Spiritual Conversations (1–50)

Spiritual Words and Messages New Spiritual Discourses I-XXVIII The theological heritage of Macarius the Great consists of fifty words (conversations), seven instructions and two epistles. The main theme of the works is the spiritual life of a Christian in the form of ascetic solitude. In a number of his writings, Macarius interprets the Bible allegorically (for example, Discourse on the Vision of Ezekiel Conversation 1. Allegorical explanation of the vision described by the Prophet Ezekiel 1. The prophet Ezekiel related the Divine and glorious phenomenon and vision that he saw, and described it as a phenomenon filled with unspeakable mysteries. He saw on the field a cherubic chariot and four spiritual animals. Each animal had four faces: one was the face of a lion, the other was the face of an eagle, another was the face of a calf, and the face of a man. And each face had wings, so that none of them could be distinguished between the front and the back. “Their cloaks were full,” and their chests were also full of eyes, and there was no place that was not full of eyes. With each face there were three wheels, as if a wheel were within a wheel, and in the wheels there was a spirit. And the Prophet saw, as it were, the likeness of a man, and his foot was as if made of sapphire. This chariot (that is, Cherubim and animals) carried the enthroned Lord. Wherever He pleased to walk, the animals were always facing. And the Prophet saw under the Cherubim, as it were, “the hand of man,” which supported and carried them (Ezek. 1:5-28). 2. True and certain was what the Prophet saw in admiration; but it pointed to something else, prefigured something mysterious and divine, a mystery truly hidden from birth; revealed in recent times, at the coming of Christ. The prophet contemplated the mystery of the soul that has to receive its Lord and become the throne of His glory. For the soul, which the Spirit, having prepared it for His seat and abode, deigned to partake of His light, and shone with the beauty of His ineffable glory, becomes all light, all face, all eye; there is not a single part of it that is not filled with the spiritual eyes of light, that is, there is nothing darkened in it; but it is entirely made of light and spirit, it is all filled with eyes, and has no last or back side, but from everywhere it appears as a face, because the ineffable beauty of the glory of the Light of Christ has descended on it and sits on it. And just as the sun is everywhere similar to itself: it does not have a single last or insufficient part, but, consisting of identical parts, it all shines with light, and everything is light, or, like fire, that is, the very light of fire, is all similar to itself, and has in itself neither first nor last, nor greater nor less: so is the soul, completely illuminated by the indescribable beauty of the glory of light from the face of Christ and completely entered into communion with the Holy Spirit, and vouchsafed to become the dwelling and throne of God, becomes all eye, all light, all face, all glory, all spirit, as Christ prepared, arranged, and adorned her with spiritual beauty, who bears, leads, supports, and lifts her up. For it is said that “the hand of man” was under the Cherubim (Ezek. 1:7). Christ Himself carries the soul and leads it. 3. The four animals carrying the chariot represented the image of the sovereign powers of the rational soul. Just as the eagle reigns over birds, the lion over wild animals, the ox over gentle animals, and man over all creatures: so in the rational soul there are more royal powers, that is, will, conscience, mind and the power of love. The chariot of the soul is driven by them, God rests in them. But according to another way of explanation, of course this is about the heavenly Church of Saints. And how the Prophet says about the animals that their height was excessive, that they were full of eyes, and that it was impossible for anyone to comprehend the number of eyes, or height, because no knowledge of this was given; just as the stars in the sky are given to every person to see and marvel at them, but it is impossible for anyone to know their number: in the same way, it is given to everyone who wants to strive to enter and enjoy the heavenly Church of Saints, but to know and embrace the number of Saints - this belongs to the one God. He who sits on the chariot and on the throne of all-holy animals, that is, in every soul that has become His throne and seat, which has become His eye and light, walks and rushes, sitting on it, and ruling the reins of the spirit, and directing it, as He Himself knows. Just as spiritual animals walked, not where they themselves wanted to go, but where He who sat on them and Guided them knew and wanted, so He Himself rules over souls and leads them, showing the way by His Spirit. Thus, souls ascend to heaven not of their own free will, when they want; but God directs the soul, having overthrown the body, to strive in thought to heaven, and again, when it pleases Him, it walks in the flesh and in thoughts, then by His will it moves to the limits of the earth, and He shows it revelations of the mysteries. O truly excellent, good, one and true Bridle Holder! Thus, if the soul is now glorified and has entered into unity with the Spirit, then the bodies will also be honored with a part in the resurrection. 4. And that the souls of the righteous are made into heavenly light - about this the Lord himself said to the Apostles: “you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). He himself, having made them light, commanded that the world be enlightened through them, and says: “They burn a lamp below, and put it in a secret place, but on the candlestick, and it gives light to everyone in the church. Thus let your light shine before men” (Matthew 5:15–16). And this means: do not hide the gift that you received from Me, but tell everyone who wants it. And again: “The eye is the lamp of the body; if your eye is light, your whole body will be illuminated; if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark.” If the light that is in you be darkness, then how much darkness is there” (Matthew 6:22–23)? Just as the eyes are light for the body; and when the eyes are healthy, the whole body is illuminated; and when something gets into the eyes and they are darkened, then the whole body is in darkness: so the Apostles were appointed as eyes and light for the whole world. Therefore, the Lord, commanding them, said: “If you, being the light of the world, stand and do not go astray, then the whole body of the world will be enlightened. And if you are the light of the world, you will be darkened; “that is darkness”, that is, the world, “how long?” So, the Apostles, having become light, served as a light for the believers, enlightening their hearts with that heavenly light of the Spirit with which they themselves were enlightened. 5. And just as they were salt, they dissolved and salted every believing soul with the salt of the Holy Spirit. For the Lord said to them: “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), calling human souls earth; because they served the souls of men as the heavenly salt of the Spirit, dissolving them and making them unrotten and uninfected by the great stench. Just as meat without salt rots and becomes filled with a great stench, and because of the unbearable stench everyone turns away from it; and worms crawl in rotten meat, find food there, eat it and nest in it; but as soon as salt is sprinkled, the worms that fed on the meat are destroyed and die, the foul smell stops; because salt, by its nature, destroys worms and destroys the stench: in the same way, every soul, unsalted by the Holy Spirit, not participating in the heavenly salt, that is, God's power, rots and is filled with the great stench of evil thoughts; why does the face of God turn away from the terrible stench of vain thoughts of darkness and passions living in such a soul; Evil and terrible worms creep into it, that is, crafty spirits and dark forces, feed, nest, creep there, eat and corrupt it. For it is said: “My wounds have become stale and rotten” (Ps. 37:6). But as soon as the soul resorts to God, believes and asks for the salt of life, the good and humane Spirit, the descending heavenly salt destroys the terrible worms in it, destroys the harmful stench, and cleanses the soul with the action of its power. And thus, when true salt makes her healthy and unharmed, she is again introduced into use and service to the heavenly Lord. Therefore, in the Law, to signify this, God commanded that every sacrifice be salted with salt (Lev. 2:13). 6. So, it is necessary that first the priest kill her, and she die, and then, cut into pieces, she should be salted, and finally, she should be laid on the fire. For if the priest does not first hand over the sheep to slaughter and death, then it is not salted and is not offered to the Lord for full fruitfulness. So our soul, approaching the true Bishop - Christ, must be slain from Him and die for its wisdom and for the bad life that it lived, that is, for sin; and just as life leaves the victim, the cunning of passions must leave it. Just as the body, when the soul leaves it, dies and no longer lives the life that it lived, does not hear, does not walk: so, when the heavenly Bishop Christ, by the grace of His power, puts to slaughter and puts to death the life in the soul for the world, it dies for that evil life that it lived, and no longer hears, does not speak, does not live in sinful darkness; because the wickedness of the passions, like her soul, comes out of her by grace. And the Apostle cries out, saying: “Peace has been crucified to me, and to the world” (Gal.6:14). For the soul, while it lives in the world and in sinful darkness, and is not mortified by Christ, but still has in itself the soul of vice, that is, the action of the darkness of sinful passions, and is nourished by this, does not belong to the body of Christ, does not belong to the body of light, but is a body of darkness, and to this day is still on the side of darkness; just as, on the contrary, those who have within themselves the soul of light, that is, the power of the Holy Spirit, are on the side of light. 7. But someone will say: why do you call the soul the body of darkness, when it is not a product of darkness? - Pay attention to this and understand correctly. Like the everyday clothes you wear were prepared by someone else, and you dress in them; likewise, he built and constructed another house, and you live in it: in the same way, Adam, having transgressed God’s commandment and listened to the evil serpent, sold and gave himself up as property to the devil, and to his soul, this beautiful creation that God prepared in His image, clothed himself with the evil one, just as the Apostle says: “he has cut off the principalities and powers,” and defeated them on the cross (Col. 2:15). For this was the purpose of the coming of the Lord, to drive them out and return to Himself His own house and church - man. Therefore, the soul is called the body of evil darkness while sinful darkness remains in it; because she lives and is kept there during the evil age of darkness, just as the Apostle, mentioning the body of sin and the body of death, says: “let the body of sin be abolished” (Rom. 6:6); and again: “Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Rom. 7:24)? Likewise, and vice versa, a soul that believes in God, gets rid of sin, died to a dark life and received the light of the Holy Spirit into itself as life, and came to life in it, already spends its life there; because it is held there by the light of the Divine. For the soul is not from God’s nature and not from the nature of evil darkness, but is an intelligent creature, full of beauty, great and wonderful, a beautiful likeness and image of God, and the wickedness of dark passions entered into it as a result of crime. 8. Finally, the soul belongs to the one with whom it is in communion and unity with its desires. Therefore, either, having God’s light within her and living in it and adorned with all sorts of virtues, she participates in the light of repose; or, having sinful darkness within himself, is subject to condemnation. For a soul that wants to live with God in eternal peace and light, according to what was said before, must come to the true Bishop Christ, undergo slaughter and die for the world and for the former life of evil darkness, and repose into another life for divine education. If someone dies in a city, he hears neither the voices, nor the speeches, nor the noise of those living there, but as soon as he died, he is transported to another place, where there are neither voices nor cries of that city: so the soul, as soon as it is given up to slaughter and dies in that city of harmful passions in which it lived and spent time, no longer hears in itself the voice of conversations of darkness, the talk and cry of vain conversation and rebellion of spirits is no longer heard in it. darkness, but it moves into a city full of goodness and peace, into a city of Divine light; and there he lives and hears, there he takes citizenship, he rants and converses, there he performs spiritual deeds worthy of God. 9. Therefore, we will also pray that by His power we may receive the slaughter and die for the evil age of darkness, so that the spirit of sin will be destroyed in us, so that the soul will receive the heavenly Spirit, put on Him, move from sinful darkness into the light of Christ, and rest in life for entire centuries. Just as chariots rush through a race, and the one ahead of them delays the other, hinders and prevents it from moving forward and anticipating victory: so spiritual and sinful thoughts rush through a person, and if a sinful thought happens to forestall it, it delays the soul, hinders and prevents it from approaching God and gaining victory over sin. And where the Lord himself sits and rules the soul, there He always wins, skillfully and constantly ruling the reins and guiding the chariot of the soul to the heavenly and divine way of thinking. He does not wage war against sin, but, as plenipotentiary and sovereign, He always decides victory Himself. That is why the Cherubim rush, not where they themselves want to go, but where He who sits on them and rules over them guides; Wherever He pleases, there they go, and He Himself carries them; for it is said, “The hand of man” was under them. Holy souls are carried and guided by the Spirit of Christ, Who rules wherever He pleases. And whenever He pleases, they rush about in heavenly thoughts; and whenever you want - in the body. Wherever He pleases, there they serve Him. Just as a bird's legs are served by its wings; Thus, the heavenly light of the Spirit receives the wings of thoughts worthy of the soul, guiding and ruling where He knows. 10. Therefore, as soon as you hear this, pay attention to yourself, has this really and truly been acquired by your soul? For these are not words merely spoken, but deeds truly accomplished in the soul. And if you have not acquired such spiritual blessings, but are still poor; then you must grieve, cry and be sick incessantly. As one still dead to the kingdom, and as one wounded, always cry out to the Lord and ask with faith, so that you too may be worthy of this true life. God, having created this body, gave it that it does not borrow life, food, drink, clothing, shoes from its own nature, not from the body; but on the contrary, having created the body in itself naked, he arranged for it to borrow everything necessary for life from outside, and it is impossible for the body to live without what exists outside of it, that is, without food, without drink, without clothing. If it is limited to what is in its nature, without borrowing anything from the outside; then it collapses and dies. In the same way, the soul, which does not have God’s light in itself, but was created in God’s image (for God so designed and pleased that it should have eternal life), not from its own nature, but from His Divinity, from His own Spirit, from His own light, receives spiritual food, and spiritual drink, and heavenly garments, which constitutes the true life of the soul. 11. As in the body, according to what was said before, life is not from itself, but from what is outside it, that is, from the earth; and without that which exists outside of him, it is impossible for him to live: so the soul, if it is not now reborn in that land of the living and does not there spiritually feed and grow spiritually, thriving before the Lord, and does not clothe its Divinity in the ineffable vestments of heavenly beauty, then without this food it is impossible for it to live on its own in pleasure and peace. For the nature of God has both the bread of life, the One who said: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), and “living water” (John 4:10), and “wine that gladdens the heart of man” (Ps. 103:15), and “the oil of joy” (Ps. 44:8), and the varied food of the heavenly Spirit, and the luminous heavenly garments given by God. This is the heavenly life of the soul. Woe to the body when it stops in its nature because it collapses and dies. Woe to the soul if it stops at its own nature and trusts only in its own works, without having communion with the Divine Spirit; because he dies without being worthy of eternal Divine life. Just as they despair of the sick when their body can no longer take food, and all their relatives, friends, relatives and loved ones cry for them: so God and the holy Angels recognize those souls worthy of tears who do not partake of the heavenly food of the Spirit and do not live in incorruption. And this, I repeat, is not just spoken words, but the very work of spiritual life, the work of truth, accomplished in a worthy and faithful soul. 12. So, if you have become the throne of God, and the heavenly Bridle Holder has sat in you, and your soul has become all the spiritual eye, and all the light; if you are fed with this heavenly food of the Spirit, and drunk with living water; if you put on the clothes of ineffable light; if your inner man has experienced all this experimentally and undoubtedly, then you live truly eternal life, and your soul even now rests with the Lord; You really have acquired and received this from the Lord, so that you can live the true life. If you don’t recognize anything like that in yourself: then cry, grieve and lament; because until now you have not yet acquired eternal and spiritual wealth, until now you have not yet accepted true life. Therefore, lament your poverty, beseeching the Lord day and night; because you are in terrible sinful impoverishment. And oh, if only someone could acquire this sorrow for his poverty! Oh, if only we didn’t spend our time carefree, like the satiated! Whoever grieves, and seeks, and persistently asks the Lord, will sooner receive deliverance and heavenly riches, as the Lord said, concluding his word about the unjust judge and the widow: how much more will God bring “vengeance on those who cry out to Him day and night?” To her, I say: “He will take their vengeance quickly” (Luke 18:7–8). To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 2. About the kingdom of darkness, that is, sin, and that God alone can take away sin from us and deliver us from slavery to the evil prince 1. The wicked prince - the kingdom of darkness, having first captivated a person, invested and clothed the soul with the power of darkness, just as a person is clothed in order to make him a king and give him all the royal robes, and so that from head to nails he wears everything royal. So the evil prince clothed the soul with sin, its entire being, and desecrated it all, captivated everything into his kingdom, did not leave a single member of it free from his power, nor thoughts, nor mind, nor body, but clothed it in the purple of darkness. Just as in the body not one part of it suffers, or not just one of its members, but the whole thing is completely subject to suffering: so the entire soul suffered from the infirmities of vice and sin. The evil one has clothed the entire soul, this necessary part of man, this necessary member of him, in his malice, that is, in sin; and thus the body became suffering and corruptible. 2. When the Apostle says: put off “the old man” (Col. 3:9), then he means a perfect man, who has his own eyes according to his eyes, his own head to his head, his own ears to his ears, his own hands to his hands, and his own feet to his feet. For the evil one has defiled and drawn to himself the whole man, soul and body, and has clothed man in the old man, defiled, unclean, God-fighting, disobedient to God's law - in sin itself, so that he would no longer look as man would desire, but would see evilly, and hear evilly, and his feet would hasten to do evil, and his hands would do iniquity, and his heart would plot evil. Therefore, let us also pray to God to remove from us the old man; because God alone can take away sin from us. Stronger than us are those who captured us and kept us in their kingdom; but God made a promise to deliver us from this slavery. When the sun is shining and some wind is blowing; and the sun has its own body and its own nature, and the wind has its own nature and its own body, and no one can separate the wind from the sun unless the one God stops the wind so that it no longer blows. So sin was mixed into the soul; but both sin and the soul have their own special nature. 3. Therefore, it is impossible to separate the soul from sin unless God stops and stops this evil wind that dwells in the soul and body. And also, just as someone sees a flying bird and wants to fly himself; but, without wings, he cannot fly: so a person has a desire to be pure, blameless, undefiled, to have no vice in himself, and to always be with God; but he doesn’t have the strength to do it. He wants to fly into the divine air, into the freedom of the Holy Spirit; but he cannot until he receives wings. Therefore, let us beg God to give us the “wing of the dove” of the Holy Spirit, so that we may fly to Him and rest (Ps. 54:7), and may he separate us from soul and body, and may the evil wind cease in us - the very sin that lives in the members of the soul and body. For He alone can do this. It is said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). He alone has created this mercy for people who believe in Him, which saves them from sin; He brings this inscrutable salvation to those who always expect and hope, and continually seek this. 4. Just as in a dark and deep night some cruel wind blows and sets all plants and seeds in motion, confusion and shaking: so man, having fallen under the power of the dark night - the devil, and being in the night and in darkness, is set into vibration, shaking and movement by the terribly blowing wind of sin; his whole nature, soul, thoughts and mind are in confusion, all his bodily members are in shock. Not a single member of soul or body is free and cannot help but suffer from the sin that lives in us. Likewise, there is a day of light and the divine wind of the Holy Spirit, which blows and revives souls who are in the days of Divine light, and penetrates the entire being of the soul, and thoughts, and the entire essence, and all bodily members, cools and reposes with Divine and unspeakable peace. The Apostle expressed this: “the children are not of night below darkness: for you are sons of light and sons of the day” (1 Thess. 5:5). And just as there, in deception, the old man put off the perfect man and wears the clothes of the kingdom of darkness, the clothes of blasphemy, unbelief, lack of fear, vanity, pride, love of money, lust, and in a similar way, other clothes of the kingdom of darkness, unclean and abominable rags: so here again, who put off the old and earthly man, and from whom Jesus having taken off the garments of the kingdom of darkness, they put on the new and heavenly man - Jesus Christ, and also again, according to the eyes they have their eyes, and according to the ears - their ears, and according to the head - their head, so that the whole man would be pure and bear the heavenly image. 