Слово 27. О второй степени ведения

When a person, having left the first degree of knowledge, is occupied with spiritual thoughts and desires, then, in the light of the nature of the soul, both with bodily feelings and spiritual thoughts he performs the following excellent deeds mentioned above, namely: fasting, prayer, almsgiving, reading the Divine Scriptures, various virtues, struggle with passions, etc. For all good deeds, all various good states discerned in the soul, and wonderful forms of service in the court of Christ, in this second degree of knowledge, are accomplished by the work of his power 159 by the Holy Spirit. And it shows the heart the paths that lead us to faith, through it we collect parting words for the future age. But even here, management is still bodily 160 and complex. Although this knowledge is the path that leads and carries us to faith, there is also a higher degree of knowledge. And if anyone succeeds, he will find the opportunity, with the help of Christ, to be elevated to this, when he lays the foundation of his work in silent distance from people, in reading the Scriptures, in prayer and in other good deeds, by which everything related to the second knowledge is accomplished. And it is through him that all good things are produced; it is called conducting affairs, because through sensual affairs, through the mediation of bodily senses, it accomplishes its work on the external level. Amen. You might be interested in: