Dialogue on the Soul

Again, other questions concerning the soul and concerning the distinction of the affections of the bodily natures, the souls, and the spirits. I, however, Eutropius and Eusebius, after I received your first letter, I was anxious about your coming to me. But when you entered into your district and gave greeting to one another in the earnestness of prayer, in the many conversations that took place with one another, those things that were not written down were spoken. Now the first question is this: why, with every body, in the body of a human being, was the seat of the soul placed? The Solitary says: My beloved, I speak as it appears to me. For God wished that the human being alone should investigate the teaching of his wisdom; he placed this entire nature, broad and spacious in its height and depth, while its opposite elements are at variance with one another in their nature. And within its deep hollow and the circuit of its revolution, he established measures for its regions in the division of the seas, in the courses of the rivers, in the flow of springs, in the movements of trees, in the forms of all bodies. And within the vault of the firmament, which is the place of the luminaries in the high and low regions, in the changing times of the sun and moon. And because everything that has motion in its course and a body in its appearance stands by two mysteries: by its visible appearance and by the skill of the workmanship of God that is in it, for this reason that which was destined to be a divine image, to which these natures minister and by which they bring the understanding of his wisdom near to him, by two motions of two substances, and it was not that its existence in the world should be. For by the visible sight of these wondrous beauties, which shine forth from all natures, this visible substance of the body is delighted. And by the wisdom hidden in them, this hidden substance of the soul is delighted.

For He gave to the natures their nature and form within the body that He saw in creation; and the hidden mystery concealed in them, which investigates the wisdom of God—how much more so for the human being, the king of all the natures of this creation, He established him in the excellent beauty of the form of his bodily members, and in the noble nature that moves within him to discern the works of God. Eusebius said: And that body was not sufficient by means of the motion of its senses to be informed of the magnitude of the works. John the Solitary said: The nature of the body cannot see what is invisible except by the mind, and it sees by the sight of the eyes. For behold, the eyes, upward from the firmament, cannot see; and when they wish to look upward beyond the firmament, they do not look by the eyes of the body, but by the inner intellect. And into the inner house, not the sight of the outer doors enters, but that of the heart. And the moon, when it rises in its fullness from the east, appears to the eyes as if it is not far, five miles away. And the mind understands that its eastern point is everywhere. And because the external senses—hearing, sight, smell, touch, and taste—were not sufficient for the inner magnitude of the mystery of the natures, for this reason God concealed it in the hiddenness of the inner members, a nature cut off by its senses from all bodies. By the sharpness of its cutting off from its motions, it tastes the hidden wisdom of the existences of the Lord of all. Eusebius said: And are not the souls able, when they are separately without body, to discern the wisdom of God? Just as also the angels, when they are not in a body, are powerful in the intelligence of God, and they did not need a body as a cause for them, so then also these souls are able, when they are not placed in a body, to be established in the wisdom of God.

The Solitary said: Therefore, if souls, my brethren, were created in this mystery without a body, they would exist in the world, and it would be sufficient for them, by their knowledge, to perceive the hidden wisdom of these natures. But they would not be moved by their own will, because their nature is set from them, and they have no need pressing upon them. And because there is no necessity upon them, they would not even be occupied with the wisdom that is in them, just as the seraphs are not occupied with seeking the wisdom of this world, because their nature is set from it. And because I have brought the nature of the angels as an example, it is another mystery concerning them: they exist by the order in which they were created by God. But the nature of souls was not established thus by God. And if the body alone were in the human being without a soul, then God would not have made the human being alone in the world, but the body like the rest of the bodies that are limited by the intention of His wisdom, like the limbs of a beast and the birds of the sky. But the whole of what distinguishes the human being from all natures is because he is honored by the soul that is in him. And because she is in him, by his afflictions and the necessity that is upon everything, he is moved in it to become wise about everything, while the body has partnership with her in the discoveries that come from her, and she with him in it through the wisdom that is hidden in her, by her being with God. And if the human being were without a soul, like the rest of everything, he would be as I said above. And if souls were created without a body in the world, it would be a vain thing that, when they are not pressed upon by any of the natures, by the movements of the desires of their nature they would be occupied. But now that they are clothed in a body, the body becomes for them a cause that they are occupied with those things that are of the body. And by itself, concerning the wisdom that is in it, every human being is occupied in every measure. Eusebius said.

I desired to hear how souls are elevated above the necessity of everything that is visible. The Solitary said: Look and see in the service of everything that, in all its necessities, the body is filled, yet it is not in need of them. For it is not the visible thing that is in need of visible things, neither the sun's light, nor the moon's changes, nor the entire middle motion of the upper air, nor the solidity of the clouds, nor the fire of lightning, nor the sound of thunder, nor the torrents of rain, nor the flow of springs, nor the brightness of the day, nor the stillness of the night, nor the peaks of mountains, nor the courses of the hours, nor the alteration of the months, nor the revolution of the whole year and everything that occurs in it. But from all these, the nature of the soul is free. For by its subtle movements, it seeks among men the wondrous works of God. And instead of their being occupied with this discourse, that by a firm and constant bond with the bodily senses they are hindered, they become blasphemers against God by deeds that are not fitting. For they are not guided by the wisdom of nature, nor by the wisdom of the Scriptures. Or how much has God been occupied in making wise the sons of men, or how far have they removed themselves from the discipline of his teaching! And they are concerned only with the vain desires. For anyone who, in their sight alone, delights in the nature of the external sight, and has not been occupied with the wisdom of God that is in them, stands at the level of beasts. These also, like him, see by the external senses the sun, the moon, the stars, the brightness, and all the elements on earth. But he who is occupied with the hidden wisdom that is in them is a spiritual man, who by the senses of his soul gazes upon the mysteries of the Lord of all. Eusebius said.

On this account, the discourse concerning the nature of the soul that is in the body suffices. But because many desire to hear, and also those who are profited thereby, you desire to learn concerning the conduct of the inner and outer man. The Solitary said: I shall begin to speak first from the divine commandment that brings you near to His love: "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul" (Deut. 6:5). Eusebius said: Why then did God place this commandment before the rest of the commandments, seeing that it is more difficult than those that follow after? For there is one who does not kill, nor commit adultery, nor steal, yet does not attain to the love of God. The Solitary said: My beloved, for the reason that this commandment works upon the hearts of men so that they may keep also the rest, He placed it first. For if in that first one, the knowledge of His being one God does not endure, neither can they love Him. And if His love does not persist, neither are they restrained from killing and adultery. If, however, they know His lordship and approach His love with their whole heart, it is evident that they will also obey the rest of the commandments. For through their obedience to God and the cessation of those deeds which He commanded them not to do, they will dwell in peace together with their fellows. The blessed Evangelist's precepts, however, do not only forbid evil deeds, but also abolish the thoughts that are the cause of actions. "Love your enemies, do good to those who harm you, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44, Luke 6:27). These commandments, then, bring the inner man to purity of intention. The Mosaic commandment of the people, however, commanded only those deeds that are not to be seen in the body.

when it also hinders the inner thoughts, so that their will is not in the deed. As when the drunkenness of the wine of your enemy falls upon you on the road, and you do not wish to drink with him, yet you drink with him. Here he offers a good deed, while the intention within is not pure. But the Lord, through his gospel, purifies the intention. Love your enemies. It is not only good deeds that he commands you to do for them with the external members, but that you also take their offense upon your inner senses, as one who loves God even those who hate him. And the testimony of his love is shown by deeds. For the sun shines upon the good and the evil, and the rain falls upon the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). Eusebius says: And what is the beginning of the inner conduct of a human being? John the Solitary says: The stripping away of the love of money. After the stripping away of the love of money, it is necessarily required that one strip away the passion for the love of glory. And then after that, one must be in the excellence of contemplation, in humility and patience, in diligence and readiness, in the joy of his hope, in the wakefulness of beautiful thoughts, in the perfect love of God and of fellow humans. By these one approaches the purity of the soul, which is the completion of the entire conduct that God commanded to be carried out by a human being in this life. For all his commandments, up to the simplicity of the soul, lead a human being. But when one has performed the struggle and conquered all evil passions, and stands in the purity of intention, he departs from the entire conduct commanded by God in this life, and then begins to enter from the simplicity of the soul into a new conduct of a human being, which is no longer the deed of the law imposed upon him, but a beloved son freed from everything of this world.

And it begins that he becomes a son of the mystery of God, when he has participation in his knowledge with God. And he becomes a servant of God towards him in the revelations of mysteries, when he has nurture in the ways of the spirit of the saints. That is the order of conduct of the inner man, which is called by Paul the spiritual man who judges everything (1 Cor. 2:15). For he is not judged by any man, nor is his glorious conduct seen by the eyes of men. He himself judges everything. Eusebius says: "As he judges everything." John the Solitary says: "As the living being that is placed for me to hear." Because he is above everything that is seen, he understands everything; and he judges and condemns what is not good; and little by little he is raised up to be perfected in the spiritual order. So that he is not judged by God nor by evil men. But by him all those below him are judged, as the world is judged by the saints, who, though they were of the same nature as them, did not become like them in deeds. And that I did not say this improperly, approach the service of the Lord, which shows you that after a man keeps the commandments and approaches the purity of the soul, he becomes a house of God in his mysteries. For he says: "He who has my commandments with him and keeps them, that one loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father. And I will love him and show him myself" (John 14:21). After a man fulfills the commandments that are set for him—which is the diligence of their fulfillment with love—then I also show myself to him in the knowledge of my mysteries. For a man to approach the contemplation of the higher things with the simplicity of the soul is one of the gifts that are given to you in the other world.

He who is diligent in this conduct of which I spoke, from then on God begins to give him from the gifts of the future, according to what is fitting for him to receive in this life. From the emptiness, then, of the passion of love of money, as I said, he begins in the conduct of the inner man, and is led to the simplicity of the soul. From the simplicity of the soul and beyond, he begins in the conduct of new life, in the nurture of spiritual knowledge. And that which is named the inner and outer man, the Apostle also calls thus: "that the inner man may be inhabited by Christ" (Ephesians 3:16). And the outer man is corrupted, but the inner is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). And there is one law of God in the inner man (Romans 7:22). The good conduct of the outer man, however, is this: that he not be occupied with debauchery and drunkenness, nor with curses and blasphemies, nor with the lusts of his flesh, while he is a praiser of God with the voice of his mouth, along with the other things of this life. For if a man is only in these things, he stands revealed in the measure of the conduct of the animal man, while he serves the Lord of all in the order of servitude, and like the hireling who works for his wage. For this order of conduct is called by the Apostle the fleshly mind, which does not receive spiritual things; for folly is fitting for it. And it is not able to know that it is judged by the spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). Eusebius says: "How is it not able to perceive that it is judged by the spirit?" The Solitary says: "As the species of speech, so I speak concerning it." For everything that is in the whole conduct that appears to the eyes of men as good, and is occupied with alms, fasting, and vigils that abolish the hour—all its intention is spent on its conduct. And the joy of its hope is placed in its labor.

And all the glory of the future that is due to him from the abundance of God’s grace in the world to come is from the cause of his actions, which he receives, and not from the treasury of God’s compassion. Therefore, he of whom it is said concerning spiritual things that he does not perceive them is considered a fool in his own eyes, he who says it. For everything that is held by the wicked in this life, and it is thought that the virtues are the good things of God’s will, is vain in comparison to what is destined to be in it. For behold, all things here are vain. And in another order, God establishes the sons of men after their nature. For it is not by the burning of incense nor by offerings and visible works that they serve him in the life to come. And the soul is outside of these visible things, which it does not know by hearing. For everything that is the soul in its good actions, if they are abolished from it by the revelation of something greater than them, it is as if hope is cut off. For it does not approach that which is great, and it abandons that which is near. And in these it is in a state of hopelessness, because it does not perceive that there is something else beyond what it supposes. And because of this, it does not know that it is judged by the spirit. And it is said to him that everything he supposes to be glorious is nothing in comparison to those things that are of the spirit, for the judgment of this knowledge cannot be received. But to the beginning of the soul, he with whom God makes a revelation, concerning the future graces that will be in the world, he informs him beforehand. And when the gift is given to him, he receives the efficacy of the signs, because these are glorified among the wicked, and by them they are able to receive the faith of the invisibility of God.

And because he works with God through the external members, God also placed a gift in his members: a sign that announces something that is to come and that will happen, and his hand will perform the sign. This gift was not only not astonishing, but also the human being who perceives spiritual revelations does not even desire it. For just as many ranks that are arranged in their orders appear before a king, and each order is more excellent in its garments than its companion, the spectators, while standing and remaining, see the first order and praise the schema of its garments; the second appears and they marvel even more; the third order comes out and they are amazed at its garments; and then the first order becomes contemptible in their eyes, not because their garments have become base, but because the splendor of the others has caused them to be held in contempt. Through this illustration, understand the mystery of what I say: that when something that is to come in the world is revealed to a person, especially the revelation of the new life, it is more excellent than it, just as that future world is superior to this one in which we stand. But whoever has not perceived that mystery, all the greatness of these things that are placed before the eyes is in vain. For the gift that the ascetic receives heals the pains of the body through its signs, by the faith of the spectators. And concerning the outcomes of wars and battles, it is revealed to him, those things which even the wicked, together with the physicians who are like these, predict beforehand, like a helmsman concerning the winds of the sea, and like a physician concerning the pains of the body. But the apostles, who received the power of signs and the wisdom of the other life, because they were chosen for the service of the nations, so that through signs the mystery of Christ, who is with God, might be believed by them, and through the wisdom of the future life they might instruct the wicked concerning their hope.

when the gift was great in their members, this wisdom that they perceived in their minds from the works they performed. For many performed wondrous signs, and they expelled demons, cleansed lepers, and healed the sick, yet they did not perceive the wisdom of that world, because it is greater than anything wondrous in this world. For behold, the Qurṭāyē, when they performed many wonders through the speech of tongues and their interpretations of tongues in the supplications they used to recite, they would say something that was to come and happen in the world, along with other wonders, but the mystery of the wisdom of that world they were not even able to hear. For the Apostle rebuked them and said: Not only when he came to them was he unable to speak with them the wisdom of that world, which he calls the perfect food, but even now they are not able to receive it (1 Cor 3:2). But wisdom speaks among the perfect: wisdom not of this world (1 Cor 2:6). And when they performed signs well, they did not attain to this measure. For if a man performs signs before unbelievers, this is not hindered by envy or concealment. But if a man perceives that wisdom whose measure has no limit, it is only if he is pure in mind. For the power of all signs is the teaching about God. It is not that the one who performs them knows them, nor that the one who sees them understands the life after the resurrection. For this is mixed in its effectiveness with the gift of signs, just as the soul is mixed with the body. But if the great work of signs is mixed with the wisdom of the life to come, how much more after the resurrection does wisdom take the place of its mysteries, which it did not give to the righteous who performed works.

but it is clear, as I said, that the power of signs is only against error. When men emerged from error, they began to learn the wisdom of its mysteries. For this reason, the power of signs is like a natural ladder for the rational ones. Just as the soul is placed between corporeality and spirituality—being neither like the body nor like the complete spirituality of the angels in their lives—so too does the power of signs stand between error and truth, distancing from error and drawing near to truth. For this reason, the life of that world, because it is removed from error, is also removed from signs, since there is no one who has emerged from there who is from error. Again, as for the beginning of the soul's separation, it has a conflict with demons. Eutropius says: For what reason? The Solitary says: Because its conduct is visible, the Adversary envies it for its works, and begins to ask God through prayer for war with it, so that he who is permitted to him becomes contending in every way. Eusebius says: And why does he not contend with the spiritual man in forms? For behold, the conduct of the spiritual is superior to that of the rational. And if something superior in works he does for the Adversary who envies, in what way of the spiritual is he more than the way of the rational, does he compel him to envy? The Solitary says: The conduct, my brothers, of the spiritual head is not seen in the body among the rational ones. As for the beautiful things that are seen in him, they are not of the spirit but of the soul, just as he is not corporeal in his actions. But because his conduct is hidden, it is hidden from the Adversary, and no one sees it except God, so envy is not aroused against him. And if he who envies him does so, it is because of the things that are seen in him that he envies.

For indeed, to the Lord: since there is no measure for that greatness and that knowledge and that glorious conduct, unless one approaches Him through the labor of fasting in a mystical vision. For because he did not see His spiritual conduct and His glorious knowledge near God the Father, he was not fully restrained from his wickedness. For like the rest of the wicked, the Messiah was governed by His revelations. For that one, then, became a place for Satan to ascend against the Lord's ascension, through the labor that appears in the body, arousing the wickedness of his envy. Concerning His approach, then, to the Lord: and concerning the accusation of the accuser and the mystical one: and that he was led to destruction for the ascension, that is another matter. Now then, hear also concerning the order of the corporeal man. For if even in this fair conduct that is seen, the head is not governed, not only is the work of God not present, but with all his household he is foreign. For this one the Apostle calls corporeal. "For as long as there is among you envy and error and strife and divisions, are you not corporeal and do you not walk in the flesh?" (1 Cor. 3:3). For these, with the name of the Messiah, are works of sin. Three orders, then, the Scripture names concerning the sons of men: corporeal, psychic, and spiritual. Those whose entire thought is in evil, base thoughts, if they conceal what they do, stand in the conduct of demons. Those whose entire thought is constantly in the evils of the sons of men, if they do not conceal the completion of their movements, but because they are still moved by these thoughts, they are corporeal. For thus the Apostle says: "For as long as there is among you envy and strife, you are corporeal.

He who has a struggle against the evil of his thoughts, and does not entrust his mind to his emotions, and restrains himself with the bridle of not doing his own will—this one who toils in this manner of life is near to the spiritual degree. Eusebius says: And when is one spiritual? The Solitary says: When he does not do evil deeds and does not conceive of sins. Eusebius says: And why is he who is not enslaved to his passions called by this name? The Solitary says: Because the purity of the soul is elevated above evil deeds and base thoughts, and the cause of the body is stirred in its partnership, as you showed in your letter. For this reason, he who is raised above these bodily things and approaches the order of the soul's purity is called spiritual. Just as he is called fleshly who is occupied with the lusts of the body's life. Hear also another head: that everyone who is in the head is in the flesh, and is not moved by the fear of judgment, and does not labor for the wisdom of teaching. And when he asks something of God in prayer, there is no interval for his mind to be troubled. But rather, habits and thoughts that pass through him are open in his thought. For God, as in the image of a head, he looks upon. He who is spiritual in his thought has a love of teaching. He who troubles his mind in prayer strikes with many blows. The trouble of his mind is a small thing. Purely, and not even a sign of the hour. For why, O Simon? Because the soul itself is either in the movements of the open, or in the meditation of knowledge, or in the labor of the body. For this reason, even in the time of his prayer, these things work in him. So that he cannot look upon God intently. Because forms of images are joined to one another and become open.

especially because he has not yet reached the measure of the higher ones, from self-will—that which is intent on God in a way that is far from the thought of the wicked. But at the beginning of the spiritual life, because he is far from bodily thoughts, there is no time when his entire thought is not in the wisdom that is in God. And if someone does not perceive this which I have said, from these earlier things which he perceives, he will also receive this which he did not understand. Eutropius says: Because many of those who have not even entered into the understanding of your word have found it, it has become a waste for me and for this brother of mine, Eusebius, to come to you. For when many foolish things come out of the course, this which has come to you has become more abundant for you than the rest. For it is customary for them to listen to themselves, as if they consider nothing, in the charcoal of this knowledge which you have inscribed in your letter. And just as what happened to Paul happened also to you. For just as he formerly used to boast and rejoice in his conduct of the Law, as if he thought that it was perfection and there was nothing further, until he received the knowledge of Christ, so also you used to think that what you had attained was perfection, until it was made known through the evil of your word how far you are from perfection. And just as the Apostle considered the things which he formerly considered righteousness as a loss in comparison with the abundance of the knowledge of Christ, so also you have cast aside the joy of your labor, so that you boast only in the hope of God. The Solitary says: I also, my brothers, as I have perceived in your beautiful thought which seeks the truth, and not boasting in the custom of the laws, I have loved to speak with you about those things in which you are in the place of silence, while your souls are hidden within the wall that is not shaken by any heresies. Eusebius says.

Even the sin is equally required: that you speak to me concerning the distinction of the orders. And do not suppose that sin is a matter of questions. For they are not known, nor does a wise question reach them. But you, according to your will—those things that come up in your mind, speak to me concerning the passions of the soul and their causes. The Solitary says: I shall begin to speak concerning the grief of the soul, in which of these three orders it is found. It is not, then, in bodies nor in spirits; not in bodies because of their evil thought, and not in spirits because they have been elevated from this passion by joy. It is, however, solely in the grief of the soul among the souls. I say, then, also its cause. For because the soul is moved by the fear of God, it remains for it to be distressed over its deeds. And from the sorrow of its sins, the grief of the soul is born. Now, then, it is fitting to distinguish also the weeping of tears, which thoughts move in the mind in these three orders. The weeping of bodies, then: even when before God in prayer it weeps, these thoughts move in its weeping: the thought of its poverty, the remembrance of its afflictions, the care for its children, the passion of its oppressions, the anxiety of its house, the recollection of its dead, along with the rest of those similar to these. And from the affliction of these thoughts, sorrow increases in it, and from sorrow tears are born. But the weeping of the soul: in prayer these thoughts move it: the fear of judgment, the thought of its sins, the remembrance of the grace of God that has overtaken it, the care for death, the meditation on those future things, the end that is not far off, along with the rest of those similar to these. From the affliction of these thoughts, its mind is moved by the passion of tears.

If, however, he were with other evil ones, and had no great caution, then his weeping would not be from the cause of these spiritual matters. But it is fitting that you have fallen into the passion of the glory that is with the evil ones. And when he is left in their sorrow and in the standing of their house, the sight of the sons of men moves him to the passion of weeping in vain glory. The weeping, however, of a spiritual man: these thoughts are measured for him: the wonder of the greatness of God, the astonishment at the depth of his wisdom, the praise of the world to come, the error of the sons of men, along with the rest of these similar things, which, with the sorrow of these, cause tears to flow before God. That weeping, however, is not from the passion of bitterness, but from great joy. For weeping is born from joy, just as the many, when they see their beloved ones after a journey, weep from the joy of seeing them. The weeping, however, of a man of spirit that is from bitterness—this is its cause: when he remembers the evil ones, how much they err, like that which the Lord wept when he entered Jerusalem, and like that which is said, that it was bitter for him over the death of their heart (Mark 3:5), and like that which Paul says: "Now, however, when I weep, I say I am over them" (Phil. 3:18), and like that again which is written about him in the Acts, that for three hours he did not cease from that weeping (Acts 20:31). This weeping, however, was not in the intention of the spirit, but in the thoughts of the self, or of the error of the sons of men, or of the passions and afflictions, or of those who were entreating that help might come to them from heaven. For a spiritual man does not weep little by little because of his abundant joy. And if he weeps, he is moved by spiritual thoughts, as I have said, like that of Simon Cephas, who wept bitterly at the remembrance of the denial of the Lord.

For wherever a man weeps, the distinction of the thoughts that cause his weeping is evident. That one, when he is troubled by evil thoughts and looks into their dead heart, weeps over them. But when a man's thought is spiritual, he does not weep, just as an angel does not weep. If, however, weeping comes from that spiritual conduct, then the righteous would be perpetually weeping in the kingdom, because there the spirit is there. In spiritual conduct, therefore, there is no weeping. What then is the order of one who is engaged in weeping for the sake of spiritual training? It is like a child who is engaged in weeping. And just as a child, as he approaches the training of growth, ceases from his weeping, until he reaches a stature where weeping is not fitting for him, so also one who is engaged in the weeping of separation: if God grants that he approach spiritual training, the more his thought grows in spirit, the more he ceases from weeping and is in joy. That one, however, who has no pain of thought at all, and is not moved by compassion, is like a fetus in relation to a spiritual person, just as one who is not yet born is compared to one who is complete in bodily stature. For just as the one not yet born is entirely in the womb, and nothing from him is seen in this world, so a person who has no self-awareness in pain: his entire thought is confined here, and in his lordship he does not go out to another world. And since this matter was well said to me in another letter, I was hindered by your excess, so that I also said it to you. For how many times have you not encountered that letter? These things, however, which I said about the cause of weeping, even when they are naturally found in a person, are a sensitive matter. And the disturbances that are with every person: these distinctions of thoughts that I spoke about concerning weeping awaken them.

It comes to me now also to show concerning the weakness of love, that the causes which produce it are of three kinds: in bodies, in souls, and in spirits. For all who discern in what I say, let them know how far short they are of true love. See, I say, concerning the evil ones, that whoever wishes to instruct him concerning his soul, that he may acquire love. For the degree of love among the evil ones is lower than the degree of divine love. And unless one first attains the measure of love for one's fellow men, he does not ascend to the measure of love for God. As also the blessed John said: "He who does not love his brother whom he sees, cannot love God whom he does not see" (1 John 4:20). It says, therefore, that the distinctions of love are those which thoughts produce in the soul. First, however, it is natural that it is placed in us by God. For if the power of the soul were not able to be moved by love, it would not be said to you: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 6:5). At the beginning, therefore, these bodily sensations awaken the love of nature: desire and affection. Desire is nourished by the perception of the body, and affection for relatives increases from many desires. For he who wishes to be known in the world through power, honor, and pride, in him the love of wealth increases. And from the love of these, his love for loving each person is aroused. I say, however, concerning these that they are relatives of these. For this reason, the love of bodily men is not true, because with the changing circumstances, their love begins to grow cold in their minds; and upon circumstances that do not endure, their love is not founded. And it is evident that when these things which were the cause of their love are changed, their love is also changed with them.

For the beginning of their love is from the beauty of the senses, and from the wealth that passes away, and from the authority that is dissolved. Now I enter another order concerning souls, those in whom love is not found, neither of truth nor of falsehood. Not of falsehood from this cause which I am about to state. Because whatever soul is in the ascetic life, there is not much in it the passion of love of wealth, nor does it perform the desire of its lust; therefore this cause does not call it to become a lover of men, because it does not thirst for wealth nor for love of beauty. And because of these things, it is not that there is in it the passion of love in a hidden manner. Even if it thinks that it loves men with a divine love, still it has not approached this measure. For the love of God is not constituted from the world of the body, but from the understanding of his mysteries. And because it has not approached this, it is lacking from that which loves all men. That, therefore, is perfect love, which loves everyone in the likeness of God. And if one loves souls individually, his love is not from knowledge, but from the cause that calls him. If, however, his love is true, and he loves with knowledge those whom he loves, he does not hate at all the one who does him evil. If, however, he hates, know that as the cause that hates is called, so the cause that loves is called. Whatever soul is in knowledge, it cannot love, except the one who submits to its teaching. Nor, however, is this love of truth. For love of truth loves even those who do not submit to its teaching, just as God loves even those who do not submit to his will. In the head of spirits, however, love for God and for men is perfectly established, not by chance or by the cause of something visible, but from knowledge. Autropius says: From what knowledge? John the Solitary says.

I turn now to you, my beloved, concerning the causes of his love, which are far from your understanding. For even when they are spoken, you do not grasp their meaning. Yet it is he who is about to speak. The love of truth, however, is from simplicity and above; it is established. And everything that is from simplicity and below, it has not yet been stretched toward its height. That perfect gift of love, however, is given in another world to the whole nature of rational beings. For every gift that the mind receives from the simplicity of the soul and above, it is from the gifts that are after the resurrection. For when there is no one who envies his companion after the resurrection, is it not evident that the truth of love is a gift from God? He speaks also of another passion, which is in those whose error is in their thoughts, in each of these orders. For the bodily man, then, that is his error: authority over others, wealth of those by whom he is made rich, life of those by whom he is made alive. All of his passion, however, is moved by envy. And his envy, too, is from the love of those who are seen to be base. Eusebius says: And he who is thus, in what way can he be freed from these? John the Solitary says: He can be freed from them by the hope of those things that are to come. For if he had perceived the weakness of those things that pass away, and the strength of those things that are enduring, he could have not been conquered by this passion. Now, since I have spoken of the cause of his pain and the cause of his healing, I come to the bodily man: showing from what his error is, and over what it is moved. I begin, then, that error may be in the bodily man from this cause: because he has been raised from evil deeds that are seen in the body, and he does not perceive those that are greater than him, he thinks that that which is in him is perfection.

And because the rest of the other things are small in comparison with the works that are seen, he begins to be moved by error and injustice concerning their deeds. And the cause of his error is hidden from the multitude. If, however, he does not love the honors of the world, his error is not from envy, but from the expectation of righteousness. But if he loves honor, his error is moved by envy. And he does not know that just as he is deceived concerning bodies, so too is he deceived by spirits, as the Apostle says: that he is unable to know that he is deceived by a spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). Now this passion of which I spoke is concerning the soul that is in its conduct. The error, however, of the soul that is in its knowledge comes from this cause. Because he approached the study of wisdom and attached himself to the expectation of something, he remains in his confidence and sees that every man is beneath him. And because he does not perceive the great mysteries, he thinks that he knows the truth. And he begins to err concerning things that are not perfect for him, as one who thinks that those who err have attained. Like that which Paul erred concerning the disciples, when he thought that he knew the truth and that they were in error. The error, however, of these two types, their thoughts are drawn out even to murder. As when each man errs concerning the righteous in the destruction of men. In these two living things, therefore, the error of souls and bodies is mixed. Of souls in wisdom and in actions, and of bodies in being and in deeds. In a spiritual man, however, there is no error of the destruction of man. As the Lord, not only was there no error, but he also rebuked the disciples because they were deceived by the error of the Samaritans. Eusebius says: What is that which he said to them: Do you not know what spirit you are? (Luke 9:55). The Solitary says.

If they knew by what measure of wisdom the approach of the passions comes, their thoughts would not be boiling in wrath. Just as, even after they knew what knowledge they received in the mystery of Christ, not only was that thought elevated, but they were also perfected in the love of the wicked. The error of the spiritual man, however, is not the error that speaks error, nor is his error anything else; but only that he boils with divine error and with all the love of the wicked, to bring the erring to the knowledge of truth, as our Lord and his disciples did. Understand also this which I say: that when a person begins to distance himself from evil deeds, many distinctions of thought occur to him, and then he approaches the spiritual degree. And when he again begins to purify himself from his inner thoughts, he has many, and then he arrives at simplicity. From simplicity and above, it is the mystery that is not exhausted. He says, then, the distinctions of these: how a person distances himself from corporeality and approaches spirituality, and what distinctions there are between those who are corporeal in conduct and those who are corporeal in mind, and between those who are spiritual in mind and those who are spiritual in conduct—the teaching about them is great. For just as there are many changes in the growth of the body, so there are many changes in the growth of the mind. And just as when a person is ten years old, he has thoughts according to his stature; and when he is fifteen, his movements are other; and when he is twenty, others are added to him; and when he reaches the measure of thirty, the former ones are changed into other dispositions—so also are the many changes of growth for the inner mind.

And because this world is corporeal, its measurements are known by the body. The inner nurture, however, is not visible, except to one who has separated from the body by his mind. And just as infants are nurtured in the womb, and their nurture is not visible to those of this world, so thoughts are nurtured within, and their nurture is not visible, except in that world. And just as when children emerge from their mother's womb, the stature of each one of them is seen corporeally, so when they emerge from this womb of earth and appear in that world, the measure of the mind of each one of them is revealed, according to what they were nurtured in: whether in evil things or in good things. But because the one who interprets these changes is many, I will also say this: from when does a person who loves his fellow men begin to show it in demonstration? Just as the body, when it completes the first stage of childhood and enters the second, that of youth, can no longer avoid being moved by the passion of its nature, which is the partnership of coupling, so also in the nurture of this inner human: when he completes the first stage of childhood, which is the lack of care for the fear of God, and enters the second stage, which is simplicity, he cannot avoid being moved by the nature of his world, which is the love of fellow humans. And just as the body in its youth stands fully in its world, so also this inner one stands in the other world in the love of fellow humans. If, however, I were saying everything to you hand to hand, you would know that there would be a long discourse from the five books of the Torah. These are living seeds, which are nurtured in you in many ways. This I say concerning the spiritual order, apart from that which previously confused a person in the practice of his labor.

womb of their mother, they are nurtured by the blood of their mother, and when they are born, they are nurtured by milk, and when they grow, they are nurtured by solid food, so also the soul, while it is in the body, is nurtured by the senses, and when it is separated from the body, it is nurtured by the intellect. And everything that is spiritual in its intellect is corporeal in its conduct. And everything that is spiritual in its conduct is corporeal in its intellect. For this one is in its labor, and that one boasts in its wisdom. With another order that exists among the children of men, nothing is accomplished in it, whether in its concealment or in its revelation, beyond the works of the flesh. And there is one who has begun to leave corporeality, but has not yet approached spirituality. And it is another kind of discourse that is said about him, that he has come to the passions. And there is one who has begun to be above spirituality, but has not reached the intellect of the spirit. And it is another word that is said about his movements. For the conduct of the spirit has no nature that seeks, because it is given to the seekers beyond the nature of this world. For these lives are given only by God to those who know how to serve, as Paul brought this measure to the rest of the disciples. For this reason, no man is judged because he has not attained this greatness. Eusebius says: But I think it is an injustice that after a man hears these things, he does not take the trouble to strive earnestly to be worthy of them. The Solitary says: Distinguish, then, between those who have conquered wrath, and cannot be troubled secretly. And when they are well in everything, they have cast off anger, but in those who are wonderful in their nature, not even strong passions exist in them. But the man who subdues his anger within himself by wisdom, not only is wrath not present in him, but he is also near to conquering the passion of anger. But the head who subdues his anger not by wisdom because of his advantage, but silences it within himself by force, this man is wrath. I say, then, that this is also the cause of wrath.

because the anger was not purified; for by a good intention it becomes bearable. For this reason, just as when the fire of his anger is not quenched by blows or curses, then the movements of the inner man are kindled in him for the time of vengeance. This, then, is the bodily nature of man, which is nourished by anger. Eusebius says: And who is that who, when he is angered, does not kindle the time of the inner man? And what is the cause of the deficiency of the inner man? The Solitary says: At the beginning, his anger is sharp and is grievously kindled in wrath; the time of his inner man is not extended as in the former case of which I spoke. Eusebius says: How so? The Solitary says: Because the spirit of the fire of his anger, in the utterance of words, does not remain in him; the thoughts and the anger are hidden in their concealment. But as many times as they are kindled, they also return to their former state, along with many other things that are among those that exist in men who are without God, who are not satiated with the food of their companions. For I am not speaking about demons, but about evil men. For everyone whose shame is not covered, and who does not know reason, is not numbered among evil men. But rather, as with the meaning of the Gospel, he is numbered among the angels of Satan, in that he sent them to the valley of the mountain. For if they were not like him, he would not have been condemned with them. For the judgment of God is not unjust. And it is evident also that the pain of evil increases in the soul by what cause, as in the multitude of judgment in every man. And the man who is accustomed to being occupied with the deeds of others is great in the pain of evil. Eusebius says: And their pain, by what cause can it become less in them? The Solitary says: By that which they do not make a fire for their intention.

but when they are stirred to strike with thoughts, and their mind is troubled, and the spirit is not given to bring forth words for their hidden movements. For just as by the restraint of the mouth and the nostrils, the smallness of the remainder of the life of the human being is shown, so by the silence of the one who speaks about others, the inner pain is seen. And after the cessation of this pain, the pain of love enters. For it has no interval to be moved by itself in the love of enemies, as this pain is in it, when it has organs to hear and is heard. Hear also the opinion that was held by others concerning the nature of the soul. For they say that it is moved by three passions: that is, by discernment, love, and anger. Many, however, have thought about it in a deficient way. For by these three passions even animals are moved. For animals love their young, and become angry at what harms them, and distinguish by love what is suitable for them, as the species of dogs distinguishes, to love their masters from strangers, and the ox knows its manger (Jes. 1:3) along with many other such things. For by these three passions the nature of the body is moved. The first of them is the love of the life of its nature. These other two, however, are born from this passion of which I spoke. For because the nature of the body is bound to the love of its life, for everything that is opposed to its life, anger arises, and for what helps this passion of the love of its life, it distinguishes to welcome it. The nature of the soul, however, is truly higher than these three passions. And the body alone is moved by them in the human being. Concerning the power of the intellect of the soul, however, as the sign that was set for me, I have shown in brief. End.

the thoughts concerning the distinction of the passions of the soul and concerning the cause of their movements, and concerning those which are within its nature and those which are outside its nature. Now when the service of the sixth hour was completed, and he came to him after the seal of prayer, he began to say to him: I, my beloved, like a helpful physician who is occupied with the pains of the body to show them the cause of their healing, so also I have taken upon myself, as in my insignificance, not only to say to you those things which you have asked, but also other things which you have not asked, so that everything which is occupied in these discussions may find in them the healing of its hidden pains. But I know that the ignorant are occupied with this teaching, while I also show the cause of their faith, why they do not care for the pains of the soul, as they care for the pains of the body. For when they are convinced by this cause, even those who are excellent in conduct will be restrained from anger, so that they are not troubled concerning those who are not intent upon the life of their souls. For it is from lack of knowledge that the righteous become angry at sinners. For if they knew in how many worlds the head of the man of God is immersed in his deeds, they would receive the grace of God, that through the help of him they might be saved from this measure, and they would be for sinners in the passion of compassion and not in the anger of error. Now the cause of a man's care for the pain of his body is this which I say. For all this nature, in the course of its elements, serves the body and not the soul; therefore the body suffers from the diseases in it and from the afflictions with it. And because its diseases and afflictions are seen in the body, it is assumed that he is concerned about these. Eusebius says.

This is the cause of which you spoke: that there is a great concern over the pains of the body, as we hear. What then is the cause that there is no care for the pains of the soul? The Solitary says: Because the nature of the soul is separate from all bodies, and in the life which it lives with the body it lives its own life, in that even after its separation from the body in the life of its nature it endures. For this reason, its pains are not seen by the physicians who treat the afflictions of the body, nor are they perceived by the auxiliary thoughts of their medicine. For it is not healed by the mixtures of drugs, nor is it assisted by the blending of roots. But God, who knows the causes of the sicknesses of the soul, when they occur through evil deeds, restrains them from those deeds by his laws: "You shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Deut. 5:17ff.), along with the rest of the commandments which are not to be transgressed. When they are restrained from these which are in the body, then the inner movements also become calm. When, however, they have no perfection for the physicians—neither with the good nature which is in them, nor with the commandment of the Lord of all—from this cause, because their discipline is not accepted, they remain in all evils. And their knowledge was changed into errors, and their covering was corrupted by blemishes. And as if to say, they neither see nor hear, but like the dead they were without sensation in the compassion of their covering. While they stand in the physicians' negligence of this thought, the multitude of their movements are spread abroad in the love of glory. Eusebius says: You have shown deeply and truly concerning the passions and their causes and the healing of their blemishes. For if a man should devote himself to understanding these, truly he would be in the head of God in his thought.

But because your word approached this passion of the love of glory, it is necessary to know from what cause its beginning is. The Solitary says: This passion begins from vainglory. And vainglory begins from foolish thought. And foolishness begins from ignorance of these lives. Because the sons of men are not discerned in the weakness of their natures, and in the vanity of their glory. And because they are not wise in the wonders of the works of God and in the wisdom of his providence: and in the deficiency of the nature of the sons of men: that sometimes they are beloved, and sometimes they are ruled, and sometimes they are exalted, and sometimes they are humbled: and in all this change the order of their life stands, and all their actions are subject to falsehood. And because they do not reflect on these things, they are drawn to the love of glory from one another. Especially since it is not considered by the mind to say: What is this vanity that holds me? that the sight of evil men is better for me than the sight of God. And I desire praise from them, and not praise from God. As if the glory from them is more excellent to me than the glory of the Lord of all. And as if the honor from the sons of men is equal to me with the honor of angels. Woe is me, the son of man. For when I was created a free man from God, I placed upon myself the lordship of the many: so that I am a servant to everyone in the beauty of everyone. As if I have sold Christ for the glory of the sons of men. And as if in the lordship of my actions I am among evil men in the house of judgment. In these thoughts, therefore, if the mind had been thinking, the passion of the love of glory would not have dwelt in it. For these movements are the enemies of this passion.

And just as when many dwell in a house in the harmony of one mind, their enemy cannot enter into them with fear of them, so this passion is repelled by the multitude of the unity of these interior thoughts. And because the man's mind is emptied of these movements, he is first of all foolish. Then he engages in various deeds. Then he becomes boastful. Then he loves vainglory. Then he loves praise. And from the love of praise, envy begins. For envy is not born in every man from wickedness, but it has different causes for different persons. In the case of the boastful, envy does not arise from wickedness, as others have said, but from empty praise, as Paul says: "Let not your praise be empty, that you may envy one another" (Gal. 5:26). In those, however, who have no love of praise, their envy is born from wickedness. The cause of the growth of their envy is that they are vexed by the honor of others. As for artisans among themselves, or judges, or rulers, or wise men, their envy of one another arises from the love of praise. For because each of them desires that he himself be praised, he envies the praise of his companion. As for the rest of the other wicked persons, they envy one another out of wickedness, like the rest of the poor, whose envy of one another is not because they are praised, but their envy of one another is due to the distress of a greater gift. This, however, is the character of the lover of praise: in the praise of visible deeds, there is not much wickedness in them. Eusebius says: Why, when in others wickedness is strong, is it weak in this one? The Solitary says: Because he loves praise, he is abundant in his gifts.

and by the freedom of each one who is praised, there is no place for the passion of evil in his movements of boasting. But as often as it also remains for goodness. And by the passion of goodness, the passion of evil is abolished. His goodness, however, is not extended to every man. For this is the compassion that is made to boast in God. But his goodness is limited to his praisers, like judges and commanders of forces and magnates, who cast their wealth in theory for the sight of the poor. For they do not give to the needy, not from evil, but from that which is fitting for them as righteousness. For the passion of evil, as I said, is dissolved by the love of praise. But everyone who does not love to be praised in the tumult of the passions of the world, and does not give to the needy from what he has, this man has great evil in him. And from his evil he is cut off from mercy. But that first order which is praised in the world, the love of praise which comes from the poor is a cause for him, so that he does not have mercy on the weak. For because he is enslaved to the praise of the passions, he is not turned towards the superior praise of a beautiful gift. This man, however, I say, is a cause that calls for compassion in every man. For everyone who does not have compassion in this way is able to become compassionate, when his mind is constrained even if he does not wish it, and he compels himself to give to the needy. Just as by the weakness of his gifts, compassion is dimmed in himself continually. And he who has nothing by which to abolish evil from himself through gifts and become compassionate, in this way he is able to become compassionate, when his mind is constrained even if he does not desire it, and he leaves aside those who err in him, and he is not raised up for the punishment of evils.

The passion of the wrath of this body: in the order of the dispositions, it seeks to be praised. When it is angered, it is not from the evil of envy that its wrath is born, but from boasting. For boasting is one thing, and vain glory is another. To boasting is attached arrogance, and to vain glory, haughtiness. Again, the passion that produces haughtiness is one thing, and that which produces arrogance is another. From arrogance, humility is born, when the arrogant one is humbled. From haughtiness, however, the madness of the evil ones is born. The thought, then, when it casts itself as if in madness, is anger. That which is arrogant, as if in humility. The arrogant one, when he humbles himself before a man, humbles himself from the humility of evil. The high-minded one, however, from that which rejoices in evil things, and considers nothing. And to these again, the passions have a cause, and to that, again, a further cause of their cause. For not all the natures of the things that are, and why they are changed, are such that a man who knows the things can avoid being seized by them. And he who is seized: because he does not have foreknowledge of all of them, he cannot easily escape from actions like these, on account of the ignorance of their causes. For this is the beginning of the cause of all the evil actions, that which I said above, that men are not wise in the weakness of their nature and the change of their dispositions. Since, therefore, not every man is of one mind that loves glory, I will show the distinction of this passion: not all its distinctions, but even three of its changes, how it is differently in each man. Those, then, who love to be praised in the standing of the disposition of the world, and in the request of the peace of the prostration of honor, haughtiness is found in the love of their humility. Those, however, who seek to be praised for fair things, are arrogant in mind.

Eusebius says: And why, when in both of them there is the passion of glory, are these two passions distinguished from each other? For that one is haughty, while this one is boastful. And when that passion is stirred in them, it is not like the others. The Solitary says: They are not equal to the other passions, because the cause of love of glory is not one: in that one, it is by authority that it seeks to establish its desires, and in that one, it is by beautiful things that it seeks to be praised. And because their causes are different, these passions also are found in them in a different manner. For those that stand by authority, authority carries their mind; and by that, many are subjected to them, and their mind is raised above those who are under their hands. And because the desires they perform by their authority and by the wealth they possess, not every person is able to do such things; for this reason, their heart is also exalted. Those, however, who are praised for beautiful things: whenever it appears to them that their deeds are known, this passion of boasting stirs in them. For this reason, our Lord, knowing the cause of their boastfulness, when the sight of evil men occurs, commanded them in secret to hide their good deeds from before the sight of evil men, saying: "Do not do your righteousness before evil men" (Matt. 6:1). This, then, is the order of men who by beautiful things seek to be praised, and by deeds that are considered good seek to be honored in the eyes of evil men; they are contemptible with respect to the minds of men, compared to the first order of which I spoke. That first one, which by the desires of its establishment of the world seeks to be vaunted, not only does not know the wisdom of humility, but also is greatly foolish with respect to the passions of men. And this is the cause of their foolishness.

because they have no concern for the establishment of cities on account of vainglory, but only that they be praised; their thought is dissipated among these notions, and they are like wild beasts in their intentions. For if their authority and wealth were taken from them, they would not be distinguished from beasts in knowledge. But those who are concerned with the establishment of regions of lowly places, not for the sake of being praised, but for the sake of being helpful, their thought becomes a place where even other beautiful things may be wisely accomplished. Now, concerning these two orders, that they are both subject to love of praise, but differ in other passions, he speaks of another order of fire. Those who do not love to be praised on account of the benefit of the world or of good works, but desire only to please the wicked by authority. Those who are thus are like all their fellow shepherds. And they are not found to be enemies in a hidden way. For each person speaks according to the taste of his thought. And many, in the guise of humility, are zealous for the desire of wicked men, in the manner of Absalom toward the people. And because he desired to be praised through authority, he spoke to him in the guise of humility, like the taste of the thought of Samuel. Now this type, which desires only to please through authority, is deep in the folly of the passion, along with these two orders of which I spoke. Because I spoke of their likeness in love of praise, and of the different disturbances of their movements, I say in what other passion they are alike.

The three orders, then, of which I spoke: everything that is said about them that offends them, among the children of men, with the hearing, not in anger are they disturbed at first, but they are struck with grief, as if something that they loved had happened to them, and then from that grief they are disturbed bitterly in wrath. That first order, which glories in the success of desires; that which is praised for good deeds, grief runs in it more than in the first. Its grief is against the enmity of that which offends it. That which, in the guise of humility, seeks to please the children of men by its authority, not in laughter nor in wrath does it become, when it hears that something evil is said by men, but with great grief it swallows its thought. These three orders, then, are lovers of praise when they are offended by grief. But they are not alike in other passions. Everyone who loves praise is not, whenever insult reaches him in word or deed, filled with a movement of anger, while being laughter and mockery. For anger gives birth to cursing. Eusebius says: And why is it that when he hears that something evil is said, he who by his authority seeks to please in the guise of humility is not disturbed in anger? The Solitary says: Because the love of praise does not allow him; by means of the humility that he shows in his authority, he seeks to please, and he does not trust that he might appear as if angry, lest he be further offended. Eusebius says: And behold, the first order of which you spoke: those who seek to be praised for desires are lovers of praise. And when they hear something that offends them, they are struck with grief, but are disturbed in anger. And how do they not restrain the passion of love of praise, so that they do not appear angry? The Solitary says.

because it is not in the form of humility that they wish to be praised, for if signs of anger were seen, they would be revealed. Eusebius said: Very well have you spoken. The Solitary said: I will tell you also another head, that there is no one among these three orders who would be an athlete, who would be separated from the passion of love of praise, so that he would do nothing for the sake of the beauty of the evil ones. Know, then, that those who are proud in the power of the world have no opportunity to become athletes. Eusebius said: This is contrary to their nature. For when their nature praises humility, how is it that they have no contest against vain glory? The Solitary said: Because their thought is fixed on those things that are seen, and they do not reflect on the change that stands in the nature of the children of men. And because their thought is confined to those things that the children of men see, their mind does not depart from the place of love of praise. But even that nature of theirs that praises humility is bound by that which is known in them, so that they also praise those who are humble. Eutropius said: And how is it that when they praise humility, they themselves are not seen to be humble? The Solitary said: Because the good nature in them cannot but show its power, in that it bears witness in their thought to the beauty of goodness. And because the passions of pride, of boasting, and of love of praise are many in them, on account of the multitude of these, the power of humility in their nature is not seen in them. One reason is that the good will does not assist this passion of humility, and another is that all the dispositions that accompany that principal one, namely authority, wealth, license, honor, and these, strengthen this passion of love of praise by their assistance.

And with this the power of humility ceases, because it struggles against them and surrenders the inward members to the will of those passions. And the will of the human being gives them to be causes for those passions, by which they are exercised in their movements. But the passion of humility descends and sinks into the depth of the mind of the soul according to its nature, so that in its place it may show its power: in that it praises the excellence of humility, while revealing its will in the nature of the soul, by praising and glorifying humility. And because the will of the flesh did not help the passion of humility, it gave a place of exercise in its own members of the body, so that humility is not seen in that flesh. But the will of the body is separated from it along with all its changes. And in that natural will of the soul, the power of humility is hidden, and it shows its power in that it does not reject humility. But its power is not seen in that human being, because it was driven away from him by the will of the body. Eutropius said: Very powerfully have you spoken. But now that you have shown that it cannot be separated from vain glory, which loves authority, distinguish for me who is the one who conquers the passion of love of glory, and has a contest against it so as not to be enslaved to it. The Solitary said: He who seeks to be praised for good deeds has a contest at every time because of his good deeds, so that they may not become a cause for glory from the wicked. For whenever he desires to do good, the thought that seeks the passion of glory from the wicked stirs within him. And he who does the good deed does it for the sake of glory. And he who does it purely, without that passion, is not yet free from it. And he who does not accomplish the good deed that he intended falls into a contest, because he desires to nullify the good deed he intended. And these thoughts remain with one of the two.

or he completes the works of the good deeds that he wishes to do, or he nullifies their existence so that they do not come to be. In this, therefore, the struggle falls upon his thought, which is occupied with beautiful things, and he desires to choose works for the sake of the beauty of God and not for the sake of the evil ones. But this one, then, rules over that one who is thus: that he does not cease from doing what is good, even when the beautiful choices are made for the sake of the evil ones. For by the nullification of the good deeds there is no benefit for a person. But by the actualization of the beautiful things, everyone is helped. Eusebius says: And why is it that the good deeds desire to be done? They have a struggle against the passion of vain glory. The Solitary says: Because his thought is divided: it inclines toward the deliberations and toward the evil ones. And because he finds compassion in the judgment, he desires to do good deeds for the needy. And because he is not fulfilled in the love of the evil ones—that on account of their debt he does good deeds for them—his thought rejoices in that by which he is praised by them. And because he fears the judgment, his thought is lulled to sleep so that not openly, without the praise of human beings, does he do his good deeds, but he falls into struggle and brevity. But this, my beloved, is not only the name of these passions—what they are and how they are and what is the cause of their growth—that you wish to learn, but also their cure, by which thoughts each one of them is healed, by which I have shown you sufficiently. But because many things have been placed before the eyes, I am silent from speaking about them. For it is not possible that all the causes of each one of the passions be set forth—which works they are, and from what cause they are stirred up in the evil ones, and what is the order of their growth, and which are the movements that establish them.

There was, then, something to say about the change of the thoughts of human beings, as many have opined concerning them. Some have posited nature as the cause of the passions, that their intensity in nature is the cause, along with the mixture of the body. Others have posited the cause of evil that was mixed into nature. Others have accused the demons, who strike the inner person and are more powerful over the person than other causes. Some have posited the soul itself, that it is the passions, and it is their cause. To say, then, against each one of these, setting them in the thoughts—this is not the place for that, for which one more than its fellow is found to speak well, or that all of them equally have departed from the truth. There are, however, also others, which we have not yet mentioned: concerning simplicity, and mediocrity, and the superiority of higher knowledge. Concerning simplicity, because many are in integrity. And concerning mediocrity, because many do not stand in integrity, nor do they attain to higher knowledge, but they are in the middle: they are far from integrity and have not attained to higher wisdom. In this order, the majority of the world is mediocre: they do not walk with integrity, nor are they occupied with simplicity in their turnings, nor have they been raised to spiritual wisdom, so that they would be superior through knowledge in all simplicity. But the whole order is mediocre: cunning in its turnings, evil in its actions, unstable in its thought, along with the rest of all the passions. I, however, say this: that it is a great help to the person that, if he does not attain to superior wisdom, he should not abandon the first order of integrity.

...lest when one leaves the primal simplicity and does not attain to the glorious knowledge, he should stand in the middle order, which is wholly occupied with the coarseness of the passions. For it is like a man who goes out from his house to go to the city: if he does not enter the city, he regrets having left his house; better than that is the one who stands on the road. So it is with the human being who was simple without knowledge: better than that is the one who abandons simplicity and does not approach the wisdom which is accomplished by knowledge in all simplicity. But the simplicity of truth is found in knowledge. For there is no simplicity which is without knowledge, which is not mixed with folly. For by this knowledge which is raised from the simplicity of habit and from all the middle state of the passions, it is perfected in a human being, that which the Lord said: "Be simple as doves and cunning as serpents" (Matthew 10:16). Eusebius says: "Like those who stand in the middle order." The Solitary says: "The doves and the hearers of doves, and those who are instructed, have not approached excellence." Eusebius says: "How then is the coarseness of the serpent to be in a human being?" The Solitary says: "In this sense the Lord gave you the example of the coarseness of the serpent.

...as the serpent knows, that by the spaciousness of the place it cannot cast off its old skin, but enters into a narrow place and among sharp rocks, and then, when it stretches its body and cuts itself through the narrows and struggles to come out, its old skin is left behind among the rocks, and it comes out renewed and having shed its skin. So also does a sinner, by means of the discipline of afflictions and the labor of endurance of the mind, cast off from himself the whole ancient conduct of the old self, and then, when he has cast off all that oldness, he comes out from the body in complete purity. But let us also leave aside the other order that we had to speak about. For the majority of men are accustomed to be adorned with the evil deeds of others, and their own good deeds they do not adorn. And when many good things are heard about a man, they are not confused in his mind, nor does the adornment of others come to him. And if he hears one evil thing about himself, behold, he runs, he hastens to adorn himself with everything that he encounters, even when he is not asked. And concerning good things, even when he is asked, he is unwilling to adorn himself with the adornment of others. And those in whom there is profit for their hearers are silent, and that which is harmful to all that is heard is adorned. Eusebius said: And what does he say about these? Many evil things are in them, and they give no place for good things to be adorned in them. Behold, you see that there are excellent men: the good things of others they are accustomed to speak; but as for that which is hateful to them, they do not even allow it to be heard by them. The Solitary said: The cause of these is not only the mixtures of the body, nor is it from the cause of evil things. But there are some who are accustomed from the habit of upbringing. There are some from the lack of discipline in good things.

...w passage, it casts it off. For it does not spare the wicked from stumbling; the hearing of those who are struck is not covered. For it is not because of the vanity that is over their souls. Eusebius says: And this vanity, if it is in them, why has it not been nullified for them? The Solitary says: This vanity is placed in all the children of men. Each man, however, is nullified by that which he loves and by that to which he first attached himself. For there is no one who is freed from that by which he is nullified, by the hand of him who wishes to nullify him. And that you may know that the external causes stir up in them the passions that are in them, behold, there is a man who rejoices in empty glory because of his wealth and his power; if his wealth and his power are taken from him, his passion also is nullified. And no longer does this passion live in him. But the cause of his power stirred it up in him, and the cause of the cessation of his power extinguished it in him. Eusebius says: And these passions of the soul, are they natural or of the body, and are they stirred up in man by external causes? But because there are wise men who have distinguished which are of the body and which are of the soul, I wish to ascertain whether they have spoken truly, or whether there is something better than their opinion that I might be confused in myself. The Solitary says: Distinguish those which they placed upon the body and those which they placed upon the soul. Eusebius says: Those of the body, are they not these: drunkenness, gluttony, thirst, lust, profligacy? Those of the soul, are they not these: anger, error, separation, envy, love of power, pride, boasting, love? The Solitary says: Those of the body are indeed as you have said. Those of the soul, however, are not these passions naturally. But from the cause of the desires to which the body is bound by its need and its love, that place becomes a place for these passions in the mind. For tell me, from what does envy arise?

Not from that which a person loves does he see another as superior in it, whether in wealth or in power or in beauty or in skill or in being known before the great. And every person envies another whom he sees honored by that which he himself loves. And to power or wealth or skill or beauty or being known before the great, what cause was it for these that they are loved and envied? The poverty of the body that is upon them, or the poverty of the soul? Eusebius says: The poverty of the body. For the soul is not impoverished over wealth, nor over the beauty of the body, nor over power. For what is the nature of the soul? That over which a person has authority over evils. For even that power is manifested in the body. The Solitary says: If the poverty of the body that is upon them caused them to be loved, it would be found that this love of the passions was the cause of envy in those who love them. Eusebius says: And if the love of the passions is the cause of these sufferings, how are they empowered in the soul, since they are outside its nature as you said? And if they have no vitality in the soul, how can something that is outside the nature of the soul have authority over it? The Solitary says: As wounds and blows in the body from an external cause. Eusebius says: They are not external to it, but by means of that which strikes its nature, it is struck. The Solitary says: Even by means of that which strikes its nature it is struck, but these blemishes are external to its health, in that whenever that which destroys them exists for them.

the one who is honored. And again, as when a person is turned toward the senses, he sees the forms that are external to him; and when in him there are no passions, yet by means of those that are with him, the power of fear holds sway over him. But when he awakens and is turned away from them toward the vision of his own substance, little by little the forms of the passions are abolished from his memory, and their fear is removed from him, and he returns to his original order, which is not by his memory nor by his fear. Thus it is with the life of the soul when it is turned toward the body: the passions and movements of the body, when in the soul's own life there are none, become dominant over its life. But when a person turns his attention away from the body toward his soul, and is not turned toward the desires of the body by the length of time, but is turned toward his soul by the beautiful things, little by little those passions diminish, and he stands in the order of his pure life. Eusebius says: You have shown the illustration of this kind very profitably. But because you have posited that the passions and the body are the cause of these passions, behold, we see that the order of demons does not depend on passions nor on a body put on. And when it is free from these, it is agitated by these evil passions: by envy and by malice and by love of power. John the Solitary says: That is another subject, which is about the nature of demons, that is well spoken; but since you have brought up the passions for the illustration of souls, show me in them that they desire beautiful things and praise good things, as is the case among human beings. Eusebius says: And those human beings, indeed, whose nature of their souls is free from these passions, are guided by beautiful things. John the Solitary says: They do not even do good things, but the whole nature of evil ones praises good things. By this is known the good power of the soul, that it is the praiser of good things.

and because they are bound by the senses through the desire of the appetites of their body, they hinder the goodness of their nature from being seen in them. But concerning the nature of demons, you have not shown me even one who praises the good things, that it might be confirmed from the nature of demons concerning the demonstration of souls. For behold, the whole nature of souls was in the good things; in that it praises the good things, just as the whole will of demons was in evil things. Eusebius says: If the nature of demons is not received for the demonstration of souls—since it is not the body that makes them be moved in these passions, but they are troubled in their nature—then what is this demonstration of angels? For when the angel Gabriel was sent by the command of God to Zechariah the priest, he showed the passion of astonishment and of anger. For he was angered because the priest’s mind was divided concerning the promise of his word, and he was astonished at the placing of the coal on his mouth. The Solitary says: This that he was astonished and angered: was it said of him while he was in the order of his nature and standing in his own world, or when he came to our world and was seen in our likeness? If it was said of him when he came to our world and was seen in our likeness that he performed these actions, then I am not placing anything that is from his nature upon the order of his nature. For if, because he was angered and astonished, you thought that these passions were of his nature, then also the articulated sounds that were heard from the likeness were naturally his. But if the likeness that was seen is his own and not of his nature, and the voice that spoke in it is of our nature and not of his spirituality, then also the passion of astonishment that he showed to Zechariah in response to the division of his mind is a passion that is his own and not of his nature. But the blessed Apostle did not place these passions upon the nature of the soul, but upon the body. For he says in the Epistle to the Galatians: the marks of the flesh are the passions. Disturbances. Agitations.

sorcery, enmity, malice, deceit, wrath, stubbornness, divisions, calumnies, envy, murder, drunkenness, song, and everything like these (Gal. 5:19ff). And if these are not its fruits, and it placed in them neither love nor humility nor gentleness nor any of the good passions—these, then, are the glorious passions of love and virtue, which are not even to be supposed to exist. If they are of the body, behold, they are not in it apart from the good will of the soul. For when it is turned away from the body toward virtue, its virtue is seen in the conduct of the body. And if they are naturally of the soul, they are not; what then is the cause of these good passions? Eusebius says: And there are two wills in a human being. The Solitary says: There is one of the body and another of the soul. Otherwise, what will is it that God rebukes through the prophet to the people of Israel: that they went after the will of their heart (Jer. 9:13)? For here it is a clear sign that the goods in them are praised. And the blessed Paul says to the Galatians: that you should not do everything that you will (Gal. 5:17). If there is one will in a person, then you do not have that which wills not to do what the other wills. And what will is it that wills in you: that you not do what you will, except that it is the will of the body that you have which hinders, and you do not act through the good will of the soul which is in you because of the will of the body? For this I know: that if the one who is in the person of the soul has a relationship with these evil passions, then its person is not. And if its person is not, then it certainly does not cease from their movements, nor after its departure from the body.

For just as the body, because its nature is the sense of sleep, and because its nature is hunger, it eats, and because its nature is thirst, it drinks, and manifestly these are its own, so also the soul at every time was praying to these passions, if by its nature it were to sin. And if by its nature they were, it would not be possible to reason why it does something that is by its nature. Just as it is not possible to reason why it sleeps, because its nature is the sense of sleep, nor why it eats, because its nature is hunger, nor why it unites in partnership, because its nature is desire, so also neither the envious nor the violent would be accused of why these are in them, because their nature is the passions. But those passions are accused by God, and manifestly He commands that they not be, and He places in the mind a sign over what is enslaved to them. These show, along with the other things that I said above, that the nature of the soul is free from these passions, and the external causes from the body and in the body rule over the mind. See again that not only in human beings are these passions found, but also in the rest of the bodies that have no soul. For you can find the nature of beasts and birds and reptiles and fish, that by fire their nature is moved by passions: by wrath, and by malice, and by love, and by desire, and by separation, and by violence. For there is separation in birds like their nature, and the love of the affection of the young for their parents, and malice can be found in beasts and reptiles. And the barking of angry dogs is wrath and separation. For it barks in wrath at strangers, and separates, honoring its owners more than strangers. And in the neighing of horses you can find that they walk violently.

And behold, these passions are not moved in these bodies from the cause of the soul, because they are solely of themselves, and there is in them no superior nature of the soul. But if you wish that the passions be distinguished, three distinctions are found in the human being: one of the nature of the soul, another of the activity of the soul through the body, and that of the body itself. Of the nature of the soul: knowledge, divine love. Of the activity of the soul in the body: good works. For good conduct is the activity of the soul in this life, because the nature of the soul is high even with good conduct. For good works are performed through the body: compassion for the weak, asceticism, holiness, along with the rest of the virtues. For if good works were of the nature of the soul and not of its activity in the body, then good works would cease in the new life. For the conduct of the new life is high with asceticism, and with the gift of the poor, and with celibacy, and with endurance of afflictions, and with that which is without oppression, and with that which makes supplications and takes up the burden of the needy. These works are required in this life to be done by them. But when a change occurs for the bodies in old age, even from these works they cease, so that there comes in place of the conduct of works the conduct of knowledge. Again, it is found that there is envy of evil and envy of good. "Do not be envious of one another" (Gal. 5:26). And again it says, "It is good to be envious of good things" (Gal. 4:18). This envy is good. Which of these two envies is to be placed as that of the nature of the soul? For behold, its nature is spiritual even with that of envying good things is high, but that of envying good things is from the activity of the soul.

And know that the nature of the soul is hidden in the depth of its intellect from the members of the body; and in its activity in the body it is moved through its senses. See that when a movement occurs in one of the internal members, whether in the brain or in the heart, it is not the nature of the soul that is moved, but the activity that is in those members is moved. For just as a string is moved on a lyre or a pipe of a flute: it is not the finger that strikes it that is moved, but the activity of the art that belongs to the finger is moved so that it may be known through the strings of the lyre or of the pipe. And because those strings in which the art was heard were moved, the activity of the hand also ceased in them, while the art did not cease from the hand, nor was the hand moved. So also the knowledge of the soul is preserved in its nature, and its activity serves through the members. For if the nature of the soul were revealed in the body, then the word that is without composition would be able to speak. Eusebius says: And behold these virtues of the soul: love, compassion, humility, gentleness, mercy, and grace—are they not seen in every person? John the Solitary says: They are in all people, and there is no person who does not love and praise these. But the power of their operation is not seen in each person, because of the many causes that hinder that excellent activity from being seen in the body. For just as the sun, when it is obscured, or when there is a thickness of clouds and fog in the air, these become hindrances to its light so that it is not seen, so also evil habit and upbringing that are nurtured in a person become hindrances to the virtue of his soul, so that it is not seen in his person.

And just as when the leaves and branches of a tree are removed from its center, the beauty of the sun is fully seen on the earth, so too when evil habits are removed from a person, the entire excellence of the soul is seen in him. And just as the higher the sun rises in the air, the smaller the shadows of bodies become by its strong light, so too the more the soul is revealed in the body through its excellence, the more the shadows of the thoughts of error vanish by the glorious light of the mind. Therefore, my beloved, I ask from God at all times that He kindle in you the light of His knowledge, so that the excellences which He placed in you in the creation of your soul may be seen. And as much as you are able, my beloved, do not weary of the labor of learning. For if there is no knowledge, your entire being is darkness. Through learning, even your mind is stirred toward itself. And because you benefit from these things, I will set before you stories of various men. There was a certain wise man. And because he was not occupied with learning, he lived apart from those dwelling in the city, and outside the wall he built himself a cell. And there was on his side a field sown with grain. And he would pass over it frequently. Now when one of the men of his city asked him if he had sown it, he said, "I do not even know if it is sown." See how great a benefit the love of learning brings to the soul. For from its very beginning, the frequency of learning does not give the mind an opportunity to wander outside itself. I myself have also seen a man whose dwelling was among a hundred men. And because he did not give his mind to wandering, as the saying goes about him, he was more than twelve hours without knowing who was standing with him in the row.

A certain wise man, when there was a disturbance in his city and he was not disturbed, said to another, "How is it that every man is disturbed and you are so calm?" The other replied, "How many times have I seen in a dream a disturbance like this? Those who are disturbed, it is fitting that they be disturbed, because they think they stand in reality. I, however, am in the world of a dream, and I see a dream instead of reality." The one who had asked him answered and said, "You are in a city and you are not disturbed because you see a dream; but dreams disturb every man." He answered and said, "I would be disturbed if I did not know that I see a dream. For all those who are disturbed by evil things are disturbed because they think they see reality in the world; and every man who is disturbed by his dreams is disturbed because he thinks he sees reality. But true wakefulness is the health of the soul, and every man is shown that he was in the world as in a dream." A certain man, when he was called evil names by a barber, was not angered by the insult to his face, but took a mirror. And when he looked into it, a man among those standing there said to him, "Why did you look into it?" And he said, "If my face is truly as the barber says, it is not right for me to be angry, because he spoke the truth. But if his word is not true, it is not right for me to be angry either, because I am not as he says, and the deed does not follow the name." A certain judge, when it was said to him, "Death calls you by evil things," answered and said, "And what has he given me that I should not receive it with my face?" A certain nobleman, when he was persuading someone who was under his authority, concerning the face of fortune, for seventeen years, and he was not persuaded, and he was still persisting with pleasantness, one of his friends said to him, "I marvel at you, that you are not angry with him, that with all this labor of persuasion he did not listen to you.

A certain man said to him, "Do not be amazed at me, for I have hired out my soul. For more than fifty years God has been persuading me by his commandments to obey him, and I have not yet listened to him and done his will, and he in his gentleness has borne with me. And if I have not listened to God, are you amazed at a human being who does not listen to me? Or that I hired out my soul for ten years and did not become angry at a human being who is like me?" Another of the saints, when he was struck as if to break his leg, and another saw that he was not disturbed at what struck him, said to him, "How is it that when this whole blow was dealt to you, you did not become angry?" That saint said to him, "Even on the road, if I were walking, how many times would something like this happen to me by the stumbling of a stone? Even now I consider that it was a stone for me and I stumbled on it, not by my will." A certain solitary, when his disciple broke a vessel that he was drinking from, and he thought that he would be disturbed, because he had no other vessel, he called and said to his disciple, "Do not be distressed at this, for nothing that is unbreakable was broken, for it was always destined for this." A certain old worker in his work, and another younger than him was promoted to stand above him in rank, when he saw that he did not become angry or envious, he said to those who were amazed at him, "Even if my body stood above me, my mind was able to be above it. See that even the staff of the shepherd stands above all the flocks, and they are not envious of it. So do not be envious of these bodies, but in this, if one is greater than his companion in wisdom, do not be envious, but be amazed." Another worker, when he was boasting before a philosopher about his hours of work, that philosopher said to him, "You are a worker, you have hours; but you are wise, how much do you have?

A certain man said to the brothers, when he said to one of the saints, that for forty years he had been in the clergy, he said to him, "See also me, a man, that for forty years I have been called a merchant, and there was no bread for the day without borrowing." Another, however, boasted that for thirty years he had not let meat enter his mouth. That blessed man said to him, "You have thirty years that no meat entered your mouth. How many years have you that no curse went out of your mouth? That which was not commanded you kept for thirty years. That which you were commanded with all warnings, see if you have kept it even for a week of days." A certain blessed man who was among many brothers, and the burden of years was in his monastery, when a man took from the property of a young man with him in discipleship, utensils of dry wood from his own, and it was said to him by his brothers, "Take utensils of good wood from your own," he said, "Even he who took is my member. And just as the right and left hands are covered by the armpit, and do not become angry with that which is clothed, so also it is not right to be distressed or to envy the joy of others. For if I take my property, the distress of that one who would be oppressed. And if the master receives upon himself that he be oppressed for the sake of the spirit, he seeks the joy of others, not oppressing." A certain wise man, when his property was stolen from him, and he remained without anger and without pursuit, the one who stole from him said, "Why are you not angry with me?" He said, "I considered death, that when death strips every man of his property, there is no one who is angry with it." These, my beloved, because of the simplicity of these brothers who were received, did not fully understand these things which were said before the assembly: that they should not hinder their good will. I wished to increase their thought with narratives of words, which were said concerning these men.

of God, who is over all, that in all excellence the soul should be discussed. And to Him is glory forever, amen. End of the second discourse on the distinction of the passions of the soul and on the cause of their movements, and on those things that are within its nature and outside its nature. Again The Third Discourse To another brother, when he entered upon him and prayed, he began to say to him: To you, my beloved, do not be deceived by the superficiality of speech. But because I desire that you understand the matters clearly, I am constrained to use a harsh expression, while I am compelled to this by your love for understanding. For every person who is with tranquility of soul and is beneath it, he does not have true love that is not stumbled, nor joy that is pleasing in spirit, which is known not from the body. But it is hidden in the essence of the mind. And again he does not have the opportunity to perceive by knowledge the mysteries of the other world, except with great labor and the bearing of many burdens, when he has first been purified from these passions. For these passions, my beloved, are the blindness of the mind. The tranquility of the soul, however, is the light of its knowledge. For not by the hearing of names does a person know their mystery. Not only the spiritual mystery, but also not the names of another wisdom. For even the names of the elements everyone hears, and of the hot and the cold, and what is the power of these names of the elements, but even he who has learned the knowledge of medicine does not know. Also in the wisdom of the Chaldeans, the names of the stars and the influences of the regions are named. And not by hearing does everyone who hears know what the mystery of these names is. Thus also in this wisdom of Christ, it is only the name that is known.

Now, you have heard the many excellences of wisdom from Paul, who said concerning God the Father that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). The names of the treasures you have heard, but their mysteries you do not know. And when someone says “the treasures of the other world,” what he means by “treasures” he does not say. Again, when Paul says “rich in knowledge,” he speaks of wisdom among the perfect, and he distinguishes that wisdom is not of this world (1 Cor. 2:6). He says that it exists, but how it exists and by what mysteries he does not explain. Nor again, when he says “they receive knowledge,” does he say what that knowledge is, or by what mysteries it is acquired. So the hearer supposes that the word is about the other world and speaks concerning it, as one who, by hearing words about it, knows it and its knowledge. But if a person rises above by purity of soul, he is not only able to understand the words of the new life, but he also becomes near to God through the revelation of mysteries. For when he stands above by purity of his thought, Christ reveals Himself to him. But everyone who is below by purity is not revealed to Christ in his knowledge. As I showed above in the demonstration of the Gospel: when you have my commandments with you and keep them, that one loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. And I will love him and reveal myself to him (John 14:21). This is the way that brings near to God. This is the path by which a person pursues Christ.

For the mystery of Christ also is destined to be revealed in the new world to the saints, and his conduct after the resurrection is above the purity of the soul and beyond it, for it is that intellectual conduct which participates with God in his knowledge. Therefore, it is not sufficient for a person to receive the revelation of Christ in this life, but he must also obey his commandments. For through obedience to his commandments is the purity of the mind. And if someone disputes about these things, there is the testimony of all the sons of men. For who among all those who are disturbed, troubled, and divided in their mind, and who is evil in his actions, has Christ been revealed to him in the knowledge of his mystery? And who has subdued himself to the law of Christ in complete humility of mind, and his mind has not been illuminated by the hope of God? And who has taken care to purify his mind from evils, and his soul has not rejoiced in God? But if a person approaches the labor of discipline, he is able to know many things from the men who have received gifts from God. Eutropius says: And behold, there are many who are diligent in conduct, but they do not have the wisdom of understanding. The Solitary says: And what is more excellent than this, that they have cast away the desires of the body? For if they are pure even from internal passions, truly they are filled with joy in the good mind of their hope. And because I have come to this discourse, I wish to show in my word what this labor of discipline is, and from what cause it comes to be in each person. First, however, know that this labor is neither bodily nor psychic. It is not bodily because it does not consist in the evils of the body. And it is not psychic because it does not abolish internal passions. And this labor is not called the nature of the soul. Now, since I have said what its order is, hear what its cause is. This labor, then, is the standing of the feet.

Vigils of the eyes. Humility without end. Fasting from foods. Along with other renunciations—these are not from knowledge, but from the boiling of the mind. That boiling, however, is the beginning of what occurs in the mind, from that which grace gave it, so that it perceives that there is another hope. And from the cause of the fear of the renunciation of the body: the beginning of what is good in these, and it gives these of your words. And by this cause the mind boils to renounce its body. It renounces, then, its body by these thoughts which I say, that when it sees the future renunciation, by means of the renunciation of its body here, it seeks to be delivered from that renunciation. This labor, then, is not knowledge that has gone astray for it, but the boiling of its love. For if it happens that it becomes tranquil for its boiling, it begins to be healed from its labor. If, however, the boiling is stripped from its mind, and its labor is not changed, then it does not bear its labor by love, but by the zeal of the sons of men, and by the hatred of servitude which does not permit its law. This labor, then, is fitting for evil bodily eyes, for base souls. For spiritual men, however, everything that happens in the name of Christ is received by them. Just as also Jesus Christ our Lord gave the hand of hope to all weakness, in return for having confessed every will that is accomplished in his name. He says, then, why are the eyes of our bodies great in the mind, and the eyes of our souls are base in wisdom? Because everything that is bodily in its thought does not know, apart from what is seen in the body. And because it sees the body constrained by something which it itself touches in it, it marvels at the man who labors. And because the eyes are stretched toward the wills which he gives to them, it supposes that this is the goal of righteousness. And because of this, the labors of the body of the righteous appear great in the eyes of the sons of men.

For just as the Pharisees were, when they separated themselves from the people by means of a distinctive garb and a different diet along with prescribed fasting, they were considered righteous in the eyes of the people. But concerning those who spread out their hypocrisy, it is said that their nature is not at peace, that they are the ones who justify themselves in the eyes of evil men. God, however, knows what is in the hearts. For what is hidden between men is revealed before God (Luke 16:15). Your external appearance, by which you appear to men as righteous, God does not see as external appearances, but as what is within is examined. And because He sees your hearts, which are not pure before Him, even that by which you appear great in the eyes of men is revealed before Him. As for men who are simple in wisdom, they are wearied by this cause in bodily labor, because their thought is occupied with doctrinal teaching, through the wisdom of their hope, which directs their labor outward. The spiritual man, however, because his entire thought is borne upon God, is likened to God. And because he knows every man according to his measure, he receives from every man the distinctions of his thought in their praises. And because these are two orders, bodily and spiritual, they are beneath simplicity; they are instruments and beginnings. They are servants who serve the servants of everyone, and as if to say, nothing pleases them except the desire of their thought. The cause, however, that only the desire of their thought pleases them is this: because they think that what they have chosen is righteousness and wisdom of everything. Eutropis says: Because you said that everything that is his thought from simplicity and beneath does not comprehend what he hears of the mystery of the other world, I desire that you explain to me what the cause is that he does not comprehend.