5. And the Lord clothed them in the robes of the kingdom of ineffable light, in the robes of faith, hope, love, joy, peace, mercy, goodness, and likewise in all other divine, life-giving robes of light, life, unspeakable peace, so that, just as God is love, joy, peace, goodness, mercy, so the new man was made this by grace. And just as the kingdom of darkness and sin are hidden in the soul until the day of resurrection, when the darkness now hidden in the soul covers the very body of sinners: so the kingdom of light and the heavenly image - Jesus Christ now mysteriously illuminates the soul and reigns in the soul of the saints; but, remaining hidden from human eyes, with the sole eyes of our soul we truly see Christ until the day of resurrection, when the body itself will be covered and glorified by that light of the Lord that still exists in the human soul, so that then the body itself may reign together with the soul, which is still now accepting the kingdom of Christ into itself, resting and illuminated by eternal light. Glory to His bounty and compassion! He has mercy on His servants, and enlightens and delivers them from the kingdom of darkness, and gives them His light and His kingdom. To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 3. About the fact that brethren should live among themselves sincerely, in simplicity, in love, in peace, but wage struggle and warfare with inner thoughts 1. Brothers should be in great love with each other. Whether they pray, or read the Scriptures, or engage in any kind of work, let them put love for each other as the foundation; in this case, their will may be worthy of God's favor. And whoever prays, and whoever reads, and whoever works, can do everything with benefit if they live among themselves in righteousness and simplicity. For what is written? “Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 6:10), so that, just as the angels in heaven abide among themselves in great unanimity, living in peace and love, and there is no exaltation or envy, but mutual love and sincerity, so the brethren abide among themselves. If some thirty people happen to be doing one thing, they cannot continue this all day and all night; on the contrary, some of them will spend six hours in prayer and want to read, while others diligently serve, while others are engaged in some kind of work. 2. Therefore, brothers, if they do anything, they should be in mutual love and joy. Let the one who works say this about the one who prays: “The treasure that my brother owns is common; therefore, I also own it.” And whoever prays, let him say about the reader like this: “What he uses in reading will serve me in favor.” And whoever works, let him say the following again: “there is a general benefit in the service I provide.” Just as there are many bodily members, and they form one body, and mutually help each other, and each member performs its own work; Moreover, the eye looks at the whole body, and the hands work for all the members, and the legs walk, carrying all the parts of the body, and one member has compassion for others: so let the brethren be among themselves. And whoever prays, let him not condemn the one who works because he does not pray. And whoever works, let him not judge the one praying, saying: “He continues his prayer, but I work.” And whoever serves, let him not judge another. On the contrary, whatever he does, let him do it for the glory of God. Let the reader with love and joy look at the one praying, reasoning like this: “He is praying for me too.” And the one who prays thinks about the one who works in this way: “What he does, he does for the common good.” 3. And thus, great unanimity, peace and unanimity can contain everyone among themselves in a union of peace, and it will be possible to live with each other in righteousness and simplicity, attracting God's favor to oneself. The most important thing of all, as is obvious, is staying in prayer at the right time. Moreover, let the subject of your search be one thing - to have treasure and life in your soul, that is, to have the Lord in your mind. Whether anyone works, or prays, or reads, let him have this enduring acquisition, that is, the Holy Spirit. Some say that the Lord demands from people only obvious fruits, but God himself performs the secret ones. But this is not how it happens in reality; on the contrary, no matter how much someone protects himself according to the external person, he must fight and wage war with his thoughts just as much; because the Lord requires of you that you be angry with yourself, fight with your mind, do not agree with evil thoughts, and do not delight in them. 4. But in order to eradicate sin and the evil that lives in us, this can only be accomplished by God’s power. For it is not given and impossible for man to eradicate sin by his own strength. To fight it, resist it, inflict and receive ulcers - it is within your power; and to eradicate is God’s work. And if you yourself were able to do this, then what would be the need for the Lord’s coming? Just as it is impossible for the eye to see without light, or to speak without a tongue, or to hear without ears, or to walk without legs, or to work without hands: so without Jesus it is impossible to be saved, or to enter the kingdom of heaven. If you say: “apparently I am not a fornicator, not an adulterer, not a lover of money; therefore, righteous"; then you are deluded by this, thinking that you have already accomplished everything. There are not only three parts of sin from which a person must protect himself, but thousands of them. Where does arrogance, lack of fear, disbelief, hatred, envy, deceit, hypocrisy come from? Shouldn't you wage war and struggle with them in secret and in your thoughts? If there is a robber in your house; then this already crushes you, and does not allow you to be carefree, even you yourself begin to attack him, inflict wounds on him and accept them: so the soul must resist, confront and reflect. 5. Your will, opposing, remaining in labor and sorrow, finally begins to gain the upper hand; it both falls and rises; sin brings him down again; in ten and twenty struggles he conquers and overthrows the soul; but over time, the soul also overcomes sin in one way or another. And again, if the soul stands firm and does not weaken in any way, then it begins to take advantage, solve the matter and gain victories over sin. But if you look carefully at this, then sin still overcomes a person until he “reaches” “a perfect man according to the measure of his age” (Eph. 4:13), and completely conquers death. For it is written: “The last enemy will be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). This is how people overcome sin and become its winners. And if, as we said above, someone says: “I am not a fornicator, not an adulterer, not a lover of money, this is enough for me”; then in this case he fought with three parts, but with the other twenty, with which sin also fights with the soul, he did not fight, on the contrary, he was defeated by them. Therefore, one must fight and strive in everything; because the mind, as we have repeatedly said, is a fighter, and has equal power to argue with sin and resist thoughts. 6. If you say that the opposing force is stronger, and vice completely reigns over a person; then you blame God for injustice, who condemns humanity for listening to Satan. When Satan is strong and conquers himself with some kind of compelling force; then, in your opinion, he is higher and stronger than the soul. Finally, listen to me. If a young man fights with a youth, and the youth is defeated, and the youth is condemned for being defeated, then there is great injustice in this. Therefore, we affirm that the mind is a fighter, and an equal fighter. And the struggling soul, having sought help and protection, receives it and is granted deliverance; because struggle and achievement are possible with equal strength. Let us glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 4. Christians, in order to be worthy of heavenly praise from God and from the angels, must carefully and carefully carry out their course in the field of this world 1. Whoever wants to lead a Christian life with great accuracy and perfection is obliged to take care with all his might, first of all, about the meaning and reason of the soul, so that, having acquired the ability to accurately distinguish between good and bad, and in any case, recognizing that something unusual has entered into pure nature, we can live correctly and without stumbling, and so that, using reason as an eye, we will be able to not become friends and not come into agreement with suggestions vice, and through this, having been granted the Divine gift, become worthy of the Lord. Let us take an example from the visible; because there is a similarity between body and soul, between the physical and the spiritual, the visible and the hidden. 2. The body has the eye as its guide, and it sees, and the whole body leads in the proper way. Imagine that someone is walking in wooded places, overgrown with thorns and shady, where fire blocks the path and swords are stuck; There are rapids there and a lot of water. If the traveler is resourceful, careful and undaunted, then, having his eye as a guide, he passes through these difficult places with great care, and with his hands and feet he restrains his tunic in every possible way so as not to be torn between the trees and among the thorns, not to be soiled with mud, not to be cut with swords; and the eye, serving as light for the whole body, shows it the way, so that it does not crush on the rapids, or drown in the waters, or suffer harm in some difficult place. Thus, a resourceful and intelligent traveler, carefully picking up his tunic, walking directly according to the direction of his eye, preserves himself unharmed, and keeps the tunic he puts on unburnt and untorn. If a careless, lazy, careless, clumsy, inactive person passes through such places; then his tunic, fluttering here and there, because the traveler lacks the strength to pick up his clothes in every possible way, is torn on twigs and thorns, or catches fire from the fire, or is cut by stabbed swords, or gets dirty in the mud; in a word, his beautiful and new tunic soon deteriorates due to his inattention, inactivity and laziness. And if the traveler does not pay full and proper attention to the indication of the eye; then he himself will fall into the ditch, or drown in the waters. 3. In the same way, the soul, wearing on itself, like a beautiful tunic, the clothing of the body, and having within itself reason, which gives direction to the whole soul and body when it passes through the wooded and thorny paths of life, among the mud, fire, rapids, that is, lusts and pleasures and other incongruities of this age, must with sobriety, courage, diligence and attentiveness everywhere restrain and protect itself. And so that the bodily tunic in the wooded and thorny places of this world does not become torn somewhere from worries, leisure and earthly entertainment, and does not burn from the fire of lust; then the soul clothed in it turns away the eye so as not to see evil, and also turns away the ear so as not to hear gossip, keeps the tongue from vain conversations, hands and feet from evil activities; because the soul is given the will to turn away the bodily members and not allow them to see evil sights, to hear anything evil and shameful, to obscene words, to engage in worldly and evil activities. 4. The soul itself turns away from evil whirling, protecting the heart so that its thoughts do not whirl in this world. And thus laboring, using all diligence and with great attention, in any case, keeping the bodily members from evil, the beautiful tunic of the body is kept untorn, unscorched, unblackened. And she herself, through curiosity, intelligence and prudence of her will, will be protected most of all by the power of the Lord, since, to the best of her ability, she restrains herself and turns away from every worldly desire, and for this she receives help from the Lord for her actual protection from the evils listed above. For the Lord, as soon as he sees that someone is courageously turning away from worldly pleasures, from material entertainment and worries, from earthly bonds and from the whirlwind of vain thoughts, gives him His gracious help, and keeps this soul unstumbling, which perfectly carries out its course in the present evil age. And thus, the soul is awarded heavenly praise from God and the Angels for the fact that it perfectly protected both itself and the tunic of its body, as much as it was possible for it, turning away from all worldly lust, and, helped by God, it perfectly completed its course in the field of this world. 5. If someone, through inactivity and carelessness, walks carelessly in this life, and of his own free will does not turn away from all worldly lust, and does not seek with all his desire the one Lord; then the tunic of his body is torn from the thorns and trees of this world, scorched by the fire of lust, desecrated by the dirt of pleasures; and therefore, on the day of judgment, the soul turns out to lack boldness, because it was not able to keep its clothing undefiled, but corrupted it among the deceptions of this age. For this reason she is ejected from the kingdom. For what will God do with one who, of his own free will, gives himself over to the world, is seduced by its pleasures, or wanders, circling in material things? He gives His help to those who turn away from material pleasures and from previous skills, always forcefully direct their thoughts towards the Lord, renounce themselves, and seek the only Lord. God watches over him who, in the wilds of this world, at all times, is wary of snares and snares, who “works out his own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), who with all care avoids the snares, snares and lusts of this age, seeks the Lord’s help and, by the mercy of the Lord, hopes to be saved by grace. 6. Behold, the wise five virgins, sober, hastening to something unusual for their nature, taking oil into the vessels of their hearts, that is, the grace of the Spirit given from above, were able to enter with the Bridegroom into the heavenly chamber. Other foolish virgins, remaining in their own nature, did not become sober, did not try, while they were still in the flesh, to take into their vessels the “oil of joy” (Ps. 45:8), but through carelessness, inactivity, carelessness, ignorance, or even out of conceit about their righteousness, they gave themselves up, as it were, to sleep; and for this they were not allowed into the palace of the kingdom, as they could not please the heavenly Bridegroom. Being held back by worldly ties and some earthly love, they did not devote all their love and commitment to the heavenly Bridegroom, and did not bring oil with them. And the souls who have sought something extraordinary for nature - holy things of the Spirit, are tied to the Lord with all their love, walk with Him, turning away from everything, directing prayers and thoughts to Him; for which they were honored to receive the oil of heavenly grace; and after this they can continue their course without stumbling, completely pleasing the spiritual Bridegroom in everything. The souls remaining in their nature crawl on the earth with their thoughts, think about the earth, and their mind has its dwelling on earth. They think of themselves that they belong to the Bridegroom, and are adorned with carnal excuses; but without receiving the oil of joy, they were not reborn by the Spirit from above. 7. The five mental and spiritual senses, if they receive grace from above and the holiness of the Spirit, truly become wise virgins, having received grace-filled wisdom from above. And if they remain with their nature alone, then they become holy fools and turn out to be children of the world; because they have not been led astray by the spirit of the world, although they think about themselves, according to some probabilities and outward appearances, that they are the Bridegroom’s brides. As souls wholly cling to the Lord, abide in Him with their thoughts, offer prayers to Him, walk with Him, and desire the love of the Lord; so on the contrary, souls who have given themselves over to the love of the world and who want to have their residence on earth walk there, dwell there in thought, and their mind lives there. And therefore, they are averse to good wisdom of the spirit, as something extraordinary for our nature, but by this I mean heavenly grace, which is necessary to enter into composition and unity with our nature, so that we can enter with the Lord into the heavenly palace of the kingdom and achieve eternal salvation. 8. As a result of the disobedience of the first man, we accepted into ourselves something strange for our nature - harmful passions, and through habit, long-term assimilation, we turned them into nature for ourselves; and again, extraordinary for our nature - the heavenly gift of the Spirit - should drive out this strange thing from us and restore us to our original purity. And if now, with much prayer, supplication, faith, prayer, with aversion from the world, we do not accept into ourselves this heavenly love of the Spirit, and our nature, defiled by vice, does not cleave to love, that is, to the Lord, and is not sanctified by it with the love of the Spirit, and we do not remain unstumbling to the end, living in all accuracy according to the commandments of the Lord; then we will not be able to gain the kingdom of heaven. 9. I intend, to the best of my ability, to utter some subtle and thoughtful word. Therefore, listen intelligently. The boundless, unapproachable and uncreated God, by His boundless and unthinkable goodness, embodied Himself, and so to speak, as if diminished in unapproachable glory, so that He could enter into unity with His visible creatures, I mean the souls of Saints and Angels, and they could be involved in the life of the Divine. And every creature - angel, soul, and demon, by its own nature, is a body 1; because, although they are refined, yet in their essence, in their distinctive features and in their image, according to the refinement of their nature, they are subtle bodies, whereas this body of ours is fat in its essence. So the soul, being refined, is clothed with an eye with which it sees, and an ear with which it hears, and likewise with a tongue with which it speaks, and with a hand; and in a word, having clothed itself with the whole body and its members, the soul dissolves with the body, as a result of which all vital functions take place. 10. In the same way, the limitless and inconceivable God, in His goodness, humbled Himself, clothed Himself with the members of this body and hid Himself from unapproachable glory. By condescension and love for mankind, being transformed, He fleshes out Himself, enters into unity, receives holy, well-pleasing and faithful souls, and, according to Paul’s saying, becomes with them into one Spirit (1 Cor. 6:17), soul, so to speak, into soul, and hypostasis into hypostasis, so that the soul, worthy of God and pleasing to Him, can live in renewal and feel immortal life, and became a partaker of imperishable glory. For He also brought this visible creation from non-existence into being in some great variety and with many differences, and it did not exist until it was brought into being. He wanted, and without difficulty created from nothing coarse and hard creatures, for example: mountains, trees (see how hard their nature is!), then medium ones - water and from the water he commanded birds to be born, and even more subtle ones: fire and winds, and even those whose subtlety is invisible to the physical eye. 11. And how the boundless and inscrutable art of God’s manifold wisdom created from nothing bodies rough, and subtle, and soft, carried out by God’s will; so all the more does He Himself, and as He wants, and with whatever He wants, out of unspeakable goodness and unthinkable kindness, transforms, belittles, likens Himself to holy and worthy faithful souls, fleshing Himself out according to their acceptability, so that the Invisible would be visible to them, and the Intangible, in proportion to the property of spiritual subtlety, would be tangible, and so that souls would feel goodness and His sweetness, and through experience itself were delighted with the light of inexpressible pleasure. When He wants, He appears as a fire, consuming every unworthy and spiritual weakness that has arisen in us. For it is said: “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). And when he wants, there is ineffable and ineffable peace, so that the soul rests in the peace of the Divine. When he wants, it brings joy and peace, warms and protects the soul. 12. If, for the joy and joy of spiritual creatures, he wants to liken Himself to one of the creatures, for example: the city of light - Jerusalem, or the mountain - heavenly Zion; then everything can happen as He pleases, according to what was said: “but you will approach Mount Zion, and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22). Everything is easy and convenient for Him, whatever He wants, being transformed for the souls of His worthy and faithful ones. May only man strive to become pleasing and pleasing to Him, and through his own experience will he tangibly see the heavenly blessings, the inexpressible pleasure, the boundless riches of the Divine, in the true sense, “which no eye has seen, nor an ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9), may he see the Spirit of the Lord, who has become the rest, joy, enjoyment and eternal life of those worthy shower For the Lord embodies Himself both in food and in drink, as it is written in the Gospel: “Whoever eats of this bread will live forever” (John 6:51), in order to ineffably give peace to the soul and fill it with spiritual joy. For he says: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). And in a similar way He embodies Himself in drinking the heavenly stream, as He says: “Whoever drinks of the water I will give to him, there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an eternal belly” (John 4:14). And “everyone,” it is said, “also eats beer” (1 Cor. 10:4). 