, are wrought in them unceasingly, one working succeeding another.

For when the soul attains to the perfection of the Spirit, having been perfectly cleansed of all the passions, and united and commingled with the Paraclete Spirit through ineffable communion, and counted worthy to become spirit, mingled with the Spirit—then it becomes wholly light, wholly eye, wholly spirit, wholly joy, wholly rest, wholly gladness, wholly love, wholly compassion, wholly goodness and kindness.

For just as in the depth of the sea a stone is surrounded on every side by water, so these, being in every way mingled with the Holy Spirit, are made like to Christ, having the virtues of the power of the Spirit unchangeably within themselves, being within and without blameless and spotless and pure.

For having been perfected through the Spirit, how can they bring forth fruits of evil from without? Rather, always and in all things the fruits of the Spirit shine forth in them.

Let us also therefore beseech God and believe in love and much hope, that he may give us the heavenly grace of the gift of the Spirit, that the Spirit itself may guide and lead us into all the will of God, and give us rest in the variety of its rest, so that through such guidance and the training of grace and spiritual progress we may be counted worthy to attain to the perfection of the fulness of Christ, as the apostle says:

that you may be filled unto all the fulness of Christ, and again:

until we all attain to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

The Lord promised to all who believe in him and ask in truth, to grant them the mysteries of the ineffable communion of the Spirit.

Let us also therefore, having wholly dedicated ourselves to the Lord, hasten to obtain the aforesaid good things.

Having been consecrated in soul and body and nailed to the cross of Christ, let us become worthy of the eternal kingdom, glorifying Father and Son and Holy Spirit unto the ages.

He who wishes to draw near to the Lord and to be counted worthy of eternal life and to become a dwelling-place of Christ and to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that he may be able to do the fruits of the Spirit and the commandments of Christ purely and blamelessly, ought to begin thus:

first, to believe firmly in the Lord and to give himself wholly to the words of his commandments, and to renounce the world in every respect, so that the mind may not at all be occupied with any of the visible things; and he must always persevere in prayer, in faith expecting the Lord, ever awaiting his visitation and help, having the aim of his mind set on this continually.

Then he must compel himself to every good and to all the commandments of the Lord, because of the sin that dwells in him; for example, let him compel himself to be humble-minded before every man, and to count himself lesser and worse, not seeking honour or praise or glory of men from anyone, as it is written in the Gospel, but having only the Lord ever before his eyes and his commandments, wishing to please him alone;

unto meekness of heart, as the Lord says:

Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.

Likewise let him accustom himself, as far as he is able, to being merciful, kind, compassionate, good, as the Lord says:

Be good and kind, even as your heavenly Father is compassionate; and again he says:

If you love me, keep my commandments; and again:

Strive, for the violent seize the kingdom of heaven; and:

Strive to enter in through the narrow gate.

Above all let him hold the Lord's humility and manner of life and meekness and conduct as a model in every unforgetting remembrance.

Let him persevere in prayers, always praying and believing that the Lord may come and dwell in him, and perfect and strengthen him in all his commandments, and that the Lord himself may become the dwelling-place of his soul; and so what he now does with his heart resisting and under constraint, he may one day do willingly, accustoming himself continually to the good, and ever remembering the Lord and awaiting him in much love.

Then the Lord, beholding such resolve and his good earnestness—how he compels himself unto remembrance of the Lord and unto the good continually, and constrains his unwilling heart unto humility and meekness and love, and with all his power leads it under force—shows his mercy with him and redeems him from his enemies and from the indwelling sin, filling him with the Holy Spirit.

And so henceforth, without force and toil, he does all the commandments of the Lord in truth (or rather, the Lord does his own commandments in him), and then bears the fruits of the Spirit purely.

But one who has first drawn near to the Lord must thus compel himself unto the good, even with the heart unwilling, continually awaiting his mercy in undoubting faith, and compel himself unto love when he has no love, compel himself unto meekness when he has no meekness, compel himself unto having a compassionate and merciful heart, compel himself unto being despised, unto being long-suffering when despised, and not to be vexed when set at nought or dishonoured, according to that which is said:

not avenging yourselves, beloved—to compel himself unto prayer when he has no spiritual prayer.

And so God, beholding him thus striving and forcibly constraining himself with the heart unwilling, gives him true prayer of the Spirit, gives true love, true meekness, bowels of mercies, true kindness, and in a word fills him with the fruits of the Spirit.

But if anyone compels himself unto prayer alone, having no prayer, that he may obtain the prayer of grace, yet does not compel himself unto meekness and humility and love and the rest of the Lord's commandments, nor has care and labour and struggle to set those right, as much as lies in his free choice and self-determining will—sometimes the prayer of grace is given to him partially, in rest and gladness from the Spirit, according to his request;

but in his ways he is similar to what he was before;

he has no meekness, because he did not seek it with labour, nor prepared himself beforehand to become such;

he has no humility, since he did not ask for it nor compel himself unto it;

he has no love toward all, since he had no care and struggle concerning this in the asking of prayer and in the very practice of the work;

[he has no] faith and confidence toward God, since he did not know himself, did not test [himself] as lacking it, and did not labour in affliction seeking to obtain from the Lord firm faith and true confidence toward him.

For each one must, just as he compels and constrains himself unto prayer with the heart unwilling, so also unto confidence, so unto humility, so unto love, so unto meekness, integrity and simplicity, so unto all patience and long-suffering with joy, according to what is written; so let him compel himself unto counting himself as nothing and reckoning himself poor and last, so unto not talking of things that are not useful, but ever to meditate and speak the things of God with mouth and heart, so unto not being angry and clamorous, according to that which is said:

Let all bitterness and wrath and clamour be put away from you, with all malice.

Unto all the Lord's ways, unto every exercise of virtue and good and noble conduct, unto every conduct of goodness, unto all humility of meekness, unto not being lifted up and high-minded and puffed up and speaking against anyone—unto all these things ought he to compel himself who wishes to be approved and to please Christ, so that the Lord, seeing his readiness and resolve, how he constrains and leads himself by force unto all goodness and simplicity and kindness and humility and love and prayer, may give him his whole self—the Lord himself working in truth all these things purely in him, without toil and without constraint, which before he could not keep even with force, because of the sin dwelling in him.

And all the practices of virtue become to him as nature.

For henceforth the Lord, having come and being in him (and he in the Lord), himself works in him his own commandments without toil, filling him with the fruits of the Spirit.