The Solitary said: Place in your minds, my beloved, that the birth of the true human being of truth is from purity and above it. For even baptism, which was instituted to be a type of that new birth after the resurrection, is from purity and above it. And that true birth of the spirit is also above purity. But that you may fully understand, place in your minds what I say. Place baptism, resurrection, and purity, for their mystery is one, in the likeness of the placenta. For just as the beginning of the birth of the human being of the body is that which comes out of the placenta, and it proceeds in the conduct of these [earthly] life, so the true birth of the true human being—that which is not confined to purity alone—but when it comes out of purity and proceeds in the knowledge of the life of that [spiritual] world. And just as the intermediate placenta is made for the fetus, between the life of the womb and the life of this world, so that from the placenta it comes out and arrives at this life, so purity is made as an intermediate placenta for the hidden human being, between the beautiful conduct of this life, so that from it he comes out and enters the true life of that intellect of the knowledge of the spiritual world. And just as the human being cannot perceive or see the interior of this creation except after being born from his placenta, so the human being cannot perceive and understand the mystery of the spiritual world except after first being purified from all defilement, and leaving behind the purity of works, and standing in the life of knowledge. And because some of those who have been helped by divine aid have been purified from the defilement of evils, for this reason some of them have perceived the wisdom of the new world. Now, however, I have ascended in my discourse to a high level, and in few words I have gathered many things. From purity and above, then, there is another life after the spirit.

and the conduct that leads to the new human being is not by works but by knowledge. For good works are beneath purity, and they sustain life within it. And up to the purity of the mind is the limit of the entire power of the natural law and of the Scriptures. From purity onward and above, that conduct is spiritual. It is called spiritual, not because it has been perfectly accomplished by the Spirit here. For this is not given except in the new world. Rather, it is called spiritual because it is moved by the knowledge of the Most High, according to the natural order that is placed in the body. For in true spirituality, no human being has been guided since the world was created, except only our Lord Jesus Christ. Eusebius says: And what was the order of conduct of the first priests? The Solitary says: They were turned by the righteousness of good works, while all their priesthood, up to the purity of the mind, was extended and limited. Because even the natural law that was placed in them could not, by its power, do anything else but teach the mind to distinguish between good and evil. For even God, when good works are performed by Hezekiel, does not call that one who accomplishes them "spiritual." But when these things are done, he is righteous (Ezekiel 18:9). For "spiritual" is not a name found in the Old Testament for a human being. For they are not sufficient, by these lives, to be elevated above the purity of the mind, unless they receive a divine revelation in the head. For how much is it sufficient to remove the barriers that stand between him and purity? And by "barriers" I mean evil works, grievous afflictions, and foul thoughts, which stand like barriers before the mind of a human being. And how much is it sufficient to remove them, and to be outside them in the true vision of that world?

For there is one whose gate is the barrier of envy, and the barrier is in the face of his mind, evil. There is one whose gate is the barrier of love of money, and envy stands like a barrier in the face of his intellect. Along with other things that are not all of them the same. And for each one of them, if he breaks through at the head and goes out from all of them, he does not think that his life is sufficient without the help of God. But if he breaks through all of them and goes out from them, he leaves the conduct of this world and begins the conduct of that world. Which is the true contemplative conduct of its mysteries. Jesus our Lord, above the purity of the mind, began to dwell in his glorious ways. For not one of the senses attained to the sight of the world. For the sight of the world is his love. And no barrier of base thought stood in the face of his mind. Because he dissolved the barrier of all enmity, as Paul says: "He dissolved for us the barrier of enmity" (Ephesians 2:14). Eusebius says: "What is the barrier of enmity?" The Solitary says: "The evil one who is set to speak, listen." He calls a barrier the entire base conduct that is composed of evil passions. Enmity, because in this conduct we become enemies of God. "Enemies of you we became by your evil works" (cf. Colossians 1:21). And because just as a barrier is an obstacle to the sight of the body, so that nothing can be seen beyond it, so by evil conduct the sight of the soul is obstructed, so that it cannot see the mystery of that world. Eusebius says: "And why did the blessed Paul not say 'he overthrew the barrier of enmity,' but 'he dissolved'?" The Solitary says: "In another copy it is written thus. But it is said concerning the enmity of people and nations, which was abolished through Christ. The rest, the evil one of which you asked, is too narrow for me to answer.

He does not say that it is overturned, because from the beginning he had fully established this evil conduct in the whole nature of the sons of men, and there is no one who can find his gate and go out from him in the conduct of a new life. But when he was born into the world, he was not able to set up before his face this barrier of evil conduct. Rather, his gate is the power of his knowledge, and he went out from him from the beginning of his birth. And through the door by which he entered, he gave hope to the sons of men that they too would go out from him after the resurrection. And through the door which he made, he let light into the world from the light of that world, which is the hope of God. Not only, however, is the conduct of Jesus the Life-giver above purity, but above both knowledges which are above purity, which is the Trinity, that hidden mystery of the Spirit. For he alone conquered the world by the power of his knowledge. All the righteous, however, were raised below the purity of the mind in their good things until the coming of the Messiah. But after his coming, wisdom was given by God to each man, which leads the mind to the summit of the Spirit. Just so was the upbringing of John the Baptist in the wisdom of the mystery of the Messiah. For the conduct which a man leads in secret is raised in the mystery of the Messiah. But his conduct which is open is legal in the form of the Nazirites. John came to you in the path of asceticism (Matt. 21:32). He did not eat bread nor drink wine (Luke 7:33). But in the evil things of their bodies, in their minds, when they saw a man whose conduct was seemly and who abstained from evils, or who was crucified in the labor of the body, they thought that he was spiritual. But not only is he not spiritual in these things, but he is not even perfect if he does not have a pure thought.

that which cannot be the house of the sons of men. For when it is purified from these, then it is called spiritual. And because it is turned toward the good conduct of the soul, it is called spiritual. For the discourse of the wise in pure thought is the pure conduct of the soul in this life, because it takes them. For just as wakefulness, standing, and the labor of the body nourish the life of the body, and they are in it as a sense, so the wise in pure thought nourish the life of the soul. And because in the work of that which is outside, that which is inside participates—because it is the cause of their existence, and that which is outside participates in that which is inside, because it is its instrument—for this reason they participate in one reward. If, however, because of good deeds and pure thought, a man is called a spiritual man, in that world what then does he have to be? If he is spiritual, behold, according to the word of the many, in this life he is spiritual. If, however, he is not perfected here, it is known that here he is a soul, and at the end he is destined to become spiritual. And you were accustomed that I told you times that spiritual conduct is not good deeds, or the virtues of good things, but it is the intellect that participates with God in the knowledge of his mysteries. For behold, the life that the sons of men receive from God after their judgment is placed with good deeds. For it is not by deeds that they attain that, whether by giving to the poor, or by wearing sackcloth, or by receiving hospitality, or by honoring parents, or by not lying and not envying, or by the good sons of men caring for one another, or by being humble and compassionate with the rest. For these are in this life glorious and excellent. For humility is excellent in comparison with pride, and meekness in comparison with arrogance.

but it is the conduct of each one that is perfected in the thought of his Father, in the wisdom of God. And because there is none who has ascended to the depth of spiritual knowledge, for this reason there is none who has become a spiritual head in the world, except only that he who showed in his person this mystery, our Lord Jesus Christ. For he alone is the true depth, whom the apostle calls the body and the members (Ephes. 5:30). Eusebius says: Why does he call Christ the body and the saints his members? The Solitary says: Because the body as a whole stands for that which sees and hears and touches and walks with the rest. For this reason he calls Christ the body, because he shows that in all his mysteries the truth is complete. As for the faithful, however, he calls them members, teaching that just as each one of the members does not have the fullness of the whole body, but each one of the members has a single gift—ears for hearing, eyes for seeing, the tongue for speech, the hands for touching, the feet for walking—so also each one of the saints has been given a single gift from the mystery of truth. Christ, however, like the body, is complete in all things. For it is with this thought that he says to the Corinthians: “Your body is that of Christ, and you are members in your place” (1 Cor. 12:27). For are not his gifts in you? But each one of you, like a member in its place, has a single gift. For God placed in his church the apostles, after them the prophets, after them the teachers with the rest (1 Cor. 12:28). For are not all these for one? But each one of you has one, and all are for Christ. And when this interpretation is well established, it is not yet spiritual but literal. For it thinks of the body as Paul says “body,” and the body is formed in its thought.

The soul, however, as you said, is in this thought which the Apostle also expressed. For if someone says, "What is the truth of Christ?" he approaches spiritual knowledge. For he does not say that it is like this, but that it is. And he does not say that Christ is perfected in all truth, but that he interprets what the truth of Christ is. For this is what belongs to Christ alone, and it is destined to be revealed even to the saints in the new birth of that world. For not even Paul, the spiritual head, if he had wished to speak, would his thought have been authoritative, because there was no limit to the movements of his soul in this life, to ponder the depth of this mystery. Eusebius said: And what is the distinction between soul-ness and spirit-ness? Or is something of spirit-ness mixed with the nature of the soul, and when it reaches the head it is called spirit, and when it is in the nature of the soul it is called soul? John the Solitary said: Thus there is a distinction between soul-ness and spirit-ness, just as there is a distinction between soul-ness and body-ness. For body-ness is not another nature apart from the body, nor is spirit-ness another nature apart from the soul. But when a person is turned toward the desires of the body and completes the passions of its movements in deeds, he stands in the order of body-ness. But when a person is turned away from the body and completes the activities of the soul by which he performs good deeds, he is called soul-ness, because he is turned toward the soul in his deeds, just as he is called body-ness when he is turned toward the body in his actions.

because the nature of the soul is spiritual: it is the order of its nature, not the working of works, but the knowledge of the spirit. Or if a man ascends above the working of good works through his knowledge, then he is no longer in a psychic order, but in a spiritual order, because he turns toward the knowledge of the nature of his soul, which is spiritual and is called psychic because it is clothed in a body and is moved by the body's own senses. This, then, is the order of distinction of these names. For this reason, my beloved, approach the spiritual conduct, or rather, the one who says "each one" approached the soul of the night and the whole bodily world. The spirit is in joy and divine love. The soul is in its works, in fear and in the height of thought, if its nature is not low. In the short term, however, it is not left behind from the habits that are placed for it. The cause, then, that the passion of pride rules in it is this: because it does not know that there is a hidden conduct that is not seen in the external members, by which it learns in its smallness, by the measure of that which is hidden, that it has the opinion that it is in perfection. And because it sees the sons of men who are conducted bodily, it has an opinion about itself that it is better than them. For this reason, true humility, which comes from knowledge, is found only in a spiritual man. The Lord, however, who was perfect in spiritual conduct, said: "Learn from me that I am meek and humble in my heart" (Matthew 11:29). Again, he says: "I am the soul that felt in its opinion, in all humility, by force." And because of its humility and its many mercies, it is quickly cut off.

not the poverty of the world, but in that thought which the Lord said, that there are holes and pits for the feet, and the flight of the heavens is shadowed, and for the son of man there is no place where he may lay his head (Lk. 9:58). For when the soul looks into its hope, and is examined among the sons of men, and sees where it is, it is distressed. And again, that son of man runs in his soul, saying: Will there be joy for me after my soul is separated from the body, or will there again be pain? And again, if there is no knowledge, what is this pain of grief? And with thoughts like these, the soul cannot boast in anything, but is rather in the pain of humility and poverty. While joy is hidden in its poverty, at times that joy is revealed in its thought. And a man marvels at the sons of men who have not approached this measure of knowledge, how they think they are humble. For in conduct and wisdom the spiritual man is rich. You told me about his conduct. Not only the pain of error, but also the cause from which it arises. Now then, hear about his wisdom: why does his knowledge make him rich? Because all his wisdom is from study and learning. And everything he knows he speaks in words. And he is not nourished by spiritual revelations that are not spoken. For by their greatness the measure of his knowledge is known: that he does not know how they are, even if he perceives that they exist. For this reason, in everything he knows he boasts, because he thinks he knows the truth. For it is like a man who stands with the wealth of clothing that dwells in goats, and uses silver vessels, and his lordship rules over the smallness of servants, if he alone stands and thinks that this is wealth, and does not see the treasures of others, he stands in pride over his wealth in the scales that are over others.

If it is someone who sees the wealth of others and, because of the great memory of their wealth, his own wealth is diminished in his eyes. If, however, in all the affairs of poverty, he is tested and remains steadfast, then he is truly rich. Thus it is with one whose knowledge is small: if he does not encounter many sciences, or does not see spiritual revelations with his own eyes, the passion of pride rules over him through the presumption that he knows something. Like the rest of others, that if they are interpreters of one prophet, they are proud in wisdom, like one who, through the interpretation of all the prophets, has completed knowledge. And they do not understand that if, through elevated knowledge, they had looked, many things would have been spoken in the scriptures, which would not have been said if God had willed that the sons of men be justly governed. But because evil deeds ruled over them through error, many things were spoken for the abolition of error. Like that which says, "Do not worship any image or likeness" (Exod. 20:4). And like that which says, "In the sea, the Lord said, 'Let no soul worship.'" For if they were in worship, this would not have been said. And like that which says, "Turn and know that I am I" (Ps. 46:11), for if they had not looked toward idols, this would not have been necessary for them. Along with others, "Love the Lord your God" (Deut. 6:5). For if they were in love with him, this would not have been prescribed. And again, like that which says that the multitude of prophets spoke of captivity, plunder, and the sword of the peoples. For if they had walked in righteousness among the sons of men, all that was spoken and happened in the time of the prophets would not have happened. And they would not have been spoken of as they are, but rather something worthy of them. And just as the conduct of the sons of men was, so did teaching act toward them.

The many words of the many about the vanity of the passions are spoken. For every person speaks to God, either to the wise and doers of good deeds, or to the foolish and doers of evil deeds. If he speaks to the foolish and doers of evil deeds, it is evident that the teaching of vanity makes their foolishness and their evil deeds work against them. The mystery of the new, however, is more powerful than the old. Thus its power is in its wealth, just as the power of the sea is in its wealth from the small sea. Now, according to the words of the many: that they are not vain concerning the wisdom of truth, and concerning the great things of the intellect, let them abandon the hope that the holy being has given them, and let them become a companion of the one who spoke about the vanity of idols. Why, then, do they stand in these orders, and are not eager to ascend to that which the teaching of Christ, which is the beginning of the kingdom, has reserved for them, through which they are freed from the servitude of lordships and foreign things in the endurance of his sole kingdom? But the sons of men who do not love wisdom, whether the man of the other or the other, near without fear of the mystery of truth and of the teachings of the other world, began to tremble: that they do not seek and do not inquire, that they do not err. After the pursuit of wealth, they are now buried in the earth. They are now immersed in the sea. And they do not think that they will not die and will not be destroyed. But the love of gold makes them deliver themselves over to all the saints. If, however, the love of truth were in them, they would not cease from supplicating God, that he might reveal to them his hidden wisdom. He says again also another reason for the pain of arrogance. That a man should not be arrogant in his mind in the disputation of wisdom. For him, then, there is a reason that he should not be arrogant, when he burns with the love of teaching. Not of one thing, but of many.

And in His mercy, the pain of arrogance is calmed by the boiling of the many desires of the will, to teach. Now then, you have heard the cause of these passions: and that the power of humility is an obstacle to the will of bodies and souls. Hear how it is possible in spiritual things, by his conduct and his knowledge. By his conduct, from this which he wishes, I say that he speaks. Because he perceives the hope of evil men, and by that praise which is prepared for them from the grace of God, he marvels at them in the compassion of God. And he becomes for them a cause of honor among evil men through love, as one who sees that God loves evil men, and because of the greatness that they have towards Him. But those who have not perceived the wealth that is stored up for evil men in the new birth, they are helpers of evil men in the folly that is upon them. For it is like men who, in the wealth and honor of authority, are darkened in their own city, and they go to another city, and there they are in a lowly state and in wretched needs. All those who do not trust in their greatness cannot be for them a cause of honor through love, but through the folly that is upon them they are made foolish. If, however, men from among those who perceive the greatness of their authority see them, it is clear that they cannot be raised above them, but by taking up the burden of honor they become lovers of them. In this example, therefore, evil men help one another in their evil, and are raised up over one another in their error, until they do not perceive the sublime glory that they have towards the grace of God. But he who perceives their honor there, in all humility he is on the side of evil men. Because he does not look at their lowly state there, but at the greatness of their praise there. And in all evils, if he sees that they are turned, he cannot help them nor grieve over them.

For He knows that if the sons of men had perceived something of what God is about to do for them, they would not have been irritants to Him in their wickedness. Therefore, this thought, by which a noble man presumes himself to be better than them, cannot prevail, because he knows that by an ungovernable thought sin is destined to occur, and that the lives which boast in the wisdom of truth are preserved. Concerning the knowledge of the spiritual man, why is he not confident in the hope of wisdom? By the small things they have understood something of what I say. For by the mystery of the ascent from bodies and souls his knowledge is nurtured. To him, however, the mystery is revealed openly, that there is no nature whose movements can contain its truth in itself, but that mystery is higher than that which is thought. For that which knows that it is higher is manifest. That, however, which is not sufficient to be thought of as it was revealed to it, is the sickness of the soul that is held by the body. And in these things he speaks simply, amazed at the depth of the wisdom of God, how inferior these lives are to the mystery of the future. And that there is no nature that can attain to these things except through the grace of God. Therefore, in the thought of these considerations, he is in complete humility. Understand, my beloved, these three orders which I have spoken according to the measure of my thought, and the cause which brings you to the love of God and of the sons of men, which I wished to make known to you fully. For if you perceive the hope of the future, you will be freed from all afflicting pains, and you will establish the image of love for the sons of men in your souls. And as I said above, I say that those who have perceived the hope of the sons of men are held by a perfect thought of goods.

For He knows that if the sons of men had perceived something of what God is about to do for them, they would not have been irritants to Him in their wickedness. Therefore, this thought, by which a noble man presumes himself, is like a king who sent a letter of covenant and a noble promise to his people in the provinces, in the glory of honor, desiring that they be worthy—those who perceived this covenant could not then be in enmity with these wretched ones, but even those who had previously been foolish, in all the love of humility, wept for them. Those, however, who did not know this mystery that was sent from the king, not only were they not honored, but in all simplicity they looked upon them. In this, then, the wicked are in evils in this creation, in tumults and afflictions. But God, in His compassion and the abundance of His goodness, made known the covenant of the great kings to the wicked in the holy Gospel. Those, however, who perceived the thoughts of God concerning the wicked, with perfect love they wept for the wicked. Those, however, who did not perceive the mystery of the hope of the wicked toward the Lord of all, looked upon them with indifference, and their deeds were filled with enmity. For He does not look upon their sins that are, but upon that which they are destined to be without sins. Especially concerning the wicked who are dead. For every son of man who dies, He does not look upon him as in these lives, but as in those lives, and not upon his deeds that are, but upon his conduct that is. Eutropius says: Because your love says that those who perceived the hope of the wicked could not be enemies and haters of them, behold, we see now that all the sons of the church hear the thoughts of the Gospel, and yet many are found who do not help and do not hate their fellows. The Solitary says.

Even the kingdom of God is revealed to everyone, but not every person perceives it with the knowledge that is about it. And just as if a wealthy man were to give gifts to young boys who are playing: he gives them coins and vessels of glass and the rest, they hear the names but do not know the essence and the sight of the names themselves, so that they might rejoice in the gifts of the man and love him; so also God places before the sons of men great treasures of his kingdom. And they hear the names of everything, but the power of the understanding of the names is small in their thought. Just as the Apostle says: "I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy of the glory that is to be revealed in the future" (Rom. 8:18). The Apostle, while marveling at the understanding of that greatness that is to come, says. But the sons of men have perceived only the name of his name. But they do not reach the mystery of the glory. And because they know only the naming of the kingdoms, therefore they do not marvel at the wealth of God, nor have they perceived the beauty of his kingdoms, so that their minds might be inflamed and they might love him even because of his gift. And again they are scattered among themselves, because they do not know their hope. Therefore, concerning the hope that is to come, it is fitting for you to understand, and behold, you are becoming masters of your senses. In these things, my beloved, let the discourse of your thought be, that these are the beneficial things of your life. For the wisdom of the times, this wisdom, brings you near to God. For all the heads of the families who came upon the sons of men, because they were not masters of their evil senses. By what cause, then, do you understand the sin, which was the transgression of the sons of men in the days of Noah in the waters of the flood? Because they did not know the regions of the rebellion of the stars, or because they did not deliberate upon their disturbed movements.

and by what cause the entire region of the Sodomites was consumed by fire, because they were not skilled in disputation against the mystery of Chaldeanism, or because they did not abolish the foul desire of their heart. For I have not found it written: "Blessed are those who are skilled in the subtlety of the turns of disputation," but rather: "Blessed are those who are without blemish in the way." For all who are agitated by evil passions, it is not from ignorance of the natures, but from their lack of cessation concerning evil passions. For if each one were to cease from the understanding of his passions, the entire inhabited world would be joyful and serene in an instant. For this is helpful to a person: that before everything, he cease from his passions. For after he purifies himself from them, it is fitting for him to seek the disputation of all the wise. For just as it is not fitting for a person whose body is afflicted with disease and whose limbs are filled with the corruption of filth to approach the instruction of the arts, but first he must attend to the healing of his filths, and then, after he becomes healthy, it is fitting for him to receive instruction in every work—so too it is not helpful for a person to approach the disputation of the heresies, but first he must have cessation concerning the instruction of his passions. And when he becomes strong in the health of his soul, then it is fitting for him to receive instruction in everything. Now a certain man from the eastern brothers, whose name is Mār Amidāyā, because he came in at that time and did not hear those who spoke before the days, when he heard these things, said: "Those who do not know must be taught. For concerning the passions of his soul, who does not know them? For every person knows what is good for him and what is bad for him." The Solitary says: "If indeed you are complete, my brother, in this knowledge of the passions of your soul, explain to me concerning what I ask. Reveal to me your secret.

I do not speak concerning the nature of your soul. For it is not known, but you know that it is in you: when and how, and on account of what and what it is. But I seek that which even God commanded you to know. That is, when the law loves good things and hates evil things, God placed in your nature those causes of actions which make you not be one with the good things of your nature. And why, when the nature of your soul is not corporeal, do corporeal things disturb your thought? And which passion first settles in you? And which one is second after desire? And which one generates in you the fear of the world? And which are the passions that follow after it? And what is the cause that multiplies them? And by which are they taken up with the soul? And why are wickedness, envy, and fraud more bitter than the rest of the passions among the wicked? For there is one who is released from love of money, but is not cleansed from envy. And which are the thoughts that are able, by the power of victory, for each one of these passions? And which are the movements that suffice to abolish envy? And which are those that are against wickedness? And which are those that are against fear? For just as for each one of the pains of the body, remedies are known to it by the art of medicine, and not each one of them is healed by the mixture of one regimen of drugs, so for each one of the passions of the soul, thoughts that conquer it are known by the art of reason. Again I ask, how many times has your heart each one of these passions in the soul, when negligence over them has arisen to abolish them? And when a man has begun to make an effort against them, why does he not show their condemnation by his victory? And what is the cause that happens to you that you are divided concerning yourself, that you have not completed your thoughts? For when you have striven, they dwell in you.

and when it is, it is not known, and when it is sought, you are not driven away from its vanity, but when you do not wish to be cut off in you. So it is not by your will that your conduct is, and if by your will it is ruled, tell me why something you do not wish dwells in you. And explain to me why the thought in you conquers you. Along with the other things that are beyond these. Do not err, O my beloved, in the opinion you have concerning your soul. For behold, when you are sick you do not wish that you are healthy, just as in your simplicity you thought that you are wise. Or do you not know that the passions of men, which are hidden in the depth of the soul, are considered simple? For which is better and more powerful in its truth than that which a man understands his evil thoughts and subjugates them to the dominion of his will? Therefore, it is precisely on account of this that the diligent one is praised for the purity of his mind, God is praised for his goodness and for the martyrdom in the scriptures. Because this alone is the wisdom of truth, which God placed in the nature of men in this life, in which there are neither opinions nor disturbances. But all the scriptures and the whole nature of men, by the natural law placed in them, testify that it is the truth. And it is the same that benefits the righteous in good works, as the true teacher Paul says. As for the rest of all the wisdoms, they are mixed with disturbances and opinions. And it is no wonder at the error of men, that when the powerful knowledge concerning the passions of the soul is known, each one thinks that concerning the truth of his own soul it is not necessary for him to learn.

and concerning the knowledge of the body, they said about it that of Hippocrates: that which is the wonder in the art of medicine, that the world is short and the art is long, all of it is not the world of a human being as long as his life, it is too little to complete in his thought the teaching of the wealth of the distinctions of medicine. And if with the wisdom concerning this body which we wear, the life of a human being is too little to know its composition, along with the change of its pains and the cause of its health, then concerning its movements, how is it that a hidden and distant one who thinks that he knows the order of the change of its pains, and they think that knowledge is fitting, that a person might understand how he himself might free himself from evil pains. For truly, unless a person is given openly divine assistance, he cannot attain to the purity of the soul. And that which through divine operation in a new birth is destined to be given to him, so that there might be there in a pure mind, a simple thought that runs upon him, that while he is in the body, a human being might attain to this measure. I, however, from the man of God, who also in the wisdom of philosophy was wonderfully teaching, heard that he said: that I do not compare one of the wisdoms with this, that a person becomes wise, how he frees himself from his evil pains. And again he said: better for me is he who drives away from himself an evil pain, than he who expels a camp of demons from a region. Because that one, if there are demons in him, it is not that God has power over them. But he in whom evil pains dwell, is bound under the judgment of God, so that he is not freed from them. For demons, whenever they are, have a place to go out; for their struggle is against the body, and not against the soul. But an evil pain remains in the soul after the death of a human being.

I do not know, but I also saw a man of the deeds, many signs. But in his thought he was very foolish, for he was passing his time in wrath and curses. And when he was exorcising demons from others by means of the prayer of the disciple of the sorcerers in the land of the Indians, he did not cease from his own passions. Again, this man, wonderful in wisdom, says: "When I said above concerning him, that when the time came that I had a thought about discipline, concerning this, that I might know what is good for me and what is evil for me, I had idleness; and yet I am lacking from this wisdom." See what this rash man says about himself. And foolish men, by means of the garb of a schema and the reading of books, thought that they had attained knowledge. But that the intention of this brother may not be harmed, I offered him a medicine of discipline for his passions. These passions, my brother, if a man does not fulfill their desire completely, they are not calmed. For just as powerful lions in their anger, but by means of the quietness of their mind, come to weakness, the mistress of their evil, even in them it is so; by means of the trustworthiness of the desire of the passions, the power of their evil is weakened. And just as by means of provocation and constant encouragement, lions are strengthened in the power of their ferocity, so by that which a man does, the desire for his thoughts, he provokes them, so that they are strengthened all the more against him. But he who has taken counsel concerning the expulsion of his thoughts, and has condemned and driven them out from within his mind, they no longer dwell authoritatively in his mind. But it also happens that they pass like travelers on the road of his heart, until they strike and are struck, and are destroyed in a hidden manner.

...for the demons are stripped of their power by the house of their Lord. They no longer have the freedom to enter as was their former custom. Thus the freedom of these passions from the soul is cut off by their being outside of it. When, then, the mind was at rest in the peace of the head, it would say concerning others: "When many thoughts come upon them, instead of being occupied with the calling, by means of a good word their mind is calmed from the disturbance of thoughts, by much speaking or by the deed of virtues, which turn their heart from the dust of their thought." Do not think, O head, that by the deed of virtues you can find peace for the mind, that by your meditation you can conquer your thoughts. For earthly thoughts are not sufficient to nullify the thoughts of the body. Moreover, even from that evil thought which occupies your mind, you are relieved a little by the practice of virtues, but do not think that by their practice it is conquered. That which is always stirred up in you, know that you have not nullified it by your victory over it. Therefore, when disturbed motions are stirred up in your mind, do not seek the peace of help from something that is seen, because there is no power in the lordship of these visible things, by which you think they can nullify from your soul the motions of baseness. But seek from Christ, who is powerful over them, and it is sufficient to conquer all motions that are stirred up by the disturbed will of the body. For when the blessed Paul sought the way, that by prayer to Christ he might receive the power of help against his afflictions, he said, "Approach openly to the throne of his grace, and receive mercy that you may find grace for help in the time of distress" (Heb. 4:16).

...of God, who alone is holy; in whose holiness the worlds of glory are adorned, who gave to the soul that it might holily receive in itself the wonder of his greatness. To him is glory for eternal ages. End. Again, the Discourse of the Fourth To the church, however, which after him, after the cross, he began to speak to him. When the good treasures were placed in the soul, in the inquiry that took place with your excellence, you praised and gave thanks to the one who gave you this entire gift. But because you wish now to hear another matter, that we may not be negligently occupied with the names that are spoken of in excellence, you wish to learn how the power of each one of them is, both bodily and spiritually. For if one hears their distinction, the mind is especially stirred by the many variations that exist in excellence. For when you hear about humility or about compassion, you wish to know whether it is one order of humility, or whether there is a variation in compassion, just as there is a variation in poverty. For there is a poverty of the world, and there is a poverty for the sake of God. Along with the others that you have to ask about them. The Solitary says: Concerning those that are placed in your mind, ask joyfully. And now, concerning those that your smallness suffices for, calm your mind. And those names about which you wish to ask, arrange them yourselves. Eusebius says: We ask now about fear and poverty, about pain and mourning, about wretchedness, about compassion, about peace and tranquility, about purity, about fasting, about service, about sacrifices, about offering, about the altar, about inspiration, about the church, about priesthood, about love, about affection, about reconciliation, about joy, about the worship of God, about the course of righteousness, about standing, about bonds.

On bonds. On loosing. On fall. On rising. On wakefulness. On sleep. On nearness to God. On communion with him. On the drawing of the spirit. On patience. On poverty. On virginity. On radiance. On holiness. On prayer. On stillness. On illness. On health. On kingdom. On lordship. On humility. On height. On laughter. On affliction. On laxity. On severity. On disturbance. On athleticism. On victory. On guilt. On trembling. On war. On merchandise. On treasure. On wealth. On loss. On need. On might. On profligacy. On knowledge. On the laying on of the head. On freedom. On these matters it is necessary that you speak, that you may know where the power of their names lies, in the soul and in the body separately. For the fast of the body is not equal to the fast of the soul, nor are the pains of the body the same as those of the soul, nor is the joy of the body the same as the joy of the spirit, nor is the wakefulness of the body the same as the wakefulness of the soul, nor is the servitude of the world equal to the servitude of sin. But because the need of these names is the same in the speech of the tongue, distinguish their meanings, so that you do not hear confusedly about everything that is said. The Solitary says: The remembrance of these names is a mountain within you, and concerning each one of them there is a question. Eusebius says: I ask concerning the sense of fear, from which cause this sense exists. Whether it is of the body or of the soul. If it is of the body alone, how is the fear of God found in a human, since it is not in animals? And if it is of the soul, how does a human fear from opponents, since the soul is powerful against opponents?

And because in this name of fear is spoken the fear of God and the fear of the world, distinguish for me the distinctions of this name of fear. The Solitary says: The fear of the world is from the cause of the body. That is, the fear of the nights, the cutting and the cold from the frosts, the fear from the thorns, of which the body is the cause, because it is that which is subject to them. The soul, however, as long as it is in the body, participates in its fear, although the fear is not its own, because it is elevated from the afflictions. And fear does not exist apart from that which is subject to affliction for all the afflicted. For just as he who is subject to that which is hard from him is he who fears from him, and from a man who is not hard from him he does not fear, so the body, because it is subject to everything of this world, is it that is under the fear of the world. The soul, however, because its affliction is not subject to any of the afflictions, is elevated from the fear of the world. But if the fear is of the soul, behold, we see that animals and reptiles and the rest of everything that exists without a soul tremble and fear from that which harms them. The nature of the soul, however, is free from times and from changes of times, and from deficiency of food, from satiety of meals, from affliction of cold, from scarcity of rain, from dryness of air, from brevity of dew, from heaviness of snow, from cold of ice, from heat of burning, from distress of pains, from oppression of hunger, from deafness of speech, from blindness of eyes, from lameness of feet, from paralysis of hands, from headache, from inflammation of nostrils, from blockage of the ear, from blemishes of the body, from spots of leprosy, from destruction of the lion, from pains of internal organs, from thickness of phlegm, from burning of the liver.

From the pressure of the womb. From the pain of the intestines. From the burning of the dryness of the spirit. From the constriction of the kidneys. From the inflation of the stomach. From the loosening of the sinews. From the heaviness of the bones. From the destruction of the joints. From the abundance of the blood. From the pain of the breasts. From the heaviness of the head. From the turbidity of the waters. From the burning of the fever. From the many things within together with the other things without. From the weakness of old age. From the feebleness of strength. From the bending of the stature. From the loosening of the limbs. From the various diseases. From the burning of the fire. From the trembling of the nakedness. From the bruises and wounds. From the decay and dissolution of the body. From the foul smell. From the evil report. From the tumultuous wars. From the disturbance in each region. From the movement in each city. From the gloom of darkness. From the sound of thunders. From the sight of lightnings. From the destruction of wild beasts. From the dominion of demons. From the oppression of evil spirits. From the confusion of dreams. From the lordship of the rulers of this world. From all these the life of the soul is freed, and the life of the body is enslaved to all of them. And apart from them there is no fear of the world. For what purpose then are all these? But to show the vanity of the love of the body, for him who is enslaved to them, and all these lords are placed upon him, they cast him into evils. And when the time comes for them to be separated from the body, in the loosening of that which is from all these oppressions, behold, they are brief, behold, they are transient, behold, they are passing away. And for the soul which is freed from all these adversaries, there is none who cares for it with love and joy, as it was brief for them in the enslavement of the body to all these, and they were not able to rejoice in their own hidden reason, which is above all these.

It is not only from these that the soul is set free, but also it is not in need of the help of creation. For it is not helped. Not from the fear of pride. Not from the pleasure of the hour. Not from the acquisition of wealth. Not from the authority of rank. Not from the pleasure of food. Not from fragrant scent. Not from the music of the theatre. And the life that is under the authority of the world does not exist; where are its desires placed under the fear of the world? But the fear of the soul, when it is not looking towards the body, as long as it is placed in the body and is striving for its own sake, this is it: the fear that comes from error, the terror that comes from ignorance. But when it strives towards the body, and it and the body are in the mixture of one intention, this is the fear that arises in the human being towards the world, the terror and fear from those things that are the passions of the creature. The fear, however, towards God, when the soul and the body are equal in one intention, this is it: the fear of judgment, the terror from the placing of the head, the trembling from the desire of Gehenna, the fear from the wrath of God. But when, through the knowledge of the power of the Creator, the soul is separated from the body, this is its fear: lest it not be worthy of the greatness that is to come, lest it be deprived of that true wisdom, lest it become a stranger to the mysteries of God. This is the distinction of the pain of this name of fear. Eusebius says: "You have spoken richly and gloriously, and I do not think that anyone could speak more profitably and wisely than you have spoken about these lives." The Solitary says: "Mark those names that you have listed and give them to me, and concerning them, one by one, as it is fitting, I will speak." Eusebius says: "Concerning the distinction of fear I have heard you. But now take those names and concerning them speak to me. Concerning brevity." The Solitary says.

Bodily brevity is over the things that are seen. But brevity over the irritation of sins is a beautiful thought that participates in the knowledge of the soul. But brevity that is not mixed with the thought of the flesh, but is a labor in the movements of knowledge, is when a person is sensible of the greatness of the future, and is free in what kind of creation he is, and remains in the glorious nature of the soul, and grieves that he is confined in a weak body. On the pain of mourning. The pain of mourning when it is over worldly passions is bodily. But when it is over debts and follies, it is a thought that labors toward its hope. But when it is over the hidden humiliation of the head, it is the excellence of knowledge. On poverty. Poverty of the body is the stripping away of possessions, by the deficiency of the strength of the senses. But poverty that is with possessions is outside of that. But poverty that is with the strength of the limbs is in its nature. But poverty of the soul with the world is the stripping away of vain thoughts. But the stripping away of vain thoughts is the wealth of its knowledge. But poverty of its nature in these lives is the deficiency of knowledge, the lack of understanding, the smallness of discernment. On stripping away. Bodily stripping away is the leaving behind of possessions. Psychic stripping away is the loosening of pains. Spiritual stripping away is the cessation of expectations. Here they are stripped of possessions and are able to be stripped also of pains. But stripping away of expectations is the life that is after judgment. On compassion. Bodily compassion is that a person gives alms, helps the weak, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, and comforts the distressed along with the rest.

Mercifulness of the soul, that a man have mercy on his faults, and leave his enemies, and show his wrongs, and bury his persecutors. Spiritual mercifulness, that he have mercy on the erring, and teach those deficient in mind, and bring the negligent to a true covenant, the distant to the nearness of God, the strangers to the household of his mysteries, the lost to discovery, and to those without hope proclaim hope. This is spiritual mercifulness, which is perfected in action toward that hidden first principle. And this is the demonstration of the mercy of God toward the race of the wicked. On peace. Bodily peace, that a man have the word of tranquility toward his anger. Psychic peace, that in the soul itself he be complete, that a man with heart and mind be in the simplicity of peace without the craftiness of word and without the bitterness of wrath. On quiet. Bodily quiet is the cessation of wars, the rest of regions, subjection without rebellion, no disturbance over dominion, no plunder of the strong, no ruin of the poor, no accusation in the house of judgment, rest from slanderers, no dispute over faith, the harmony of quiet with disturbance. Psychic quiet is a heart not troubled by thoughts, a mind not divided over its notions, a will not agitated with the soul itself, a thought in power that does not oppress the heart, a serenity of soul without the confusion of disturbances. Spiritual quiet is an intellect not divided over truth, a soul not confused by uncertainties, the harmony of the worlds, the perfection of those in truth, their movements in reality. This quiet, then, is that of the life after the resurrection. On purity. Purity of the body is the washing away of filth, the cleanness of limbs, clean clothing, sweet fragrance.

Purity of the soul: it is a prayer from the impurity of the body; a cleansing from the turbidity of foul thoughts; holiness of thoughts; clarity of thoughts; firmness of movements. Spiritual purity: it is a separation from the world; not a remembrance of its passions; a lordship in God; a living contemplation in Him. Purity such as this: it is the life that is after the resurrection. On Fasting. Fasting of the body: it is hunger from satieties; a deprivation from foods; and a love from weariness. Fasting of the soul: that a man hunger and thirst for righteousness; and fast from evil conduct. Spiritual fasting: that a man fast from the remembrance of evil deeds and from lordship over them and from the recollection of offences. This, then, is a rule that offences do not ascend into the memory: it is the life that is after the resurrection. On Service. Service of the body: it is a filling of its desires; a petition of the humble; a love of the mouth. Service of the soul: it is a petition of life; a love of teaching; a finding of wisdom; a separation from the body; a nullification over the soul. The bodily service toward God: it is praises and offerings according to the custom of the law of Israel; for the bodily service was external. The psychic service toward God: it is a singing of the mind; and pure thoughts in a holy intellect. The spiritual service toward God: it is a wonder at God; a glory that is upon the greatness of His wisdom from the depth of the mind; for this is a living power from these lives; and in the life after the resurrection it is preserved. On Sacrifices and Offerings. Bodily offering: that a man from the passions outside himself offer to God. Offering of the soul: that a man offer his standing to God in the sacrifice of his body.

Spiritual offering: it is a mystery of participation with God; and that pure thoughts, taken up in their movements, bring the wonder of God to his prayer at every moment to the altar. The bodily altar: it is that likeness of the table of the people, upon which the dead bodies of animals were placed. The hidden altar of the soul: it is the mind that is raised up above; the contemplation of God through good works in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ. The spiritual altar: it is the intellect that is elevated from the remembrance of the world and adorns itself with the knowledge of the wonder of God. On the fan. The bodily fan: it is something that the hand takes to fan with; in the likeness of Abraham who was fanning the birds from the divided limbs. The fan of the soul: it is a thought, a good and pure intention, by which foul thoughts are driven from the mind. The spiritual fan: it is the intellect that flutters in the pure movements concerning God. On the Church. The visible Church of the world: it is the multitude of men; the assembly of the people; their gathering together with one another. But the true Church: it is the unity of thought; the perfection of mind in one faith. The Church in heaven (Hebr. 12:23) is over the upper assemblies. It is not that which is called Church by dwelling in places and by the coming together of their assemblies towards one another. Rather, their Church of truth is the knowledge of truth, by which they are delighted in divine mysteries. On the service of priesthood. The bodily service of priesthood: it is when, in a place and location, over the passions of the body, a man serves as the law of the priests of Israel. But the priesthood that is accomplished in the soul: it is when the mind offers pure thoughts to God in a pure petition. On love and affection. The love of bodies towards one another: it is the bond of the body with everything of the body.

The love of souls toward each other is the discipline of instruction, the contest of wisdom. The love of spirits toward each other is divine love, the greatness of their praise, the knowledge of their hope. But a person who loves God because of these visible things, his love is bodily. But one who loves because of benefits, his love is of the soul. But a person who loves God alone without any external cause, that love is spiritual. That love is preserved in the manner after the resurrection. On harmony and joy. The harmony and joy of the body: wealth, health, truth, beauty, along with the rest. The harmony of the soul: it is the exercise of good speech, the reading of books, the discovery of wisdom. Spiritual harmony: it is the hope of resurrection, the expectation concerning God, the knowledge of the future world. But this joy truly does not exist in this life, but is preserved for the life after the resurrection. On worship. Bodily worship: it is the bending of the knees, the bowing of the back, the prostration on the ground. This worship is equal in its appearance toward God and toward human beings. But so that you do not worship God in the same form as you worship idols, follow from the teaching of the Gospel the worship of the superior with the body, those who worship God in spirit and truth, and do not worship him (John 4:24). The worship of the spirit is in the manner of the sign, a careful thought in the supplication of the mind, a heart that groans in the liturgy. Finally, on the rest of the remaining names. But not concerning each one of these names does he speak these three distinctions; those which I have said are sufficient, distinctly concerning body, soul, and spirituality. And the rest which remain, hear, my brothers, in the superior manner of the soul.

A beneficial course, O beloved, is the practice of wisdom. A beneficial gathering is a thought that does not err in evil things. Gentle bonds are feelings that do not run in wisdom. A spiritual release is a thought that is not bound by desires. The movement from the height of knowledge is a contest of the soul. The standing of the soul is when it stands by the authority of its freedom. The wakefulness of thought is beautiful meditation. The sleep of the soul is the cessation of good care. Proximity to God is obedience to commandments. Partnership with God is the constancy of His love. The flight of the spirit from afflictions is the remainder of pains. The patience of instruction is the treasure of commerce. The humility of thought is the gentleness of the mind. True virginity is a soul that has not been yoked to the love of the body. The purity of the heart is the inability to be stained by the world. Bodily humility is a seemly vision in the mouth of a sweet saying. Spiritual humility is when the soul places itself in inferiority beneath everyone. A petition concerning those that are invisible is spiritual prayer. Bodily silence is the cessation of speech. Spiritual silence is a thought that does not shine in its meditations. Spiritual silence is that the soul not consider expectations. True lordship is the enslavement of evil passions. The pride of the body is boasting in members. The pride of the soul is boasting in knowledge. The laughter of the soul is a snare. Excellent discipline is a battle against passions. True athleticism is victory over evil thoughts. Victory over the soul is true kingdom. The armor of thought is the garment of wisdom. A helpful commerce is teaching about beautiful things.

A steadfast wealth, a hidden treasury of the soul. The heroism of equality is for praise, that a man might conquer his evil will. For even demons suffice to bear the burden of passions. Their power can break down walls and kill men. But to overcome the enmity of their envy they do not will. The strength of the soul, my beloved, is this: when it hears the teachings of heresies, it does not stumble and does not incline to their speakers. But if it inclines, that is weakness of the soul. And just as the body is consumed by disease, so the soul is weakened by stumblings. Folly and ignorance, when they prevail in the thought of the flesh, so that a man is not sated with the evils of others. Natural ignorance of the soul is that which is not sated with the disputation of wisdom. The thirst for spiritual mysteries is the delight of new life. For just as bodily delight is that which no man is filled with from the excellent foods of the world, so no man is sated with the wisdom of that world; it is a spiritual delight which, beyond man, inwardly anoints and gladdens. Bodily freedom is not denial and falsehood with the true word, and that a man may be faithful in what is entrusted to him. Spiritual freedom is separation from the body: not enslavement to the thought of the flesh. For, my beloved, it is not freedom of the life after nature, if it is still enslaved to the base passions by its own will. For the soul, which is not separated from anything, is the likeness of God in its thought. It is not yet worthy of the freedom of Christ, who is not in the love of these visible things nor in the passion of the desire for lordship. For if the soul has been separated from the passions of the body, and again has been cast into passions and desires of the flesh in another form, it has placed upon itself a yoke of servitude.

And when the will of the body begins, again the creature is enslaved by its desire. And by this desire there is also fear: lest it be joined to errors. For the desire of the flesh does not cease, nor does fear cease. In spiritual freedom, however, there is no servitude of the memory of the world: no remembrance of creation, no flesh of the elements, no consequence of their composition, no love of their knowledge, no affection for the wisdom of the world, nor hopes in that wisdom. Nor is that freedom enslaved to errors, but it is the true freedom of Christ, which is the kingdom of the worlds, to which the worlds are destined to receive. For even you, my beloved, must seek and entreat, that God may join you by his mercies and his grace to that mixture of the worlds of glory. Therefore, my beloved, approach the glorious order of the way of life of the inner man. Withdraw from the pursuit of the companies that strive against God. Do not let your mind settle in the regions of thoughts that have no rest from the turmoil of battle. Dwell yourself in the peaceful place that has no opposition to its tranquility. Do not leave your contemplation among the thoughts that are thought outside the will of God. Bind your knowledge to the lordly knowledge of the Lord of all. Let there not be in you the hesitation of a life mixed with the labor of good things. Beware of the hidden sleep that has no vision of the truth. Do not allow the filth of sin in yourself, lest it be mingled with spiritual beauty. Cleanse the lordship of your heart from the filth of the lordship of the world. Do not lower your eyes to the movements of yourself in the servitude of the yoke of the body. Please God by the steadfastness of the will that is in you. Do not be hindered from the love of his laws by the love of the works of sin. Stand with the boldness of open face before him in the afflictions that come for his name.

He does not place his standing under the authority of his thought in the simplicity that transgresses his law. And life enters with the placing of the head in the observance of the commandments of the Lord of truth. He does not lose the treasure of the faithful in the forgetfulness that is with God. And he is eager that the inheritances of the kingdoms of the Father be in the simplicity of those who are passing. The governance of the heart does not sink in thoughts of visible things. And he loves at all times the meditation of those who have no limits before the vision of the vigilant. He is not bound by anything that is loosed from him, that he might have what is his. And he seeks, then, the bonds of the living senses in the love of God, so that when the body is filled with suffering and is loosed, in the place of joys in God he may be found. To Him is glory, to the worlds, amen. The book of John the Solitary is completed.