13. Thus, as He himself favored, and as it was useful, He appeared to each of the holy Fathers, otherwise to Abraham, otherwise to Isaac, otherwise to Jacob, otherwise to Noah, Daniel, David, Solomon, Isaiah and each of the holy Prophets, otherwise to Elijah, otherwise to Moses. And I think that Moses, throughout the forty-day fast on the mountain, began this spiritual meal, was comforted and enjoyed it. Therefore, as He Himself pleased, He appeared to each of the saints to give rest, to save and to bring to the knowledge of God. For whatever He wants is convenient for Him, and belittling Himself as He pleases, He embodies and transforms Himself, becoming visible to those who love Him, out of great and inexpressible love, in the unapproachable glory of light, appearing worthy, in proportion to the strength of each. And the soul, which has been vouchsafed with great lust and aspiration, with faith and love, to accept into itself this power from above, the heavenly love of the Spirit, and already has within itself the heavenly fire of immortal life, truly renounces all worldly love, frees itself from all bonds of vice. 14. Just as iron, or lead, or gold, or silver, put into fire, lose the property of hardness, changing into soft substances, and while they are in the fire, by the power of the fiery heat, they melt and change their natural hardness: in the same way, the soul, having renounced the world and loved the only Lord, with great heartfelt searching, in labor, in feat, constantly waiting for Him with hope and faith, and having accepted into herself this heavenly fire of Divinity and the love of the Spirit, she actually then renounces all worldly love, frees herself from all harm of passions, sweeps away everything from herself, changes her natural quality and her sinful rigidity, considers everything superfluous, in the one heavenly Bridegroom, whom she accepted to herself, resting in ardent and unspeakable love for Him. 15. I tell you that even the most beloved brothers whom one has before one’s eyes, if they are stopped in that love, the soul, so to speak, turns away; because life and peace are a mysterious and ineffable communication with the heavenly King. For the love of carnal intercourse separates one from father, mother, and brothers; and everything that concerns them is done in the mind as an outsider. And if a person loves them, then he loves them as a stranger; nevertheless he has his affection for his partner. For it is said: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Eph. 5:31). And therefore, if carnal love so renounces all love, then how much more so will those who are truly worthy to enter into communion with that heavenly and longed-for Holy Spirit renounce all love for the world, and everything will seem unnecessary to them; because they are overcome by heavenly desire, and in close dependence on it; there are desires, there are their thoughts, there they live, there their thoughts walk, there the mind always has its abode, overcome by divine and heavenly love and spiritual desire. 16. After this, beloved brethren, when so many good things are laid before us, and so many promises are proclaimed by the Lord; Let us remove all difficulties from ourselves, let us turn away from all love in the world, and devote ourselves to the search and desire for that only good, so that we may come to the state of acquiring that ineffable love of the Spirit, to which blessed Paul advised us to hasten, saying: “hold on to love” (1 Cor. 3:1), and so that we, after our cruelty, may be worthy of the change of the right hand of the Most High, and having been wounded by the love of the Divine Spirit, come to meekness and spiritual peace; because the Lord, with great compassion, has mercy on us, as soon as we turn completely to Him, cutting ourselves off from everything that is opposed. Even if, due to great ignorance, due to infancy and because of the rooting of vices in us, we turn away from life, and put many obstacles for ourselves, not wanting to really repent; then He, who is long-suffering towards us, shows great mercy, as soon as we turn, we come to Him and enlighten our inner man, so that our faces will not be ashamed on the day of judgment. 17. If this seems difficult to us, due to the severity of the feats of virtue, it is better to say, due to the suggestion and advice of the opponent; then the Lord is still merciful and long-suffering, waiting for our conversion, and if we sin, he endures it in the hope of our repentance, and if we fall, he is not ashamed to accept us again, as the Prophet said: “When you fall, food does not rise? Or will he who turns away not be converted” (Jer.8:4)? We will only become sober by acquiring a good thought; Let us quickly and rightly turn to Him, seeking His help; and He is ready to save us; because he expects the ardent, to the best of our strength, aspiration of our good will towards Him from the will of faith and zeal, and He Himself produces all success in us. Therefore, beloved, having stripped ourselves of all prejudice, negligence and laziness, as children of God, let us try to become courageous and ready to follow His footsteps; let us not put it off day after day, carried away by vice; for we do not know when our departure from the flesh will take place. Great and ineffable are the promises to Christians, and so great that with the faith and wealth of one soul, all the glory and beauty of heaven and earth, and their other decoration and diversity, and wealth, and beauty, and the pleasure of the visible cannot even be compared. 18. So, with so many promptings and promises of the Lord, how can we not wish for us to approach the Lord completely and dedicate ourselves to Him, above all else, according to the Gospel, renouncing our souls, to love Him alone, without loving anything else? All this has been given to us, and what glory! How many views of the Lord about us since the time of the Fathers and Prophets! How many promises have been proclaimed! So many incentives! What kindness the Lord showed us from the beginning! Finally, at His coming, He proved His ineffable goodness towards us by the crucifixion, so that He might bring us who had converted into life. But we have not yet parted with our desires, with our love for the world, with bad prejudices and habits, and through this we turn out to be of little faith, or even unfaithful! However, despite all this, the Lord remains merciful to us, invisibly protecting and resting us, not betraying us to the end, according to our sins, vice and deceptions of the world, out of great goodness and long-suffering, not allowing us to perish, also keeping in mind that we will turn to Him someday. 19. But I am afraid that for us, who live, neglecting everything, and are led by prejudices, the Apostolic saying will not be fulfilled over time, namely: “Or are we heedless of the riches of His goodness and meekness and long-suffering, ignorant, because the goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4)? If, with His long-suffering, kindness and meekness, we increase the number of sins, and with our negligence and neglect we prepare for ourselves the gravest condemnation: then the Apostolic word will be fulfilled on us: “Because of your cruelty and unrepentant heart, you store up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:5). For the goodness of God is great and inscrutable, God’s long-suffering towards the human race is inexpressible, if only we wish to become sober and try to turn completely to God, so that we may be able to achieve salvation. 20. And if you want to know God’s long-suffering and the great goodness of God; then we can learn this from the inspired Scriptures. Look at the Israelites, from whom were the “fathers” to whom the promises were determined, “from whom is Christ according to the flesh, whose ministry and covenant” (Rom. 9:4-5). How much did they sin? How many times did they go astray? And God did not abandon them in the end; but for a short time, for their own benefit, he gave them over to punishments, wishing with sorrow to soften their hardness of heart, converted, encouraged them, sent prophets to them, and How long was he long-suffering towards them when they sinned and insulted Him? He accepted those who converted with joy; and when they turned aside again, He did not abandon them, but through the Prophets He called for conversion, and although they repeatedly turned away from Him and turned to Him, each time He received them favorably, accepted them kindly, until they finally fell into great sin, laying hands on their own Master, Whom, according to the tradition of the Fathers and holy Prophets, they expected to be their Redeemer, Savior, King and Prophet. For when He came, they did not accept Him, but even after subjecting Him to great humiliation, they finally handed Him over to death on the cross. And by this great insult and excessive crime, their sins multiplied to the fullest; therefore, in the end they were already abandoned, after the Holy Spirit was removed from them, when the church veil was torn. That is why their temple, given over to the pagans, was destroyed and desolate, according to the Lord’s definition, that “not one stone shall be left here upon another, lest it be destroyed” (Matthew 24:2). And thus they were decisively betrayed to the pagans and scattered throughout the whole earth by the kings who then captured them, and they were commanded not to return to their country. 21. So now God, merciful and kind to each of us, shows His long-suffering. Although he sees repeated insults from everyone, he remains silent, waiting to see if the person will sober up over time and change so as not to offend Him anymore; and with great love and joy he receives those who turn from sin. For this is what he says: “There is joy in one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10); and again: “It is not the will of My Father, that one should perish through these little ones” (Matthew 18:14) the least. But if someone, with God’s great mercy and long-suffering toward him, when God does not subject him to punishment for every sinful stumbling block, secret or open, but seeing it, remains silent, as if expecting repentance, he himself, having reached the point of great neglect, begins to add sins to sins, to add carelessness to carelessness, to build on one sin another, and fulfills measure of sins; then he finally falls into such a sin from which he cannot emerge, but he is contrite, and, having given himself over to the evil one, he perishes in the end. 22. So it was with the Sodomites. Having sinned a lot and finally not turning to evil intent against the Angels, desiring to commit sodomy with them, they fell into such sin that there was no longer any room for repentance, but they were rejected in the end; because they fulfilled and even exceeded the measure of sins. And therefore, according to God’s judgment, they were burned by fire. So it was under Noah; Having repeatedly irritated God and without repenting for it, they prostrated themselves to such sins that they finally corrupted the whole earth. Likewise, towards the Egyptians, who offended God a lot and sinned against His people, God was still merciful, did not impose such punishments on them in order to ultimately destroy them, but only as a teaching, in order to encourage conversion and repentance, inflicted light blows on them, showing His long-suffering and waiting for their repentance. But they, having sinned in many ways before God’s people, then turning back, then repenting again, and having established themselves in the ancient unbelief of evil will, burdening God’s people with work, finally, when God through Moses led the people out of Egypt with many miracles, they committed a great sin, chasing after the people of God. Why, the Divine judgment finally destroyed, destroyed, and drowned them in the waters, deeming them unworthy of visible life. 23. Likewise, the Israelites, as stated above, were repeatedly stumbling and sinning, killing the Prophets of God and committing many other evil deeds, while God was silently patient, waiting for their repentance; Finally, they stumbled so much that they were crushed, and did not rebel anymore; because they laid their hands on the Lord's majesty. And therefore, abandoned by God in the end, they are rejected; prophecy, and the priesthood, and worship were taken away from them; yet this was given to the pagans who believed, as the Lord says: “The kingdom will be taken away from you, and the fruit thereof will be given to the tongue that does the fruit” (Matthew 21:43). Until this time, God endured them, did not cease His long-suffering, did not cease to be merciful towards them. But they fulfilled, and even overflowed, the measure of sins, laying their hands on the Master’s majesty; then in the end they are abandoned by God. 24. We have spread about this, beloved, confirming from the Scriptures thoughts that, as soon as possible, we should turn and hasten to the Lord, who is merciful to us, and expects us to completely remove ourselves from all guile and evil prejudice, but accepts those who turn with great joy - we have spread, I say, about this all the more, so that from day to day our neglect does not increase, and Our sins multiplied in us, and through this we did not bring upon ourselves God’s wrath. Therefore, let us try, having turned with a sincere heart, to approach God, and since despair is the inspiration of malice and deceit, not to despair of salvation when remembering previous sins, which for this reason lead a person to despair, inactivity, negligence and carelessness, so that, having turned and come to the Lord, by the great Lord's mercy to the human race, he would not receive salvation. 25. If it seems to us inconvenient and impossible to turn from the multitude of sins that have prevailed over us (and such a thought, as we have already said, is an instillation of malice and serves as an obstacle to our salvation); Let us remember and not ignore how the Lord, having come to us in His goodness, gave sight to the blind, healed the paralytic, healed every disease, raised the dead who had already been touched by corruption and destruction, opened the ears of the deaf, cast out a legion of demons from one person and restored a sound mind to someone who had reached such a state of madness. Moreover, the soul that turns to Him, seeks His mercy, requires His help, and He will convert Him, and lead it to the chastity of dispassion, to the improvement of every virtue, to the renewal of the mind, He will grant it health, insight of understanding, peace of thoughts, from blindness, deafness and deadness of unbelief, ignorance and fearlessness He will lead it to chastity of virtue and purity of heart. For He who created the body also created the soul. And how, being on earth, in His goodness, to all who came to Him and sought His help and healing, as the good and only doctor, whatever anyone needed, he gave it generously; He is so generous in spiritual things. 26. If He was so merciful to bodies that were again about to collapse and die, and to everyone who asked, He did it with readiness and goodness; then how much more so for an immortal, indestructible and incorruptible soul - which has fallen into the disease of ignorance, vice, unbelief, lack of fear and other sinful passions, but nevertheless comes to the Lord, seeks help from Him, mercy looks to Him, desires from Him to receive the grace of the Spirit for deliverance and liberation from every vice and from every passion - with all haste and He readily grants healing deliverance, according to this word: much more will the heavenly Father take “vengeance on those who cry out to Him day and night.” The Lord adds to this: “I say to you that He will exact their vengeance quickly” (Luke 18:7–8). And in another place he advises us: “Ask, and it will be given to you: everyone who asks receives, and whoever seeks finds, and it will be opened to the one who asks” (Matthew 7:7-8). And then he adds: “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). Amen, “I say to you, even if he does not give it to him, he is not his friend; but because of his recklessness, he rises up and gives it to him, as much as he requires” (Luke 11:8). 27. And with all this He convinced us to relentlessly, incessantly, tirelessly ask Him for gracious intercession; because He came for the sake of sinners, so that they would turn to Him, and to heal those who believe in Him. We will only give up evil prejudices, to the best of our ability, we will hate our evil pursuits and worldly seductions, we will turn away from evil and vain thoughts, and we will always, to the best of our strength, cleave to Him: and He is ready to provide us with His help; because He is very merciful, life-giving, heals incurable passions, creates deliverance for those who call on Him, they turn to Him of their own free will and naturally move away, to the best of their ability, from all worldly love, distract the mind from the earth, and are directed towards Him with their desire and quest. The soul that becomes worthy of His help is the one that considers everything superfluous, does not rest on anything in the world, and waits for one thing for its repose, namely, that it will be reassured and delighted by His goodness; and therefore, for such faith, having received a heavenly gift - by grace, having undoubtedly put her lust to rest, having served the Holy Spirit in a decent and appropriate way, every day advancing in goodness, not deviating from the path of righteousness, remaining adamant to vice to the end, not making friends with it, and not offending grace in any way - she is awarded eternal salvation with all the Saints whom she imitated living in peace as their accomplice and companion. Amen. Conversation 5. There is a great difference between Christians and the people of this world. Some, having the spirit of the world within them, are bound by earthly ties in their hearts and minds; while others desire the love of the heavenly Father, having Him alone as the object of all their desires 1. Christians have their own world, their own way of life, their own mind, their own words, and their own activities; the way of life, the mind, the word, and the activity of the people of this world are different. Some are Christians, others are peace lovers; there is a great distance between both. For the inhabitants of the earth, the children of this age, are likened to wheat poured into the sieve of this earth, and are sifted among the fickle thoughts of this world, with the constant agitation of earthly affairs, desires and multi-woven material concepts. Satan shakes souls and sifts through the entire sinful human race with a sieve, that is, earthly affairs. Since the time of his fall, when Adam transgressed the commandment and submitted to the evil prince who took power over him, with his incessant seductive and restless thoughts he sifts all the sons of this age, and he brings them into conflict in the earthly sieve. 2. Just as wheat in a sifter’s sieve beats, and what is thrown into it constantly turns over: so the prince of wickedness occupies all people with earthly affairs, sways, leads to confusion and anxiety, makes them cling to vain thoughts, vile desires, earthly and worldly connections, constantly captivating, confusing, entrapping the entire sinful race of Adam. And the Lord predicted to the Apostles the future uprising of the evil one against them: “Satan asks you, that he may sow you like wheat: I have prayed” to My Father, “so that your faith will not fail” (Luke 22:31–32). For this word and definition, clearly spoken by the Creator to Cain: “groaning and shaking,” “you will be on the earth in anxiety” (Gen. 4:12), serves secretly as an image and likeness for all sinners; because the race of Adam, having transgressed the commandment and become sinners, secretly took on this likeness. People are shaken by fickle thoughts of fear, fear, all kinds of embarrassment, desires, various kinds of pleasures. The prince of this world excites every soul not born of God, and like wheat constantly rotating in a sieve, he disturbs human thoughts in various ways, causing everyone to hesitate, and entrapping them in worldly seductions, carnal pleasures, insurances, and embarrassments. 3. And the Lord, showing that those who follow the deceptions and desires of the evil one, bear the likeness of Cain’s wickedness, and denouncing them, said: “You want to do the lusts of your father; he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth” (John 8:44). Therefore, the entire sinful race of Adam secretly bears this condemnation: groaning and shaking, you will be troubled in the sieve of the earth by Satan, who sows you. How from one Adam the entire human race spread across the earth; Thus, some kind of passionate corruption has penetrated the entire sinful human race, and the prince of evil alone is able to sow everyone with fickle, material, vain, rebellious thoughts. And how one wind can cause all plants and seeds to sway and whirl; and as one darkness of the night spreads over the whole universe: so the prince of wickedness, being some kind of mental darkness of sin and death, some hidden and cruel wind, overwhelms and swirls the entire human race on earth, catching human hearts with fickle thoughts and worldly desires, filling every soul not born again with the darkness of ignorance, blindness and oblivion, and with the thought and having not settled in mind into another age, according to what was said: “our life is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). 4. In this way, true Christians differ from the entire human race; and as we said above, the distance between Christians and other people is great. Since the mind and understanding of Christians are always occupied with thinking about heavenly things, through the communication and communion of the Holy Spirit they contemplate eternal blessings; because they have been born again of God; in reality and power they were deemed worthy to become children of God; through many long-term exploits and labors they have achieved constancy, firmness, serenity and peace, they are no longer distracted and disturbed by fickle and vain thoughts: then they are thus higher and better than the world; because their mind and spiritual wisdom abide in the peace of Christ and in the love of the Spirit, just as the Lord, speaking about such, said that they passed “from death to life” (John 5:24). Therefore, the difference between Christians does not lie in their appearance and not in their external images, as many people think that this is the whole difference, and that Christians themselves differ from each other in their appearance and image. And so they become like the world in mind and understanding: they, like all other people, have the same hesitation and confusion of thoughts, the same unbelief, confusion, embarrassment, fear. Although they differ from the world in outward appearance and opinions, as well as in some external merits, however, in their hearts and minds they are bound by earthly ties, and have not acquired peace for their hearts from God and the heavenly spiritual world; because they did not seek and did not believe that they would be worthy of this from God. 5. By renewal of the mind, pacification of thoughts, love and heavenly commitment to the Lord, the new creation—the Christian—is distinguished from all people in the world. This is why the coming of the Lord took place, so that those who truly believed in the Lord would be worthy of these spiritual blessings. Christians belong to glory, beauty, and heavenly unspeakable wealth, acquired by labor, sweat, trials, and many deeds, but not otherwise than through God’s grace. And the sight of the earthly king is desired by every person. Whoever comes to the royal city, everyone would like to at least look at its beauty, or at the decoration of its clothes, or at the splendor of its purple, at the beauty of various types of pearls, at the splendor of its diadem, at the preciousness of its royal distinctions. Unless those who live spiritually value this highly, because they have experienced a different heavenly and non-carnal glory, are wounded by a different ineffable beauty, have a share in a different wealth, live according to the inner man, are partakers of a different Spirit. And the people of this world, who have the spirit of the world within them, are very eager to see the earthly king, especially in all his splendor and in all his glory. For to what extent the king's lot in visible greatness greatly exceeds the lot of any other person; in the same way it is glorious and desirable for everyone to even just see him. And everyone says to himself: “Oh, if only someone had given me this glory, this splendor, this decoration!” Thus he pleases a person similar to himself, earthly, servile, mortal, but arousing his desire with temporary splendor and temporary glory. 6. But if carnal people desire so much the glory of the king of the earth; then people on whom this dew of the Spirit of Divine life has fallen and stung the heart with divine love for the heavenly King-Christ, are all the more attached to this beauty, to the unspeakable glory, to the imperishable splendor, to the unimaginable wealth of the true and eternal King-Christ. They surrender themselves into captivity to lust and love, completely rushing to Christ, and they desire to seize those unspeakable blessings that they contemplate in the spirit, and for this reason they regard all beauty on earth, and glory, and splendor, and honor, and wealth of kings and princes as nothing; because they were stung by divine beauty, and the life of heavenly immortality sank into their souls. Therefore, they desire the one love of the heavenly King, with great lust for Him alone, having before their eyes, for His sake they renounce all worldly love and move away from all earthly bonds, so that it is possible for them to always have this one desire in their hearts 2 and not mix anything else with it. 7. But there are very few who have connected a good end with a good beginning, have reached the goal without stumbling, have one love for one God and have renounced everything. Many come to tenderness, many become partakers of heavenly grace, are wounded by heavenly love; but, unable to withstand the various struggles, exploits, labors and temptations from the evil one encountered along the way, since everyone has a desire to love something in this world and not completely renounce their love, returning to various and various worldly desires, out of weakness and inactivity, or out of timidity of their own will, or out of love for something earthly, they remained in the world and mired in the depths of it. And those who really intend to live a good life to the end must, with this heavenly love, not voluntarily accept into themselves and not mix in any other love and commitment, so as not to put an obstacle to the spiritual, not to go back, and finally, not to lose their life. How the promises of God are great, unspeakable and inscrutable; so we need faith, and hope, and labors, and great deeds, and long-term testing. The benefits that a person who desires the kingdom of heaven hopes to receive are not unimportant. He wants to reign with Christ for endless centuries; Will he really not decide with zeal, during the short time of this life until death, to endure struggles, labors and temptations? The Lord cries: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross,” rejoicing every day, “and he will come after Me” (Matthew 16:24). And again: “Unless anyone hates father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and also his own soul, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). But very many people, although they intend to receive the kingdom and want to inherit eternal life, nevertheless, do not refuse to live according to their own desires and follow these desires, or better yet, to follow the one who sows vain things in them; and without denying themselves, they want to inherit eternal life, which is impossible. 8. The word of the Lord is true. Those who, according to the Lord’s commandment, have completely denied themselves, abhorred all worldly desires, connections, entertainment, pleasures and activities, walk without stumbling, have only one Lord before their eyes, and desire to do His commandments. Therefore, everyone is seduced by his own will, if he really did not want to receive the kingdom and renounce himself, and with this love he loves something else, enjoys some pleasures or desires of this age, and does not have complete love for the Lord, as much as this is possible for will and desire. You will understand all this from this one example. Every person sometimes comes to his senses and knows that the thing he wants to do is incongruous with anything, however, since he has love for it and does not renounce love, he yields victory over himself. At first, within his heart there is war, struggle, and balance, and inclination, and a preponderance of either love for God or love for the world. And then the person begins to debate whether he should enter into a quarrel and argument with his brother; he says to himself: “I will tell him; no, I won't say. I’ll start a conversation with him; No, I won’t.” He remembers God, but also preserves his glory, and does not renounce himself. And if love and an inclination towards peace overwhelms the heart somewhat on the scales; immediately an evil thought is ready to move the lips. Then the mind, as if with a stretched arrow, shoots its neighbor from within with its tongue, and in order to preserve its glory, without any compulsion to the will, it throws arrows of obscene words. Then he continues to insult his neighbor with obscene words until sin spills over his limbs; and sometimes these members, quarreling with each other with their lips, are led to blows and wounds by evil lust, and sometimes, extending to murder, they prepare death. Look how the matter began, and what end the love of worldly glory received, having, by man’s own will, weighed his heart on the scales. Because a person has not renounced himself, and loves something in the world; then all these incongruities arise from this. 9. Imagine the same about every sin and bad undertaking; vice flatters and bends the will of the mind with worldly desires, seduction and carnal pleasure. This is how every evil deed is prepared, adultery and theft, covetousness and drunkenness, love of money and vanity, jealousy and covetousness, and any kind of evil intention. Sometimes apparently good undertakings are carried out for the sake of fame and human praise; and this before God is equal to untruth, theft, and other sins. For it is said: “God scatters the bones of men-pleasers” (Ps. 52:6). And in apparently good deeds the evil one sees himself as a service; it is very varied and deceptive in worldly desires. For some earthly and carnal love, with which a person binds himself of his own free will, it catches his sin, becomes a shackle, a bond, a heavy burden for a person, which drowns and suppresses him in the evil age, not allowing him to gather his strength and return to God. What a person loves in the world burdens his mind, takes possession of it and does not allow him to gather his strength. Balance, decline, and predominance of vice depend on this; in this way the entire human race is tested, all Christians living in cities, or in mountains, or in monasteries, or in fields, or in desert places are tested; because a person, caught by his own will, begins to love something; his love is bound by something and is no longer entirely directed towards God. For example, one loved property, and another loved gold and silver, and another loved much-taught worldly wisdom for human glory; one loved authority, another loved glory and human honors, another loved anger and vexation; he loves it for the very reason that he quickly gives in to passion; some love timeless gatherings, and others love jealousy; others spend the whole day in distraction and pleasure; others are deceived by idle thoughts; others, for the sake of human glory, love to be, as it were, a teacher of the law; others enjoy inactivity and negligence; the other is tied to clothes and rags; another is given over to earthly cares; others love sleep, or jokes, or foul language. What binds someone to the world, whether small or great, is what holds him back and does not allow him to gather his strength. Whatever passion a person does not fight courageously, he loves, and it possesses him, and burdens him, and becomes a fetter for him and an obstacle to his mind to turn to God, to please Him, and, having served Him alone, to become useful for the kingdom and gain eternal life. 10. But the soul, truly striving for the Lord, fully and completely extends its love to Him, and as much as it has strength, clings to Him alone by its will, and in this it acquires the help of grace, denies itself, and does not follow the desires of its mind; because because of the evil that is always with us and deceives us, he walks deceitfully. On the contrary, she completely surrenders herself to the Lord’s word, renounces all visible bonds, as far as this is possible for the will, and completely surrenders to the Lord. And in this case, she will be able to endure the struggle, labor and sorrow. For whatever the soul loves, it finds both benefit and burden for itself. If he loves anything in the world, then this very thing becomes a burden and bonds for a person, dragging him down and preventing the mountain from ascending to God. And if he loves the Lord and His commandments; then in this he finds both help and relief for himself: from the very fact that he completely observes his love for the Lord, all the commandments of the Lord become easy for him. This immerses a person in goodness, or better yet, it makes it easier for him and makes all struggle and all sorrow easy for him; By the power of God, he overthrows the world and the forces of vice that have haunted the soul in the world, and in the abyss of the world entangle it in the midst of all kinds of desires. Thus, as soon as the soul has loved the Lord, it is snatched from these snares by its own faith and great diligence, and together with help from above it is made worthy of the eternal kingdom, and having truly loved it, of its own free will and with the help of the Lord, it is no longer deprived of eternal life. 11. But to prove to us more clearly by deeds how many die of their own free will, drown in the sea, are kidnapped, imagine that some house is on fire; one, intending to save himself, as soon as he learned about the fire, runs away, and leaving everything, deciding to take care only of his soul, he is saved; another, intending to take with him some household utensils or something else, entered the house to take it away, and while he was taking it away, fire took over the house, captured him in the house and burned him. Do you see that this man died in the fire of his own free will out of love, and precisely by loving for a time something other than himself? Likewise, others swim by the sea and are caught by strong waves; one, having stripped naked, throws himself into the water with the intention of saving only himself: and so, he, driven by the waves and bound by nothing except concern for his soul, floating on top of the waves, found the opportunity to get out of the bitter sea; and the other, intending to save something from his clothes, thought that with them, if he took them with him, he could swim and get out of the sea; but the clothes he took burdened him and drowned him in the depths of the sea, and so, for the sake of small self-interest, without taking care of his soul, he died. Do you notice that of his own free will he became a victim of death? Imagine also that there was a rumor about foreigners; one, as soon as he heard this, immediately indulges in flight, does not hesitate at all and sets off on the journey with nothing; the other, not trusting that enemies were coming, or wanting to take some of his things with him, and having decided on this, slowed down in his flight; and behold, the enemies came, took him, took him captive to a foreign land, and forced him to live there in slavery. Do you see that this one, of his own free will, due to his inactivity, due to a lack of courage and love for certain things, was taken into captivity? 12. Likewise, those who do not follow the commandments of the Lord, did not deny themselves, and did not love the only Lord, but voluntarily bound themselves with earthly bonds when the eternal fire comes - as those who find themselves captives, or rather, prisoners in relation to good deeds, wallow in the love of the world, and drown in the bitter sea of wickedness, and perish in foreign captivity, that is, captives evil spirits. And if you want to learn the truth of perfect love for the Lord from the holy inspired Scriptures; then look how Job stripped off, so to speak, everything that he had - children, property, livestock, slaves and other property, and how he, having stripped off everything, fled and saved himself, even leaving his very tunic and throwing it to Satan, did not utter a word of blasphemy, did not grumble with his heart or lips before the Lord, but on the contrary, blessed the Lord, saying: “The Lord gave: the Lord taken away: as the Lord willed, so it was: blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). He was considered to have acquired much, but after being tested by the Lord, it turned out that Job had acquired nothing except God alone. Likewise, Abraham, when the Lord commanded him to “come out from the land, and from his family, and from his father’s house” (Gen. 12:1), immediately stripped off, so to speak, everything; fatherland, land, relatives, parents, and followed the word of the Lord. Then, among the many trials and temptations that he faced: either when his wife was taken from him, or when he lived and suffered insults on someone else’s side - in all these cases he proved that he loves one God above all else. Finally, when, according to the promise, after many years, he already had his only begotten son, so much desired, and God demanded from him that he willingly sacrifice this son himself, Abraham became dislodged and truly denied himself. For by this offering of his only begotten he proved that he loved nothing other than God. If he gave away his son with such readiness; then all the more so when he was commanded to leave his other property, or to distribute it to the poor at once - and he would have done this with all readiness and with all zeal. Do you now see the rightness of perfect and voluntary love for the Lord? 13. Likewise, those who want to be joint heirs with these righteous people should not love anything other than God, so that when they are put to the test, they will be found useful and well-skilled, perfectly preserving their love for the Lord. Those only will be able to complete the feat to the end who have always, of their own free will, loved the one God and renounced all worldly love. But there are very few people who would accept such love, turn away from all worldly pleasures and desires, and generously endure the uprisings and temptations of the evil one. Is it because many people are carried away by the waters when crossing rivers, and these muddy rivers of worldly desires and various temptations from evil spirits are not successfully passed? Is it because many ships, hiding in the sea, are drowned by the waves; there are none that swim across this abyss, or walk on the waves, and reach a peaceful harbour? For this reason, great faith, generosity, struggle, patience, labor, hunger and thirst for all good things, speed, persistence, prudence, and prudence are always required. Very many people want to be honored with the kingdom without labor, without deeds, without shedding sweat; but this is impossible. 14. Just as in the world others come to some rich man to work for him during the harvest or during some other business in order to receive what they themselves need for their food; and some of them are lazy and idle people, they do not work like others, they do not work as they should, but without toiling and without exhausting themselves in the rich man’s house, they want, as those who have already done all the work, to take wages on an equal basis with those who work patiently, and quickly, and with all their strength: in the same way we, when we read the Scriptures, or about which righteous man, how he pleased God, how he became a friend and interlocutor of God, or about everyone Fathers, how they became friends and heirs of God, how many sorrows they endured, how much they suffered for the sake of God, how many valiant deeds and exploits they accomplished; then we please them, and we want to be honored with gifts and virtues equal to them, we willingly want to receive these glorious gifts, putting aside only their labors, exploits, sorrows and sufferings; and we earnestly desire to acquire those honors and virtues that they received from God, but we do not accept their exhaustion, labors and exploits. But I tell you that every person desires and desires all this; and fornicators, and tax collectors, and unrighteous people would like to receive the kingdom so easily, without labor and deeds. This is why temptations, many trials, sorrows, struggles and shedding of sweat are laid out on the path, so that those who really loved the one Lord with all their will and with all their strength, even to death, and with such love for Him no longer had anything else desired for themselves, would become evident. Therefore, in truth, they enter the heavenly kingdom, having renounced themselves, according to the Lord’s word, and having loved the only Lord more than their own breath; why, for their high love, they will be rewarded with high heavenly gifts. 15. In tribulations, in suffering, in patience, in faith, the promises, and glory, and arrangement of heavenly blessings are hidden, just as fruit is hidden in a grain of wheat thrown into the ground, or in a tree grafted through some damage and humiliation. Then they appear to have splendid clothing, and glory, and fruit many times over, just as the Apostle says: “Through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Acts 14:22); and the Lord says: “In your patience you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19); and again: “You will be in a world of sorrow” (John 16:33). For work, diligence, sobriety, great attentiveness, speed and persistence in petitions to the Lord are needed in order for us to get rid of the desire for anything earthly, to avoid the snares and depths of pleasures, the troubles of the world, the rebellion of evil spirits, and to know exactly with what sobriety and with what swiftness of faith and love the saints here still acquired heavenly treasure, that is, the spiritual power that in in their souls was the guarantee of the kingdom. For the blessed Apostle Paul, speaking about this heavenly treasure, that is, about the grace of the Spirit, and describing the excessiveness of sorrows, and at the same time showing what everyone should look for here 3 and what he is obliged to acquire, says: “For we know that if our earthly church is destroyed, the creation of God is imams, a church not made with hands, eternal, in heaven” (2 Cor. 5: 1). 16. Therefore, everyone must strive and try, by excelling in all virtues, to acquire this church, and believe that it is acquired here. For if our bodily church is destroyed, we have no other church in which our soul would dwell; “Even if,” as it is said, “having clothed ourselves with Jesus, we will not find ourselves” (2 Cor. 5:3), that is, we will not be deprived of communion and unity with the Holy Spirit, in Whom alone a faithful soul can rest. Therefore, those who are Christians in all reality and strength firmly hope and rejoice, based on their flesh, that they have this “church not made with hands”; this church is the power of the Spirit dwelling in them. And if the bodily church is destroyed, they are not afraid of it; because they have a heavenly spiritual church, and that incorruptible glory, which on the day of resurrection will build and glorify the church of the body, as the Apostle says: “He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to our dead body, through His living Spirit in us” (Rom. 8:11); and again: “And the life of Jesus will appear in our dead flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11); and: “let him be devoured,” as it is said, “death with the belly” (2 Cor. 5:4). 17. Therefore, let us try, through faith and a virtuous life, to acquire this robe for ourselves here, so that we, clothed in the body, do not find ourselves naked; and then on that day nothing will glorify our flesh. For to the extent that each person, for his faith and diligence, is worthy to become a partaker of the Holy Spirit, to the same extent will his body be glorified on that day. What the soul has now collected into its inner treasury will then be revealed and appear outside the body; just like trees, when, after winter, the invisible power of the sun and winds warms them, like a robe, they produce and cast out leaves, flowers and fruits, and at this time wild flowers emerge from the inner bowels of the earth, and the earth and grass are covered and clothed with them, like the trees about which the Lord said: “not Solomon was clothed with all his glory, as one of these” (Matthew 6:29). For all this serves as an example, image and likeness of a Christian on the day of resurrection. 18. So for all God-loving souls, that is, for true Christians, there is the first month of Xanthik, also called April; and this is the day of resurrection. At that time, by the power of the Sun of Truth, the glory of the Holy Spirit will be brought forth from within, covering and enveloping the bodies of the saints, the same glory that they had hidden in their souls. For what the soul now has in itself will then be revealed in the body. This month, I say, is “the first of the months of summer” (Ex. 12:2); he brings joy to all creation; he, opening the earth, clothes the naked trees; it brings joy to all animals; he spreads joy among everyone; for Christians it is the first month of Xanthik, that is, the time of resurrection, in which their bodies will be glorified by the ineffable light, still hidden in them, that is, by the power of the Spirit, which will then be their clothing, food, drink, joy, joy, peace, clothing, eternal life. For then the Spirit of the Divine, which even now they have been vouchsafed to receive into themselves, will become for them all the glory of the lightness and beauty of heaven. 19. Therefore, to what extent should each of us believe, strive, strive to live a virtuous life in all respects, and wait with hope and great patience that now he will still be worthy to receive within his soul the power from heaven and the glory of the Holy Spirit, so that then, after the destruction of our bodies, we will have something that will clothe and revive us: “Even if” we put on, as it is said, “not will be found”, and: “He will give life to our dead body through His living Spirit in us.” Blessed Moses, in that glory of the Spirit that covered his face, so that not a single person could look at it, showed us an image of how, at the resurrection of the righteous, the bodies of the saints will be glorified with that glory, which the souls of the saints and faithful here are still privileged to have within themselves - in the inner man. For it is said: “we all with revealed face,” that is, the inner man, “beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). The same Moses, as it is written, “for fourty days and forty nights did not eat bread, nor drink water” (Ex. 34:28); but it would have been impossible for the physical nature to live so long without bread if it had not partaken of other spiritual food; and the souls of the saints still invisibly partake of this food from the Spirit. 20. Therefore, blessed Moses in two images showed us what glory of light and what mental delight of the Spirit true Christians will have in the resurrection, even now being honored with these mysteries; why, then they will be revealed on their bodies. For, as has already been said before, what glory the saints now still have in their souls, with such their naked bodies will be covered and clothed, and will be caught up into heaven; and then, body and soul, we will rest with the Lord forever in the kingdom. God, having created Adam, did not give him bodily wings, like birds, but prepared for him the wings of the Holy Spirit, that is, the wings that he would give in the resurrection, so that they would lift him up and take him wherever the Spirit wanted. The souls of saints are still granted these wings, soaring with their minds to heavenly wisdom. For Christians have a different world, a different meal, different attire, different pleasure, different communication, a different way of thinking; why are they better than all people. They are still now worthy to receive the power of all this into the interior of their souls through the Holy Spirit; why, in the resurrection, their bodies will be worthy of these eternal spiritual blessings, and they will participate in that glory, which their souls have already experienced through experience. 21. Therefore, each of us must strive and work, carefully practice all the virtues, believe and ask the Lord, so that the inner man may even now become a partaker of this glory, and the soul may have fellowship in this holiness of the Spirit, and so that, having been cleansed from the filth of vice, and in the resurrection we may have something to clothe our resurrected naked bodies with, with which to cover their shame, with which to revive and forever rest them in the heavenly kingdom; because, according to the Holy Scriptures, Christ will come from heaven and resurrect all the tribes of Adam, all who have died from time immemorial, and will divide them into two parts, and those who have His own sign, that is, the seal of the Spirit, will place them, declaring them as His own, at His right hand. For he says: “My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27); “And I know Mine, and they know My Me” (John 10:14). Then their bodies will be clothed with divine glory for their good deeds, and they themselves will be filled with that spiritual glory that they still had in their souls. And thus, glorified by the divine light and caught up into heaven at the “meeting of the Lord in the air,” according to what is written, “we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17), reigning with Him for endless centuries. Amen. Conversation 6. Those who intend to please God should pray in peace, in silence, in meekness and wisdom, so that, praying with cries, they do not become a temptation for everyone. In this conversation there are two questions: are thrones and crowns material creations? and what are the twelve thrones of Israel? 1. Those who approach the Lord must pray in silence and peace and in great complacency, and listen to the Lord not with obscene and mixed cries, but with longing of the heart and sober thoughts. Someone suffering from illness, when they subject him to cauterization and other surgical treatments, very courageously and patiently endures the pain inflicted on him, controlling himself without confusion or embarrassment. And others, enduring the same pain, during cauterizations and surgical treatments, utter obscene screams. The pain is the same for both - both who screams and who does not scream, and who comes and who does not become confused. Thus, others have sorrow and a painful sensation, and they endure it complacently without embarrassment, mastering the thoughts of their mind; and others, having the same grief, endure it impatiently, pray with confusion and embarrassment, which tempts those who listen; others, not feeling anything painful, but for show, or out of willfulness, utter disorderly cries, as if they could please God. 2. The servant of God should not remain in such disorder, but in all meekness and wisdom, as the Prophet said: “Whom will I look to? only against the meek and silent, and trembling at My words” (Is. 66:2). We also find that during the time of Moses and Elijah, when God appeared to them, trumpets and forces served in abundance before the greatness of the Master, but the coming of the Lord was distinguished and revealed by what was counted above, that is, peace, silence and rest. For it is said: “Behold a thin voice of coldness, there is the Lord” (1 Kings 19:12). And this shows that the rest of the Lord consists in peace and complacency. But whatever foundation a person lays and whatever beginning a person makes, that is what he continues to the end. If he begins to pray loudly and with confusion, he will retain this skill until the end. Because the Lord loves mankind; then in other cases He also provides help to this person. Why, such people, encouraged by the action of grace, remain with their skill to the end. But we see that this is the work of the ignorant, because they seduce others, and they themselves pray in confusion. 3. The true basis of prayer is to be attentive to thoughts, and to perform prayer in great silence and peace, so that strangers are not tempted. Such a person, if he accepts God’s grace and perfection, will pray in silence to the end, and will even more serve for the edification of many. “For God has no disorder, but peace” (1 Cor. 14:33). Those who pray with cries are like rowers steering; they cannot pray everywhere, neither in churches nor in villages, unless they only pray in the deserts, where they have complete freedom. Those who pray in silence will, without a doubt, edify others in every place. A person needs to direct all his effort to thoughts, and what serves as food for evil thoughts, then cut off, and direct his thoughts to God, and not fulfill the desires of thoughts, but collect whirling thoughts from everywhere into one, distinguishing natural thoughts from evil ones. The soul under sin is likened to a large forest on a mountain, or reeds in a river, or some kind of thicket of thorns and trees; therefore, those intending to pass through this place must stretch their arms forward and, with effort and difficulty, push the branches in front of them. Likewise, the soul is surrounded by a whole forest of thoughts inspired by a resistive force; why, great diligence and attentiveness of the mind are required in order for a person to distinguish alien thoughts inspired by a resistive force. 4. Others rely on their own strength, thinking by themselves to cut through the mountains standing in front of them; and the other calmly and with prudence controls his mind, and without fatigue accomplishes his work more successfully than the first. So in prayers, some resort to obscene cries, as if trusting bodily strength, not noticing the theft of thoughts, but thinking with their own strength to complete the task to perfection; while others are attentive to their thoughts and accomplish the entire feat internally. Such, with their understanding and prudence, can prosper, repel rebellious thoughts and walk in the will of the Lord. We find in the Apostle that he calls the one who edifies another great. “For if you speak in tongues,” he says, “you build yourself: but if you prophesy, you build the church.” Prophesy rather than speak in tongues” (1 Cor. 14:4-5). Therefore, let everyone prefer the edification of others, and he will be considered worthy of the kingdom of heaven. 5. Question. Because some say that thrones and crowns are material creations, and not spiritual beings; then how to understand this? Answer . The throne of the Divine is our mind, and vice versa, the throne of the mind is the Divinity and the Spirit. And likewise, Satan, the powers and princes of darkness, from the time of the transgression of the commandment, sat in the heart, in the mind, and in the body of Adam, as on his own throne. Why, the Lord finally came and took upon Himself the body from the Virgin; because if it had pleased Him to come unveiled by the Divinity, who could have endured this? On the contrary, through this instrument - the body - He spoke to people. And finally, the Lord cast down the evil spirits sitting in the body from the thrones, that is, the concepts and thoughts over which they ruled, and cleansed the conscience, and made the mind, thoughts, and body a throne for Himself. 6. Question. What does it mean that the Lord said: You will sit on the double throne, judging the deceived tenth tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:8)? Answer . We find that this was fulfilled on earth after the Lord ascended to heaven; because He sent down the Comforter Spirit and holy power on the twelve Apostles, and it descended and overshadowed them and sat on the thrones of their minds. When those present began to say: “For these” are “full of wine” (Acts 2:13); Then Peter began to “judge” them, speaking about Jesus: “You crucified a man mighty with words and signs, hanging him on a tree. And so, he works miracles here, tearing apart the stones of tombs and raising the dead. For it is written: “In the last days I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy” (Acts 2:17). And thus many were announced by Peter and began to repent; why a new world has come, chosen by God. 7. You see how the beginning of the judgment has opened. A new world opened up there; for here power has been given to them to sit and judge in this world. It is true that they will sit and execute judgment at the coming of the Lord, at the resurrection of the dead: but this is also happening here; because the Holy Spirit sits on the thrones of their minds. And the crowns that Christians accept in this century are not material creations. Whoever claims the latter speaks poorly. On the contrary, in this the transforming Spirit reveals itself. What the Apostle Paul says about the heavenly Jerusalem, that she is “the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26), we also confess. In considering the garments that Christians wear, it is clear that the Spirit himself clothes them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 7. About Christ's condescension towards man. This conversation also includes several questions and answers. 1. Imagine that someone enters the royal palace, sees the stories and decorations depicted there, treasures laid out in one place, and something else in another, and sits with the king at a meal, and the sweetest foods and drinks are offered to him, and he fully enjoys both sight and decoration; and after that they drag him out from there, and he is taken to foul-smelling places; or imagine that some maiden, surpassing everyone in beauty, wisdom and wealth, chooses as her husband a poor, humble, ugly man, dressed in rags, and takes off his unclean clothes, and dresses him in a royal robe, and places a crown on him, and becomes his wife; Finally, the beggar begins to be amazed and says: “Has such a wife been given to me, poor, beggarly, humble and humiliated?” This is what God did with the poor and humiliated man. He gave him a taste of another age, another sweet food. Showed him the glory and the royal indescribable heavenly beauties. And a person, having already compared these spiritual blessings with the blessings of this age, if he then sees a king, rulers, wise men, then he rejects everything, meaning the heavenly treasure; because God is love, and he has received the heavenly Divine fire of Christ into himself, and enjoys, and rejoices, and is attached to it. 2. Question. Does Satan, either in the air or in people, exist with God? Answer . If this sun, being a creature, illuminates dirty places, and therefore does not suffer harm; then, all the more, the Divinity, being even where Satan is, is not denigrated or defiled. It allowed evil to be for the exercise of people. But evil is darkened and blinded, and cannot see the purity and subtlety of the Divine. If someone says that Satan has his place, and God has his place, then he leads to the idea that God is described by the place in which the evil one lives. How then do we say that good is indescribable and incomprehensible, that everything abides in it, and that good is not defiled by evil? In the sense that, since the sky and the sun and the mountains exist in God himself and are created by Him, then they themselves became God? – Creatures are placed in their own rank; and the Creator who dwells with creatures is God. 3. Question. Because sin is transformed into a bright Angel and becomes almost like grace; then how can a person understand the wiles of the devil, and how to distinguish and accept what is from grace? Answer . What is from grace, there is joy, there is peace, there is love, there is truth. Truth itself prompts man to seek truth. Every kind of sin is full of confusion; there is no love and joy in him before God. So, chicory is like lettuce; but one is bitter and the other is sweet. And in grace itself there is something similar to truth, and there is the very essence of truth; just as, for example, there is a ray of the sun and the very circle of the sun, and the ray appears differently, and the light contained in the circle itself is different. A lamp burns in a house, and one thing is a ray shining everywhere from it, another is a more brilliant and clear light in the lamp itself. Thus, something of grace happens when a person sees, as it were, some visions far from himself, and rejoices at these visions. It’s a different matter when the power of God enters a person and embraces his limbs and heart, and captivates the mind into the love of God. When Peter was taken and thrown into prison; Then an angel came to him prisoner, broke his bonds and brought him out of prison, and Peter, as if in a trance, “seemed to see a vision” (Acts 12:9). 4. Question. How do those in whom God’s grace has acted also fall? Answer . The purest thoughts by nature tend to advance and fall. A person begins to become arrogant, condemn others and say: “you are a sinner,” but recognize himself as righteous. Don't you know what Paul says? “Let me be a dirty tricker of the flesh, the angel of Satan, and let me play dirty tricks on me, so let me not be arrogant” (2 Cor. 12:7). And in pure nature there is the possibility of exaltation. 5. Question. Can anyone see his soul with the help of light, since others reject revelation and say that vision occurs through knowledge and sensation? Answer . There is a feeling, there is a vision, and there is an insight. And he who has insight is superior to him who has sensation. His mind is illuminated; and this means that he received some advantage over those who have sensation; for he recognized in himself a certain certainty of visions. But there is something else about revelation, when great deeds and God’s mysteries are revealed to the soul. 6. Question. Does anyone see the soul with the help of revelation and God's light? Answer . Just as bodily eyes see the sun, so those illuminated by God’s light see the image of the soul; but few Christians achieve this vision. 7. Question. Does the soul have a vision? Answer . Has an image and appearance that resembles an Angel. For just as angels have an image and a vision, and just as the outer man has an image, so the inner man has an image like an Angel, and a vision like the outer man. 8. Question. Is there another thing, the mind, and something else, the soul? Answer . Just as there are many bodily members, and all are called one man; Likewise, the soul has many members: mind, conscience, will, thoughts that condemn and justify; but all this is connected in one thought, all these are members of only the soul, and the soul is one; and this is the inner man. But as external eyes see from afar thorns, and rapids, and abysses; Thus, the mind, by the speed of its vision, anticipates the intrigues and slander of the resisting force, and being, as it were, the spiritual eye, it protects the soul. Why, let us give glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. Conversation 8. About what happens to Christians during prayers, and about the measures of perfection, that is, whether Christians can achieve perfect measure 1. Another comes in to bend the knee - and his heart is filled with Divine effectiveness, his soul rejoices with the Lord, like a bride with the groom, according to the word of the Prophet Isaiah, who says “as the groom rejoices over the bride, so will the Lord rejoice over you” (Is. 62:5). And sometimes the whole day, busy with something, he devotes himself to prayer for one hour - and his inner man with great delight is delighted in a state of prayer, in the endless depth of this age, so that the soaring and admiring mind is completely directed there. During this time, oblivion of earthly wisdom occurs in thoughts; because thoughts are saturated and captivated by the Divine, heavenly, boundless, incomprehensible, and something wonderful, which is impossible for human lips to utter. At this hour a person prays and says: “Oh, if only my soul would depart with prayer!” 2. Question. Does a person always enter this state? Answer . It is true that grace incessantly abides, takes root and acts as leaven in a person from a young age, and this abiding in a person becomes something as if natural and inseparable, as if one essence with him; however, as she pleases, she variously modifies her actions in a person for his benefit. Sometimes this fire kindles and ignites stronger, and sometimes it seems weaker and quieter, at other times this light kindles and shines more, sometimes it diminishes and fades; and this lamp, always burning and shining, sometimes becomes clearer, ignites more from the intoxication of God’s love, and at other times it emits its radiance sparingly, and the light inherent in man becomes weaker. 3. Moreover, the sign of the cross appeared to others in the world and was nailed into the inner man. Sometimes a person would also go into a frenzy during prayer; It seemed that he was standing in church before the altar, and three loaves of bread were offered to him, as if leavened with oil, and to the extent that he ate them, the loaves grew and rose. Sometimes there also appeared, as it were, some kind of luminous garment, which does not exist on earth in this age, and which human hands cannot prepare. For just as the Lord, ascending the mountain with John and Peter, transformed His vestments and made them lightning-shaped, so it happened with this robe, and the person dressed in it was surprised and amazed. At another time, this light, appearing in the heart, opened the inner, deepest and most intimate light; why, a person, completely absorbed in this sweetness and this contemplation, no longer controlled himself, but was, for this world, as if violent and barbaric, because of the overwhelming love and sweetness and because of the hidden secrets; so that a person, having received freedom at this time, reaches perfect measure, becomes pure and free from sin. But after this, grace diminished, and a veil of opposing power descended; grace was visible, as it were, in part, and at some lower degree of perfection, 4. A person needs, so to speak, to go through twelve steps, and then achieve perfection. Then grace again begins to act weaker, and the person descends one step, and already stands on the eleventh. But another, rich in grace, always stands day and night at the highest level, being free and pure, always captive and proud. And now the person to whom these miracles were shown, and who experienced them experimentally, if this had always been the case with him, could no longer take upon himself the economy of the word or any other burden, would not agree to hear or take care, as usual, about himself and about the morning, but would only begin to sit in one corner, in admiration and, as it were, in rapture. Therefore, the perfect measure has not been given to him so that he can take care of the brethren and serve the word, unless the mediastinum of the fence has already been destroyed and death has been conquered. 5. In reality, it happens like this: like condensed air, some kind of gloomy force lies on a person and slightly covers him. The lamp continually burns and shines; however, it is as if a veil is lying on the light; and therefore, a person admits that he is still imperfect and not completely free from sin; why, we can say that the mediastinum of the fence has already been devastated and crushed, and again in some other way it is not devastated at all and not forever. For there comes a time when grace ignites, comforts and reposes a person more powerfully; and there comes a time when it diminishes and fades, just as it itself builds this economy for the benefit of man. Who, at least for a time, came to perfect measure, tasted and experienced this age? To this day I do not know a single Christian who is perfect or free. On the contrary, even if someone rests in grace, he comes to mysteries and revelations, to a feeling of great grace-filled sweetness; then sin also remains within him. Such people, due to the abundance of grace and light in them, consider themselves free and perfect; but they err in this, because of their inexperience they are led into deception by the very fact that grace operates in them. And until now I have not seen a single free person, and since at other times I myself partially reached this measure, I have learned and know why there is no perfect person. 6. Question. Tell us: what degree are you on? Answer . Now, after the sign of the cross, grace acts in such a way and pacifies all the members and the heart that the soul, with great joy, is likened to a gentle baby, and a person no longer condemns either a Greek, or a Jew, or a sinner, or a layman, but the inner man looks at everyone with a pure eye, and rejoices about the whole world, and in every possible way wants to honor and love the Greeks and Jews. At other times he, the son of kings, trusts so firmly in the Son of God as in a father. Doors open before him, and he enters many abodes; and as he enters, doors open before him again in proportionate numbers, for example, from a hundred monasteries to another hundred monasteries, and he becomes enriched; and to the extent that he is enriched, new miracles are shown to him. He, as a son and heir, is entrusted with that which cannot be expressed by human nature, or spoken with lips and tongue. Glory to God! Amen. Conversation 9. About the fact that God's promises and prophecies are fulfilled under various trials and temptations, and that those who adhere to the one God are delivered from the temptations of the evil one 1. The spiritual action of God's grace in the soul is accomplished by great long-suffering, wisdom and mysterious insight of the mind, when a person struggles with great patience over time and whole years. And the work of grace then already turns out to be perfect in him, when his free will, after repeated testing, turns out to be pleasing to the Spirit, and over time shows experience and patience. We will present clear examples of this order from the inspired Scriptures. 2. What I am saying is similar to what happened to Joseph. After so much time and after how many years, God’s will for him was determined, and the visions were fulfilled! And before that, in how many labors, sorrows and tribulations Joseph was tested! And when he endured everything courageously, he turned out to be a well-skilled and faithful servant to God in everything; Then he already became the king of Egypt and nourished his family, and the prophecy about the invisible and that will of God, which had been predicted long ago by great vision, were fulfilled. 3. Similar things happened with David. God, through the Prophet Samuel, anointed him king. And when he was anointed, then he who was persecuted by Saul had to flee from death. And where is God's anointing? Where is the speedy fulfillment of the promise? For as soon as he was anointed, he began to endure severe sorrows, withdrawing into the desert, not even having his daily bread and fleeing from the pagans from Saul’s plots against him. And in such sorrows was the one whom God anointed as king! Then, when for many years he was tested and tempted, endured sorrows and endured them generously, he resolutely trusted God and assured himself: “what God did with me by prophetic anointing, and what he said would happen to me, must undoubtedly be fulfilled”: then, after much long-suffering, the will of God was finally accomplished; and after many trials David reigned; and then God’s word became clear, and the anointing performed by the Prophet turned out to be firm and true. 4. Similar things happened with Moses. God, foreknowledge and predestined him to be a leader and deliverer of the people, made him the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, raised in royal wealth, in glory and in luxury, taught all Egyptian wisdom. And when Moses matured and became great in faith, he renounced all this, desiring the suffering and reproach of Christ rather, according to the Apostolic word, “than to have the temporary sweetness of sin” (Heb. 11:5). And having fled from Egypt, this royal son, brought up in such pleasures and royal luxury, how much time did he spend in pastoral pursuits? And after this, finally, for his great patience, found to be skillful and faithful to God, as having endured many temptations, he became the deliverer, leader and king of Israel, and from God himself was called the god of Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1). For through him God smote Egypt with plagues; through him he showed Pharaoh great and wonderful deeds, and finally drowned the Egyptians in the sea. Do you see how after how many years God’s will and intentions were revealed and after how many trials and tribulations came to fulfillment? 5. Similar things happened with Abraham. How long before God made the promise to give him a son, and did not immediately grant him, but how many years before that trials and temptations continued with Abraham! And he, having generously endured everything that happened to him and having confirmed himself by faith in the thought that He who gave the promise is false and will fulfill His word, and thus proving to be faithful, received the promise. 6. And also Noah - when in the five hundredth year of his life God commanded the building of the ark, announcing that he would bring a flood to the world, which he brought in the six hundredth year - spent a hundred years in great patience, not hesitating in the least in the thought whether God would or would not do what He said, but resolutely confirmed by faith that if God said about this, then this is certain. will come true; and thus, when his will was found to be good in faith, patience and generosity, having kept the commandment in all purity, he alone was saved with his house. 7. We cited these examples from the Scriptures as proof that the action of God's grace is revealed in man, and he accepts the gift of the Holy Spirit, which a faithful soul is granted, only after a long struggle, after experiences of great patience and generosity, after temptations and trials, when free will is tested by all sorts of sorrows. When it does not offend the Spirit in anything, but by grace is in everything in accordance with the commandments, then it becomes worthy to achieve freedom from passions, to receive the fullness of spiritual sonship spoken of in the sacrament, as well as spiritual wealth and an understanding that is not of this world, and of which only true Christians become partakers. Why, such people are different in everything from all prudent, knowledgeable and wise people who have the spirit of the world within them. 8. Such, according to what is written (1 Cor. 2:14), venerates every person. He knows about everyone, from what source he takes the word, where he stopped, and at what degree he is; about him, none of the people who have the spirit of the world within themselves can know or judge. Whoever has within himself a similar heavenly Spirit of God knows one like him, as the Apostle says: “The spiritual is discerning by the spiritual. A spiritual person does not accept even the Spirit of God, for he has foolishness: but a spiritual person strives for everything, but he himself does not contend for one thing” (1 Cor. 2:14-15). Such a person considers everything glorious in the world to be vile and hateful - wealth, luxury and every pleasure, even knowledge itself, and everything that exists in this age. 9. Like a person who is in the heat and possessed by fireweed, if you give him the sweetest food or sweet drink, he abhors it and rejects it; because the disease burns him and the disease strongly acts in him: so, like this, inflamed by a heavenly, sacred and honest spiritual desire, wounded in the soul by the zeal of God’s love - when that Divine and heavenly fire, which the Lord came “to bring to earth”, and wants it to “burn out” as soon as possible (Luke 12:49), begins to act strongly in them, kindles them with a heavenly commitment to Christ - according to As stated above, everything that is glorious and highly valued in this age is recognized as worthy of contempt and hate, because the fire of Christ’s love embraces, kindles and inflames them with devotion to God and the heavenly blessings of love, and nothing heavenly, earthly or underworld is able to separate them from this love, as the Apostle Paul testified: “who will separate us from the love” of Christ, and so on ( Rom.8:35)? 10. But the acquisition of his soul and heavenly spiritual love is impossible for a person if he does not become alien to everything that is in this age, and does not devote himself to the search for the love of Christ, and if his mind does not place itself outside of all material and earthly entertainment, so that he can be completely occupied with achieving a single goal, striving for it according to all the commandments; so that all the care, search, entertainment and exercise of the soul consists in the study of the spiritual essence - how it should be decorated with the virtues prescribed in the commandments, the heavenly beauty of the Spirit, communication in the purity and holiness of Christ; so that a person, having renounced everything, cut off from himself every material and earthly obstacle, renounced carnal love, or addiction to parents and relatives, does not allow his mind to be occupied or entertained by anything else, such as: authorities, fame, honors, carnal friendships in the world, or some other earthly concerns; but so that the whole mind fully takes upon itself the care and sorrow of seeking the spiritual essence of the soul, and remains entirely and patiently in hope and expectation of the influx of the Spirit, as the Lord says: “In your patience you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19); and again: “Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). 11. Let this be so that a person, by struggling in this way and constantly being attentive to himself, whether in prayer, or in obedience, or in any work done according to God, will be able to avoid the darkness of evil demons. For the mind, which constantly delves into itself and seeks the Lord, can win its soul, even if it were in the destruction of the passions, if only it always gives itself captive to the impulse and zeal to strive for the Lord, and cleaves to Him alone, according to what is said: “taking every mind captive into the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5), so that, as a result of such feat, desire and seeking, the mind is worthy to be with the Lord in the one spirit of the gift and grace of Christ, resting in the vessel of the soul, which has prepared itself for every good work and does not offend the Spirit of the Lord with its own wills and the absent-mindedness of this age, or worries about glory, about superiors, or self-inflicted opinions, or carnal pleasures and friendships and communication with evil people. 12. It is worthy if the soul, having completely dedicated itself to the Lord, clinging to Him alone, remaining without forgetting in His commandments and worthily honoring the Spirit of Christ who found and overshadowed it, is vouchsafed to be in one spirit with Christ and in one union, as the Apostle says: “cleave to the Lord, there is one spirit with the Lord.” (1 Cor. 6:17). If someone is devoted to cares, or glory, or covetousness, or cares about human honors and strives for them, and his soul is indignant and darkened by earthly thoughts, indulges in something in this age and takes possession of it; then such a soul, even if it wanted to overcome the darkness of passions, in which the evil forces hold it, or to flee from it and drive it away from itself, cannot do this, because it loves and does the will of darkness, and has imperfectly hated vicious undertakings. 13. Therefore, let us prepare with all our will and with all our will to go to the Lord and become followers of Christ, to fulfill the will of Christ and to remember and keep all Christ’s commandments; having completely withdrawn from love for the world, let us surrender our souls to the one Christ; then we will have it in our minds to be occupied with Him alone, to take care of Him alone, to seek Him alone. If, because of the body, we do not use the proper zeal for fulfilling the commandments and obedience to God; then, at least, let our mind not withdraw from love for the Lord, from seeking Him and striving for Him. And by striving with such a mind, with a right way of thinking, walking the path of righteousness and always being attentive to ourselves, may we receive the promise of His Spirit, and by grace may we be delivered from destruction in the darkness of passions with which the soul is possessed, and through this we will become worthy of the eternal kingdom, and we will be worthy to enjoy bliss with Christ for entire centuries, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 10. About the fact that the gifts of God's grace are preserved and multiplied by humility and zeal, but are lost by exaltation and negligence 1. Truth-loving and God-loving souls, with great hope and faith desiring to be completely clothed in Christ, do not so much need to remind others, and do not even tolerate any diminishment in their heavenly desire and love for the Lord; but, having been completely nailed to the cross of Christ, they are daily aware of the feeling of spiritual progress in attachment to the spiritual Bridegroom; wounded by heavenly desire and thirsting for the truth of virtues, they strongly and insatiably desire spiritual illumination. And if for their faith they are worthy to receive the knowledge of the Divine mysteries, or become partakers of the joy of heavenly grace, then they do not rely on themselves, considering themselves to be something; but to the extent that they are worthy of spiritual gifts, to the same extent, due to the insatiability of heavenly desire, they seek them with even greater effort; the more they feel spiritual progress in themselves, the more they hunger and thirst for communion and increase in grace; The more they are enriched spiritually, the more they seem to become poor in their own opinion of themselves, due to the insatiability of the spiritual desire to strive for the heavenly Bridegroom, as the Scripture says: “Those who eat Me will still hunger, and those who drink Me will still thirst” (Sir.24:23). 2. Such souls, having within themselves a fiery and insatiable love for the Lord, are worthy of eternal life; and therefore, they are worthy of deliverance from passions and, in the fullness of grace, completely accept the illumination and communion of the Holy Spirit, ineffable and mysterious communication. Unmanly and weakened souls, who, by the very fact that they are still in the flesh, do not try to receive into themselves for patience and generosity, not in part, but the complete sanctification of the heart, do not hope in perfection, with full sensation and with certainty, to be in communion with the Comforter Spirit, - for this very reason, have not received deliverance from harmful passions from the Spirit, or, on the contrary, have been honored with God’s grace, but, carried away by vice, they indulged in some kind of carelessness and inactivity. 3. Because, having received the grace of the Spirit and finding for themselves grace-filled consolation in peace, desire and spiritual sweetness, and relying on this, they exalt themselves, indulge in carelessness, without contrite hearts, without humbleness in thoughts and without achieving the perfect measure of dispassion, without having received that with all diligence and faith they are completely filled with grace, they were satisfied Thus, they calmed down and stopped with a little grace-filled consolation; then such souls, having succeeded more in exaltation than in humility, even if they were awarded any talent, are deprived of it for careless negligence and for the vain arrogance of their conceit. 4. A truly God-loving and Christ-loving soul, even though it has accomplished thousands of righteous deeds, out of its insatiable desire for the Lord, thinks of itself as if it had not done anything yet; even if she exhausted her body with fasts and vigils, she still feels as if she had not yet begun to work for virtues; even if she has been honored to achieve various spiritual gifts, or revelations and heavenly mysteries, out of immeasurable and insatiable love for the Lord, she finds it in herself as if she had not yet acquired anything; but on the contrary, daily hungering and thirsting, remaining in prayer with faith and love, he cannot be satisfied with the mysteries of grace and the well-being of himself in every virtue. She is wounded by the love of the heavenly Spirit, with the help of grace she constantly arouses in herself a fiery desire for the heavenly Bridegroom, desires to be completely worthy of the mysterious and ineffable communion with Him in the shrine of the Spirit, with the frank face of the soul, looks at the heavenly Bridegroom face to face, in a spiritual and ineffable light, with all certainty enters into unity with Him, conforms to His death, with with great lust he incessantly awaits death for Christ, undoubtedly believes that through the Spirit he will receive complete deliverance from sin and the darkness of passions, and, having been cleansed by the Spirit, sanctified mentally and physically, he will be honored to become a pure vessel for receiving the heavenly world and the abode of the heavenly and true King Christ. And then she becomes worthy of heavenly life, becoming here still the pure dwelling of the Holy Spirit. 5. But it is not possible for the soul to come to such a measure suddenly and not without trials. On the contrary, through many labors and exploits, with the passage of time, with diligence, after trials and various temptations, she accepts spiritual growth and progress even to the perfect measure of dispassion; and then, having willingly and courageously endured every temptation from sin, she will be worthy of great honors, spiritual gifts, heavenly wealth, and thus will become an heir to the heavenly kingdom in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 11. About the fact that the power of the Holy Spirit in the human heart is like fire; also about what we need to discern the thoughts arising in the heart; also about the dead serpent, which Moses nailed to the top of the tree, and served as an image of Christ. This conversation contains two conversations: one of Christ with the evil Satan, and the other of sinners with Satan. 1. That heavenly fire of the Divine, which Christians even now, in this century, accept within themselves, in the heart, acting inside their hearts, when the body is destroyed, will begin to act from the outside, and will unite the members again, and will bring about the resurrection of the destroyed members. Just as in Jerusalem the fire that served on the altar was buried in a ditch during the captivity, and when peace came and the captives returned, the same fire seemed to be renewed and began to serve as before: so now this our neighbor - the body, which after destruction turns into mud, will reproduce and renew the heavenly fire; he will resurrect decayed bodies. And the internal fire that now dwells in the heart will then act from the outside and accomplish the resurrection of bodies. 2. And under Nebuchadnezzar the fire in the furnace was not divine, but created fire. But the three youths, having been in visible fire for their righteousness, had in their hearts heavenly, divine fire, serving in their thoughts and acting in them. And this very fire appeared outside the youths; for he stood in the midst of them and prevented the visible fire from burning the righteous and harming them in any way. It was similar to this with the Israelites; when their mind and thought had the intention of moving away from the living God and turning to idolatry, Aaron was forced to tell them to bring gold vessels and jewelry. Then the gold and vessels, thrown into the fire, became an idol, and the fire seemed to imitate their will. Truly a wonderful thing! Because in intention, secretly and in their thoughts they decided on idolatry; then the fire also turned the immersed vessels into an idol, and the Israelites began to clearly worship idols. Therefore, just as the three youths, thinking about righteousness, accepted God’s fire into themselves and worshiped the Lord in truth: so now faithful souls, in this still age, secretly accept into themselves this divine and heavenly fire; and this very fire produces a heavenly image in humanity. 3. Just as fire gave the golden vessels an image, and they became an idol: so the Lord, in accordance with the will of faithful and good souls, in accordance with their will, even now produces in the soul that image that in the resurrection will appear outside of them, and will glorify their bodies both inside and outside. But just as their bodies are currently still perishable, dead and indestructible, so the thoughts of some are corrupted by Satan, dead to life and buried in mud and earth; because their soul perished. Therefore, just as the Israelites cast golden vessels into the fire, and they became an idol, so now man has given over pure and beautiful thoughts to vice, and they are buried in sinful mud and have become an idol. And how can a person now find them, distinguish them and remove them from his own fire? Here the soul needs a divine lamp, the Holy Spirit, who improves this darkened house; what is needed is the bright Sun of truth, shining in the heart and enlightening it; We need a weapon that wins in battle. 4. And there (Luke 15:8) the widow, who had lost the drachma, first lit a lamp, then put the house in order; and when the house was put in order and the lamp was lit, then a coin was found buried in rubbish, in uncleanness, in the ground. And the soul now cannot by itself find and divide among itself its own thoughts. But when the divine lamp is lit and light is brought into the darkened house; then the soul will see how its thoughts are buried in sinful uncleanness and mud. The sun rises, and then the soul sees its destruction, and begins to collect its thoughts, mixed with rubbish and all kinds of filth; because the soul, having transgressed the commandment, lost its image. 5. Imagine a king who has property, and his servants are ready to serve; and it happened that his enemies captured him and took him captive. As soon as he is taken and taken away, it is necessary for his servants and henchmen to follow him. So Adam was created pure by God to serve Him, and these creatures were given to serve Adam; because he was made lord and king of all creatures. But as soon as the evil word found access to him and spoke to him, Adam first received it with outer hearing, then it penetrated into his heart and enveloped his entire being. And thus, after his captivity, the creature serving and submissive to him is already captured with him; because through him death reigned over every soul, and as a result of his disobedience it so blotted out the entire image of Adam that people changed and came to the point of worshiping demons. For the fruits of the earth, beautifully created by God, are brought to demons. Bread, wine and oil, and animals are placed on their altars. They even sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 6. Therefore, He Himself who created body and soul, Himself comes now and destroys every disorder created by the evil one, renews all his deeds done in thoughts, reproduces the heavenly image, creates a new soul, so that Adam again becomes the king of death and the lord of creatures. And in the legal shadow, Moses was called the savior of Israel, because he brought the people out of Egypt. So now the true deliverer - Christ comes into the hiddenness of the soul, and brings it out of dark Egypt, from under the most difficult yoke, from bitter slavery. Therefore, he commands us to leave the world, to become poor in everything visible, to have no care for earthly things, to stand at the door day and night and wait for the Lord to open our imprisoned hearts and pour out the gift of the Holy Spirit on us. 7. Therefore, He commanded to leave gold, silver, kinship, sell your property, give it to the poor, put it in the treasury and look for it in heaven: “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). The Lord knew that through this Satan takes power over thoughts and leads them into concern for material and earthly things. Therefore, God, providing for your soul, commanded you to renounce everything, so that even involuntarily you would seek heavenly wealth and turn your heart to God. For even if you wish to return to the creatures, it will turn out that you do not own anything visible; and then, whether you like it or not, you will be forced to turn your mind to heaven, where you have collected and put everything in the treasury: “wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 8. In the Law, God commanded Moses to make a brass serpent, lift it up and nail it on the top of a tree; and everyone wounded by serpents, looking at the copper serpent, received healing. This was done with special care, so that those obsessed with earthly cares, idolatry, satanic pleasures and all kinds of wickedness, being excited in this way, although they raised their gaze somewhat to grief, and having sobered up from the things below, turned their attention to the highest, and from this they again stretched out to the highest, and thus, gradually reaching out to the highest and the heavenly, they knew that there is a Supreme One of all creation. So God commanded you to become poor, and having sold everything, give it to the poor, so that, although you would want to rush down to the ground, this would no longer be possible for you. Therefore, having interrogated your heart, begin to reason with your thoughts: “We have nothing on earth, let us turn to heaven, where is our treasure, where did we make the purchase?” And your mind will begin to raise your gaze to heights, seek the things above and succeed in them. 9. What is the significance of this, that the dead serpent, nailed to the top of the tree, healed the wounded? The dead serpent prevailed over the living serpents, because he was the image of the Lord's body. For “the Lord” lifted His body, which He had received from Mary, onto the cross, stretched it out on the tree and nailed it to it; and the dead body conquered and killed the serpent living and creeping in the heart. Great miracle here! How did a dead serpent kill a living one? But just as Moses did a new work, making the likeness of a living serpent: so the Lord did a new work from Mary (Jer. 31:22), and put on this, and did not bring the body from heaven. He produced the heavenly spirit by entering Adam, and dissolved him into Divinity, formed human flesh in his mother’s womb and clothed himself in it. Therefore, just as the Lord did not command the copper serpent to be in the world before Moses, so a new and sinless body did not appear in the world until the Lord’s coming, because, after the first Adam broke the commandment, death reigned over all his children. So, the dead body defeated the living serpent. 10. And this miracle is “a temptation for the Jews, but madness for the Greeks.” But what does the Apostle say? “But we preach” Jesus “Christ, and Him crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks,” and to those who are being saved, “Christ—the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24): because in a dead body there is life; here is deliverance, here is light, here the Lord comes to death, talks with her and commands her to cast out souls from hell and death and return them to Him. And so, disturbed by this, death comes to his servants, gathers all his strength, and the evil prince brings manuscripts and says: “These, behold, they obeyed my word, and this is how people worshiped us.” But God, the righteous judge, shows His truth here too and says to him: “Adam obeyed you, and you took possession of his whole heart; humanity obeyed you. What is My body doing here? It is sinless. The body of the first Adam owes you, and by right you hold his manuscripts. But everyone testifies about Me that I have not sinned; doesn't owe you anything. Everyone testifies of Me that I am the Son of God. Coming to earth from the heights of heaven, a voice testified: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). John testifies: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29), as well as Scripture: “Whoever has committed no sin, neither will flattery be found” in Him (1 Peter 2:22), and: “For the prince of this world is coming, and in Me” “nothing will be found” (John 14:30). And you, Satan, yourself testify about Me, saying: “I know You who You are, the Son of God” (Mark 1:24, 3:11); and again: “What do we and You, Jesus” of Nazareth, “have come before the time to torment us” (Matthew 8:29). I have three witnesses. One is the Sending Voice from the heights of heaven, the other is those on earth, the third is you yourself. Therefore, I redeem the body sold to you by the first Adam, I destroy your manuscripts; I repaid Adam's debt by being crucified and descending into hell. And I command you, hell, darkness and death, free the imprisoned souls of Adam.” And thus, the evil forces, trembling, finally give up the imprisoned Adam. 11. But when you hear that the Lord at that time delivered souls from hell and darkness, that He descended into hell and accomplished a glorious deed, do not think that all this is far from your soul. Man comfortably accommodates and accepts the evil within himself, because death will contain the souls of Adam, and the thoughts of the soul are enclosed in darkness. And when you hear about coffins, imagine in your mind not only visible coffins; because the coffin and grave for you are your heart. When the prince of wickedness and his angels nest there, when they lay out paths and paths there through which satanic forces would pass into your mind and into your thoughts; then are you not hell, are you not the tomb, are you not the grave, are you not dead before God? Satan set his seal there on the unskilled silver; I sowed the seeds of bitterness in this soul, and old kvass fermented there, and a muddy spring flowed there. Therefore, the Lord comes into the souls that have sought Him, into the depths of the heart’s hell, and there He commands death, saying: “Free the imprisoned souls that have sought Me, which you hold by force.” And He crushes the heavy stones lying on the soul, opens coffins, resurrects the true dead, and brings the imprisoned soul out of the dark prison. 12. Just as if a person is bound with shackles hand and foot, and someone comes to loosen his bonds and allows him to walk freely in the open: so the soul bound by the shackles of death, the Lord releases from the bonds, releases it, frees the mind to walk effortlessly and calmly in the Divine air. Imagine that a man, in the middle of a river at full flow, drowned in the waters, and, suffocated, lies dead among terrible animals; and another person, inexperienced in swimming, wants to save someone who has fallen into the water, and he himself dies and suffocates; therefore, an experienced and skillful swimmer is needed here, who, having entered the deep depths of the waters, plunged there, and brought out from there the drowned and lying among the animals; then the water itself, as soon as it sees an experienced person who knows how to swim, helps him and carries him to the top. So the soul, having plunged into the abyss of darkness and the depths of death, is deprived of breath, and among terrible beasts it remains dead to God. Who can descend into these recesses and depths of hell and death, except the Artist himself, who produced the body? He comes to two regions, to the depths of hell and also to the deep depths of the heart, where the soul with its thoughts is held by death, and wears out the dead Adam from the dark depths. And death itself, through training, turns to help a person, like water to a swimmer. 13. What is so difficult for God to descend into death and also into the deep depths of the heart, and from there call upon the dead Adam? In the visible age there are dwellings and houses where mankind dwell, and there are dwellings where beasts, lions, or snakes and other poisonous animals live. Therefore, if the sun, which is a creature, enters everywhere through windows or doors, into the caves of lions, and into the holes of reptiles, and comes out from there, and does not suffer harm from it, then how much more does God and the Lord of all enter into nests and dwellings where death hovers, and into souls, and, having freed Adam from there, does not suffer the insult of death. And the rain, falling from the sky, penetrates into the lower layers of the earth, moistens and renews the roots that have dried up there, and produces roots there, and produces new offspring there. 14. Another is in struggle and sorrow from Satan, and wages war with him, his soul is crushed, he is worried, cries and sheds tears. This one represents, as it were, two faces. Why, if he persists in such a matter: then the Lord is with him in battle and protects him; because he diligently seeks the Lord and knocks on the door, waiting for the Lord to open it to him. But also, if your brother seems valiant to you in this; then he is strengthened by grace. But in whom there is no foundation laid, who does not have such a fear of God, and his heart is not contrite, he does not remain in fear, he does not guard his heart and his members so that they do not walk disorderly; His soul is still lost; because he has not yet entered the fight. Therefore, some remain in struggle and sorrow, while others do not even know what warfare is. For even seeds, when thrown into the ground, suffer from frost, winter and air cold; but at the proper time the sprout is revived. 15. It happens that Satan talks to you in your heart: “Look how much bad you have done; Look at what fury your soul is filled with; so much are you burdened with sins that you can no longer be saved.” He does this to plunge you into despair, because your repentance is unpleasant to him. For as soon as sin entered through transgression, he converses hourly with the soul, as man with man. Answer him too: “I have the testimony of the Lord in the Scriptures: I do not want death for the sinner, but repentance, so that he may turn from the evil way and live (Ezek. 33:11). For for this purpose He condescended to save sinners, to raise the dead, to give life to the dead, to enlighten those in darkness.” And indeed, having come, He called us to the birth of sons, to the holy city, peaceful, to life that never dies, to incorruptible glory, if only we gave our beginning a good end, remained in poverty, wandering, suffering, did not cease to ask God, relentlessly striking at the door. How the body is close to the soul; so the Lord is close and ready to come and open the closed doors of the heart and give us heavenly wealth. He is good and loving to mankind, and His promises are not false, if only we seek Him with patience to the end. Glory to the bounties of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 12. About the state of Adam before he transgressed God’s commandment and after he lost both his own and the heavenly image. This conversation contains several very useful questions. 1. Adam, having transgressed the commandment, died in two ways; because he lost, firstly, the pure, beautiful property of his nature created in the image and likeness of God, and secondly, the very image in which, according to the promise, his entire heavenly inheritance consisted. As if there were a coin with a royal image on it, and it was cut off; then the gold perished and the image does not attach value to it: so a similar thing happened to Adam. Great wealth and a great inheritance were destined for him. Imagine a large village and it has a lot of income; there is a blooming vineyard, there are fruitful fields, there are herds, there is gold and silver. So this Adam’s vessel was an expensive village before the disobedience. But as soon as Adam had evil thoughts and thoughts, he perished for God. 2. We do not say that man was completely lost, destroyed and died; he died for God, but lives by his own nature. For behold, the whole world walks and goes about its business on earth; but God’s eye looks at the mind itself and at thoughts, as if peering into them, and does not notice, does not enter into communication with them, because they do not think about anything pleasing to God. Imagine an inn, an indecent house, places where there are riots and debauchery; the pious pass by and are not defiled, they seeing do not see, it is as if dead to them. So God, although he looks at those who have departed from His word and commandments, does not seem to notice, does not enter into fellowship there, and the Lord does not rest in their thoughts. 3. Question. How can a person be poor in spirit, especially when he feels within himself that he has changed, that he has succeeded, that he has reached knowledge and understanding that he did not have before? Answer. Until a person has acquired this and succeeded, he is not yet poor in spirit, but he thinks highly of himself. When this understanding and progress comes to this, then grace itself teaches him to be poor in spirit - and although he is a righteous man and God's chosen one - not to consider himself for anything, but to recognize his soul as of little value and humiliation, as if he does not know or have anything, although he knows and has. And such a thought becomes, as it were, innate and rooted in the human mind. Don't you see that our forefather Abraham, being God's chosen one, called himself earth and ashes (Gen. 18:27)? And David, anointed king, had God before him; and what does he say? “I am a worm, and not a man, the reproach of men and the humiliation of people” (Ps. 22:7). 4. Therefore, those who want to be joint heirs with them, fellow citizens in the heavenly city, and to be glorified with them, must also have humility and not think of themselves as if they are anything, but have a contrite heart. Although grace works differently in each Christian, and makes them different members; however, everyone belongs to one city, everyone is of one mind, of the same language, and understands each other. Just as there are many members in a body, but there is one soul in all of them, which sets them in motion: so one Spirit acts in everyone differently, but everyone belongs to the same city, walking the same path. For all the righteous walked the strait and narrow path, suffered hardship, were persecuted, reviled, lived “in goatskins, in dens and pits of the earth” (Heb. 11:37). Likewise, the Apostles say about themselves: “until this present hour we hunger, and thirst, and are naked,” we endure reproach, and “we wander” (1 Cor. 4:11). Some of them were beheaded, others were crucified, others suffered various sorrows. And the Lord of the Prophets and Apostles himself, as if forgetting the Divine glory, which way did he walk? Having become an image for us, He wore a crown of thorns on His head in reproach, and endured spitting, strangulation and the cross. 5. If God walked this way on earth, then you should become His imitator. This is how the Apostles and Prophets walked. And we, if we wish to be established on the basis of the Lord and the Apostles, must become their imitators. For the Apostle says by the Holy Spirit: “Be like me, even as I am Christ” (1 Cor. 4:16). If you love human glory, you want people to bow to you, you seek peace for yourself; then you have turned aside from the path. You must be crucified with the Crucified One, suffer with the One who suffered, so that after this you can be glorified with the One who was Glorified (Rom. 8:17). For the bride must suffer with the Groom and through this become an accomplice and joint heir of Christ. And no one is allowed to enter the City of Saints, rest in peace and reign with the King for endless centuries, without suffering, not through a smooth, cramped and narrow path. 6. Question. Because Adam lost both his own and his heavenly image; Does it follow from this that if he was a partaker of the heavenly image, then he also had the Holy Spirit in him? Answer. As long as the Word of God and the commandment remained in him, he had everything. For the Word itself was his heritage; It was a garment and the glory that covered it, It was a teaching. Adam was inspired to give names to everything: “name it heaven, now sun, now moon, now earth, now bird, now beast, now tree.” As he was taught, he gave names. 7. Question. Did Adam have the sensation and communication of the Spirit? Answer. The Word itself, abiding in him, was everything to him: knowledge, sensation, heritage, and teaching. And what does John say about the Word? “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). You see that the Word was everything. And if there was glory on Adam from without; then let us not be tempted by this, for it is said: “the besta is naked” (Gen. 2:25), and they did not see each other, and only after breaking the commandment did they see that they were naked and were ashamed. 8. Question. Consequently, before the crime, instead of a covering, people were clothed with God’s glory? Answer. Just as the Spirit acted in the Prophets, and taught them, and was inside them, and appeared to them from the outside: so in Adam, the Spirit, when it wanted, abided with him, taught and inspired: “say this and name.” For the Word was everything to him; and Adam, while he kept the commandment, was a friend of God. And what is surprising if in such a state he violated the commandment, when even those filled with the Holy Spirit have natural thoughts within themselves and have the will to agree to them? So Adam, while staying with God in paradise, of his own free will, transgressed the commandment and listened to the evil one. However, he also had knowledge of the crime. 9. Question. What kind of knowledge did he have? Answer. When the robber is taken to court and begins to be judged, the prince asks him: “When you did evil, did you really not know that you would be caught and put to death?” And the robber does not dare to say that he did not know; because he knew this, and the one subjected to punishment remembers everything and confesses. And the fornicator does not know that he is doing something bad? And doesn’t the thief know that he is sinning? So, people, even without the Scriptures, in the natural sense, do not know that there is a God? On that day it will be impossible for them to say: “We did not know that God existed.” For in thunder and lightning from heaven he speaks to them: “Do you not know that there is a God who rules creation?” Therefore, what did the demons cry out for? “You are the Son of God” (Mark 3:11); “Why have you come before the time to torment us” (Matthew 8:29)? And to this day in the martyr’s churches they say: “You are burning, you are burning me.” Therefore, people did not know only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; Adam's crime gave them this knowledge. 10. Everyone begins to ask: what state was Adam in, and what did he do? Adam himself acquired the knowledge of good and evil. Moreover, we know from the Scriptures that he was in honor and purity, and, having violated the commandment, he was expelled from paradise, and incurred the wrath of God. Moreover, he studies the good in himself, and having studied the evil, he is careful not to sin and fall into the judgment of death. We know that all of God’s creation is under God’s supervision. God created the heavens, the earth, animals, reptiles, beasts; we see them, but we do not know their number. For is this known to anyone except God alone, who exists in everything, even in the embryos of animals? Isn’t He the only one who knows what is under the earth and above the heavens? 11. Therefore, having left everything, let us strive better, like good merchants, to acquire a heavenly inheritance, and that which is useful to our souls. Let us learn to acquire acquisitions that will remain with us forever. If a person begins to explore the mind of God and say: “I found and comprehended something”; then the human mind will turn out to be superior to the mind of God; but in this he is very mistaken. The more you want to explore and penetrate with knowledge, the greater the depth you descend, and you do not comprehend anything. Even as for the thoughts that arise in you about what and how happens in you every day - and this is inexpressible and incomprehensible, unless you accept all this with gratitude and faith. For from the day you were born until now, have you been able to know your soul? Indeed, tell me the thoughts that arose in you from morning to evening; tell me the thoughts of three days. But you are unable to do this. And if you were unable to comprehend the thoughts of your soul; then how can you imagine God’s thoughts and God’s mind? 12. But as much as you find, eat bread, leave all the land, go to the river bank, drink as much as you need, and go away, do not find out where the river comes from or how it flows. Try to heal your leg and the disease of your eye, so that you can see the light of the sun. Don't look for how much light the sun has; or in what sign it rises. Take what is given to you for use. Why do you go to the mountains and find out how many onagers or animals are grazing there? And the baby, when it approaches the mother’s breasts, tastes the milk and is nourished, but does not know how to examine the root or source from where the milk flows so abundantly. He sucks milk and exhausts the entire supply; and in time, the nipples become full again: neither the baby nor his mother know this, although what is best known is that milk comes from all the members of the mother. Therefore, if you seek the Lord in depth; then you will find that He is doing signs there. If you look for Him in the ditch, you will find that there He is guarding the righteous Daniel among two lions. If you look for Him in the fire, you will find that He helps His servants there. If you look for Him on the mountain, you will find that He is there - with Elijah and Moses. The Lord is everywhere, both under the earth and above the heavens, and in us, and everywhere. So is the soul, near you; it is both inside you and outside you; To whatever distant country you wish, there your mind dwells; Whether it’s to the west, to the east, to the sky, whatever you want, he is there. 13. Let us first try to have on ourselves the sign and seal of the Lord; because at the time of judgment, when God will make a division, and all the tribes of the earth will be gathered - the whole Adam, when the Shepherd calls His flock, then everyone who has a sign on themselves will recognize their Shepherd, and the Shepherd will recognize those who have His own seal on them and will gather them from all nations; They will hear His voice and follow His footsteps. The world will be divided into two parts: one part will be the dark flock, going into eternal fire, and the other will be the light-filled flock, being raised to the heavenly lot. What we have now acquired in our souls will shine forth and be revealed then, and will clothe our bodies with glory. 14. How in the month of Xanthik the roots covered with earth bear their fruit, produce their flowers and decorations and are fertilized; and then the good roots are revealed and those on which there are thorns become clear: so on that day everyone will show and reveal both the good and the bad that he has done with the help of his own body. For there is general judgment and retribution. In addition to visible food, there is other food. And Moses, when he went up the mountain, fasted for forty days. He ascended as a man, and descended having God within him. We see for ourselves that the body, if not supported by food, becomes upset within a few days; but Moses, having fasted forty days, came down much stronger than anyone; because he was fed by God, and his body was supplied with other heavenly food. God's word became his food, and he had glory on his face. But what happened to Moses is only an image; for this glory now shines within - in the hearts of Christians. And the resurrected bodies at the resurrection will be covered with another Divine robe, and will feed on heavenly food. 15. Question. What does it mean for a woman to pray with her head uncovered (1 Cor. 11:5)? Answer. Since during the time of the Apostles, wives were given long-grown hair instead of a veil: then both the Lord and the Apostles come to the creature and make it chaste. However, the wife is presented here as an image of the Church. And how, at that time, wives showed themselves to the people, having loose hair instead of a veil: so, the Church dresses and clothes her children in Divine glorified vestments. Even in ancient times there was one Synagogue in the Israeli Church, and it was covered with the Spirit; and the Israelites were clothed with the Spirit instead of glory, although they were not led by Him. Therefore, the word: “Church” is spoken of both many and one soul: for the soul itself collects all thoughts into one, and before God there is a church; because the soul was united with the heavenly Bridegroom for communication with Him, and was merged with the heavenly. This is of course true both about many souls and about one. For the Prophet also speaks about Jerusalem. I found you abandoned and naked, and clothed you, and so on, as if speaking about one woman (Ezek. 16:8-13). 16. Question. What does it mean that Martha said to the Lord about Mary: I have a lot of work, but she sits with You? Answer . What Mary had to say to Martha, the Lord told her in advance, namely, that Mary left everything, sat down at the feet of the Lord, and blesses God all day long. Do you see sitting with your feet surpassing love? But in order for God’s word to shine more clearly, listen again. If anyone loves Jesus and listens to Him as he should, and not just listens, but remains in love; then God wants to reward that soul with something for this love, although man does not know what he will accept, or to what extent God will bestow the soul. For Mary, who loved Him and sat at His feet, was not only given a reward, but from His essence He bestowed some hidden power. The very words that God spoke to Mary in peace were spirit and a certain power. These words entered her heart, became soul in soul, spirit in spirit, and Divine power filled her heart; because where this power prevails, it necessarily becomes abiding there, as an inalienable acquisition. Therefore, the Lord, knowing what he had given her, said: “Mary has chosen the good part” (Luke 10:42). But over time, what Martha did out of zeal to serve led her to the same talent; because she also received Divine power into her soul. 17. And what is surprising if those who come to the Lord and cling to Him bodily receive power? Sometimes the apostles said that the word and the Holy Spirit attacked believers (Acts 10:44). Cornelius received strength from the word he heard. How much more, when the Lord spoke the word to Mary, or Zacchaeus, or the sinner who, having let her hair down, wiped the feet of the Lord, or the Samaritan woman, or the thief, then power appeared, and the Holy Spirit entered into unity with their souls. And now, those who love the Lord, who have abandoned everything and are constantly in prayer, are secretly learning what they did not know. The Truth itself, according to their will, is revealed to them and teaches them: “I am the truth” (John 14:6). The Apostles themselves, being with the Lord before the cross, saw great signs, how lepers were cleansed and the dead were raised: but they did not know how the Divine power abides and acts in the heart; they did not know that they themselves would be reborn spiritually, enter into unity with the heavenly soul and become a new creature. They loved the Lord because of the signs He performed. Finally, the Lord said to them: “Why are you amazed at the signs? I give you a great inheritance, such as the whole world does not have.” 18. The words of the Lord were still strange to them, until He rose from the dead and for our sake took up His body into heaven. And then the Comforter Spirit descended on them and entered into unity with their souls. The Truth itself reveals itself in the souls of the faithful, and the heavenly man comes to your man, and there is a single communication between them. Therefore, those who remain in service and diligently do everything out of zeal for faith, out of love for God, over time this very thing leads to the knowledge of the Truth itself; because the Lord reveals himself to their souls and teaches them the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Glory and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever! Amen. Conversation 13. About what fruit God requires from Christians God created everything visible and gave it to people for peace and enjoyment, but he also gave them the law of righteousness. Since the time of Christ's coming, God has demanded a different fruit and a different truth, purity of heart, a good conscience, useful speeches, honest and good thoughts, and all that in which the Saints excel. For the Lord says: “Unless your righteousness comes out any more than the scribe and the Pharisee, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). It is written in the law: do not commit fornication, but I say to you: do not covet, do not be angry. For he who intends to be a friend of God must protect himself from sinful defilement and from the eternal fire that lurks within us. This makes us worthy of the kingdom. Glory to His mercy and the perfect goodwill of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Amen. Conversation 14. About the fact that those who dedicate their thoughts and minds to God do this in the hope that the eyes of their hearts will be enlightened, that God makes them worthy to approach the Sacraments in holiness and the greatest purity and bestows His grace on them; also about what we should do if we want to receive any of the heavenly blessings; finally, that the Apostles and Prophets are like the rays of the sun entering through a window. Also, the conversation teaches what the satanic land and the angelic land are - both intangible and invisible 1. Every visible work in the world is done in the hope of obtaining benefit from the work. And if anyone is not entirely sure that he will enjoy his labors; then his labors are of no use to him. And the farmer sows in the hope of reaping fruits and, in hope of them, endures labor; It is said: “For hope we must eat orai orati” (1 Cor. 9:10). And whoever takes a wife takes it in the hope of having heirs. And the merchant, for the sake of profit, goes to sea and gives himself up to ready death. So in the kingdom of heaven, a person, in the hope that the eyes of his heart will be enlightened, gives himself up to withdraw from the affairs of everyday life, spend time in prayers and petitions, waiting for the Lord to come and reveal Himself to him, and cleanse him from the sin living in him. 2. But he does not trust in his labors and in his life until he receives what he hopes for, until the Lord comes and dwells in him in every feeling and action of the Spirit. And when he tastes the grace of the Lord, enjoys the spiritual fruits, the veil of darkness will be removed, and the light of Christ will shine and act in unspeakable joy; then he will be convinced of great love, having the Lord with him. Like a merchant who has made a profit, he rejoices, but at the same time he is distressed and afraid of troubles from robbers and crafty spirits, so that, having weakened, he would not somehow ruin his work until he is worthy to enter the heavenly kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem. 3. Therefore, let us also pray to God to put off the old man from us, and now clothe us with the heavenly Christ; and thus, in joy, guided by Him, we will remain in great silence. For the Lord, wanting us to fully taste the kingdom, says: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). But through the Apostles He enlightened many. They themselves, being creatures of God, raised slaves like themselves so that everyone would become a brother and son of Christ, would do something superior to other people, that is, would sanctify their very heart, their very mind, and direct their thoughts to God. And thus, God secretly gives life and help to the heart, and entrusts Himself to it. For when a person betrays his innermost, that is, his mind and thoughts to God, without doing anything else or having fun, but restraining himself with all his might; then the Lord vouchsafes him to approach the Sacraments in holiness and in much greater purity, and gives Himself to him as heavenly food and spiritual drink. 4. Just as a man who has acquired a large estate has slaves and children, gives some food to the slaves, and another to his own children born from his seed, because the children inherit the father, and, being like their father, eat with him: so Christ, the true Master, Himself created everything, and feeds the wicked and the ungrateful; But the children whom He begat from His seed, to whom He bestowed His grace and in whom the Lord was imagined, He feeds primarily before other people His own peace, His food and food, His drink, and He gives Himself to them, who are in communion with their Father, as the Lord says: “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him” ( John 6:56), and will not see death; because those who have the true inheritance, like sons, are born of the heavenly Father, and live in their Father’s house, as the Lord says: “A servant does not abide in the house, but a son abides forever” (John 8:35). 5. Therefore, if we also want to be born of the heavenly Father, then first of all, before other people, we must show zeal, effort, jealousy, love, good living, remain in faith and in fear, as those who want to achieve great blessings and become heirs of God. For “The Lord is the portion of my wealth and my cup” (Ps. 15:5). And in such a case, the Lord, seeing good will and patience, will create His mercy, cleansing us with the word of heaven, and reviving dead and corrupt thoughts and restoring them with the beautiful life and teaching of the Apostles. One creature feeds and gives life to another creature, just as the seeds of wheat or barley are nourished and given life, when this is commanded, by clouds, rain and the sun, which are also creatures. But just as there is light entering through a window, the sun sheds rays on the whole universe: so the Prophets were luminaries for their own home only - for Israel; The apostles served as suns, illuminating everyone in all parts of the world. 6. There is earth on which four-legged animals live, and there is earth in the air on which birds walk and live; and if they wish to stand or walk on this land, then there are fishers who take possession of them. And there is land for fish - sea water. And every animal, in whatever place it was born, on earth or in the air, has residence, food and rest there. In the same way, there is a satanic land and country, where dark forces and evil spirits live, walk and rest, and there is a luminous land of the Divine, where regiments of Angels and holy spirits walk and rest. And just as the dark earth cannot be visible or tangible with the eyes of this body, so the luminous earth of the Divine is both intangible and invisible with carnal eyes; For spiritual people, both the satanic land of darkness and the luminous land of the Divine are visible to the eye of the heart. 7. But, according to the legend of the worldly sages, there are mountains of fire, because there is fire in them, and there are animals like sheep there; and in order to catch them, they make iron mugs, throw them in and lower them into the fire. Because this fire provides animals with food, drink, tranquility, growth, life, and replaces everything; then if you take them out into another air, they die. And when their clothes are blackened, they are washed not in water, but in fire, and become cleaner and whiter. So Christians also have this heavenly fire as food for themselves; he is their rest; he cleanses and washes and sanctifies their heart, he leads them to growth; for them he is both air and life. As soon as they leave there, they perish from evil spirits. And just as the animals there die when they come out of the fire, just as fish taken out of the water die, just as four-legged creatures thrown into the sea suffocate, and just as birds walking on the earth fall into the hands of fishermen: so the soul that does not remain on that earth suffocates and dies; and if this divine fire does not replace food, drink, clothing, heart cleansing, and spiritual sanctification, then one is caught and corrupted by evil spirits. Let us also carefully inquire whether we are sown on this invisible earth, and whether we are planted in the heavenly vineyard? Glory to the bounties of God! Amen. Conversation 15. This conversation contains a lengthy teaching about how the soul must remain in holiness, purity and purity before its bridegroom - Jesus Christ, and some other very instructive questions - for example, about whether all members will rise in the resurrection - and many others - about evil, about grace, about free will, about the dignity of the human race 1. Some rich man, a very glorious king, will turn his favor on a poor woman who has nothing but her own body, will become her lover and intend to bring her to himself as a bride and concubine. And if she finally shows her goodwill towards her husband; then, maintaining love for him, this poor, beggarly woman, who has nothing, becomes the mistress of all the property that her husband has. And if he does something against his duty and duty, and behaves indecently in his husband’s house; then he is expelled with dishonor and reproach, and walks with both hands on his head, as in the Law of Moses this is given to mean about a wife who is disobedient and displeasing to her husband (Deut. 24:1). And then she already suffers and weeps bitterly, reflecting on what wealth she has lost, what glory she has lost, having been dishonored for her imprudence. 2. Likewise, the soul that the heavenly groom, Christ, betroths to Himself as a bride for mysterious and divine communication with Him, and which will taste heavenly riches, must with great zeal sincerely please Christ who has become engaged to it, perform the spiritual service entrusted to it in a proper and decent manner, so as to please God in everything, not offend the Spirit in any way, properly preserve perfect chastity and love for Christ, behave well in the house of the heavenly King, with all devotion to the grace bestowed. And so, such a soul is made mistress over all the Lord’s blessings, its very body receives glorification from the Divinity of Christ. But if she sins in any way, and in her service she acts contrary to duty, does not do what is pleasing to Christ, does not follow His will, will not be a co-operator of the grace of the Spirit inherent in her; then with reproach she is subjected to shameful dishonor and excommunicated from life, as having become unworthy and incapable of communicating with the heavenly King. And for this soul there is already sadness, sorrow and crying among all the holy and intelligent spirits; Angels, Powers, Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs lament about her. 3. How, according to what the Lord said, “there is joy in heaven for one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7); so there is great sadness and lamentation in heaven for one soul falling away from eternal life. And just as on earth, when some rich man dies, with singing, with tears and lamentation, his brothers, relatives, friends, acquaintances accompany him from this life: so all the Saints weep for that soul with tears and singing. For in another place the Scripture makes this clear, saying: “Pete, let the cedars mourn” (Zech. 11:2). How Israel, when, apparently, pleased the Master (although he never pleased him as he should please), had a pillar of cloud overshadowing him and a pillar of fire illuminating him, saw before him a divided sea, clear water flowing out of a stone; - and when the minds of the Israelites and their will turned away from God, then they were given over to serpents and their enemies, taken into heavy captivity and tortured by bitter slavery: this, of course, also happens with our souls. Having mysteriously signified this, the Spirit of the Prophet Ezekiel said about such a soul as about Jerusalem: I found you naked in the desert, “and I washed you with water” from your uncleanness, “and clothed you” with clothes, “and I put a wrist on your hand, and a necklace on your neck, and put beads on your ears,” and you became famous with Me among all. languages; “Thou shalt have eaten seven dals and oil and honey,” and subsequently you forgot My good deeds, and followed the footsteps of your lovers and “thou hast committed fornication shamefully” (Ezek. 16:8-15). 4. Thus the Spirit also exhorts the soul, which by grace has come to know God, and having been cleansed from previous sins, adorned with the utensils of the Holy Spirit, partaking of divine and heavenly food, but not behaving as it should, with much knowledge, not properly observing the favor and love due to the heavenly bridegroom - Christ, it becomes rejected and is deprived of the life that was once part of it. For Satan can exalt himself and tower even over those who have such a measure of grace, and against those who in grace and power have come to know God, his malice towers even higher and intensifies to bring them down. Therefore, we must strive and behave carefully with all prudence, so that, as it is written, “working out our salvation with fear” (Phil. 2:12). Therefore, all of you who have become partakers of the Spirit of Christ, do not act with disdain in anything, neither in small nor in great, and do not offend the grace of the Spirit, lest you be deprived of the life in which you have already become partakers. 5. And I also represent you in a different person. If a slave enters the royal palace - to serve under the king, giving what is entrusted to him: then he takes this from the royal property, and entering with nothing, he serves the king with royal utensils. But here you need a lot of prudence and prudence, so that during the service you do not do anything that should not be done, so that you do not serve one food instead of another on the royal table, but offer all the dishes, from first to last, in order. And if, out of ignorance and recklessness, he serves the king incorrectly, he will be exposed to danger and death. Likewise, the soul, serving God by grace and in the spirit, has a need for great prudence and knowledge, so as not to sin in anything in the judgment of God’s vessels, that is, in the judgment of spiritual service, having its own will, inconsistent with grace. For the soul can serve the Lord by spiritual service, which is secretly performed by the inner man, and by its own vessels, that is, by the spirit of the inner man; and without His vessels, that is, without grace, no one can serve God, that is, please, fulfilling the will of God in everything. 6. And when the soul receives grace; then she needs a lot of prudence and prudence. Yet God Himself gives this to the soul that asks Him, so that it can please serve Him with the spirit that it accepts, without being overcome by vice or sinning in anything by going astray through ignorance, fearlessness and negligence, and transgressing the Master’s will against duty; because the punishment for such a soul will be death and weeping, as the divine Apostle also speaks about: “Let me not preach to others, but I myself will be blind” (1 Cor. 9:27). Do you see what fear I had as an Apostle of God? Therefore, let us pray to God that all of us who have received the grace of God will preferentially undergo spiritual service in accordance with His will, and not get used to the thought that despises everything; and thus, having lived well before God and, in accordance with His will, having served Him with spiritual service, inherit eternal life. 7. And for someone who is overcome by illness, some members are healthy, for example, the instrument of vision - the eye, or some other member, while other members are damaged. The same thing happens in spiritual reasoning. Another may have healthy three spiritual members, but therefore the person is not yet perfect. You see how many spiritual degrees and measures there are, and how in parts, and not suddenly, evil is purified and thinned out. The Lord's providence and economy are in everything: the sun rises, and all creatures are created for the sake of the kingdom, which the elect will inherit, so that a kingdom of peace and one mind will be established. 8. Therefore, Christians themselves must use every effort, but not condemn anyone at all, neither an obvious harlot, nor sinners, or disorderly people, but look at everyone with simple will, a pure eye, so that it turns into something natural and indispensable for a person - not to humiliate anyone, not to condemn, not to disdain anyone and not to make distinctions between people. If you see a one-eyed person, do not condemn him in your heart, but look at him as if he were healthy; look upon the one who has a withered hand as if he were not withered, on the lame as if he were walking upright, and on the paralytic as if he were healthy. For this is purity of heart, so that, seeing sinners or the weak, have compassion for them and be merciful. And the Saints of the Lord happen to sit on the disgrace of the world and look at its deceptions; but according to the inner man they converse with God, while according to the external man they appear to the eyes as looking at what is happening in the world. 9. Worldly people are subject to a different influence of the spirit of flattery, according to which they philosophize earthly things; but Christians have a different will, a different mind; they are people of another century, another city; because the Spirit of God abides in communion with their souls, and they trample on the enemy, as it is written: “The last enemy will be destroyed by death” (1 Cor. 15:26). And just as pious people are rulers over everyone, so those who are weak in faith and sinners in the full sense are slaves; and fire burns them, and stone and sword kill them, and finally, demons will rule over them. 10. Question. On the resurrection will all members be resurrected? Answer . Everything is not difficult for God. Such is His promise. But to human weakness and human reason this seems impossible. How God, having taken dust and earth, created, as it were, some other nature, namely a bodily nature, unlike the earth, and created many kinds of natures, such as: hair, skin, bones and veins; and how a needle thrown into fire changes color and turns into fire, while the nature of iron is not destroyed, but remains the same: so in the resurrection all members will be resurrected and, according to what is written, “the hair will not perish” (Luke 21:18), and everything will become light-like, everything will be immersed and transformed into light and into fire, but will not be resolved and will not become fire, so that it will no longer be the same nature, as some say. For Peter remains Peter, and Paul remains Paul, and Philip remains Philip; each one, filled with the Spirit, remains in his own nature and being. And if you claim that nature has been resolved, then there is no longer Peter or Paul, but God is in everything and everywhere, and those who go to Gehenna do not feel punishment, and those who go to the kingdom do not feel blessings. 11. Imagine a garden in which there were all kinds of fruitful trees, there were pear trees, apple trees and grapes with fruits and leaves; but the garden and all the trees and leaves changed and turned into a different nature, and everything that was before became light-like. So people will change in the resurrection, and their members will become holy and radiant. Therefore, God's people must prepare themselves for struggle and achievement. Just as a courageous young man endures the struggle, and responds to the blows dealt to him with blows: so Christians must endure sorrows, both external and internal battles, so that, taking blows upon themselves, they can overcome with patience. This is the way of Christianity. Where the Holy Spirit is, persecution and warfare follow like a shadow. Do you see how the Prophets, although the Spirit acted in them, were always persecuted by their fellow tribesmen? Do you see how the Lord, who is the way and the truth, was persecuted not by another people, but by His own? The Israelites persecuted His own tribe and crucified Him. And something similar happened with the Apostles; because from the time of the cross the Comforter Spirit passed away and dwelt among Christians: none of the Jews were persecuted anymore, but only Christians were martyrs. Therefore, they should not be amazed at this: the truth must be persecuted. 12. Question. Others say that evil comes from outside, and a person, if he wants, does not accept it into himself, but drives it away. Answer. Just as the serpent, who spoke to Eve, penetrated into her soul as a result of her obedience: so now, through human obedience, sin, which is outside of him, enters into man; because sin has power and freedom to enter the heart; since thoughts are not outside a person, but inside – from the heart. The Apostle says: “I want men to say their prayers without anger or reflection” from the evil ones (1 Tim. 2:8); because, according to the Gospel, thoughts come from the heart (Matthew 15:19). Therefore, begin to pray, and pay attention to your heart and mind; Desire that pure prayer be sent by you to God, but primarily look to see if there is anything interfering with prayer, whether the prayer is pure, whether your mind is occupied with the Lord in the same way as a farmer’s is with agriculture, a husband’s is with his wife, a merchant’s is with trade; and when you kneel down to pray, don’t others steal your thoughts? 13. But you will say that the Lord, having come, condemned sin with the cross, and it is no longer inside a person. On the contrary, just as a warrior, if he places his chariot in someone’s house, then has the power to enter that house and leave it whenever he wants: so sin has the power to rant in the heart; for it is written: “Satan is present” in the heart of Judas (Luke 22:3). And if you say that by the coming of Christ sin is condemned, and after baptism evil no longer has its share to rant in the heart; Don’t you know that from the coming of the Lord until now, many have been baptized and sometimes thought evil? And were some of them not seduced into vanity, or into fornication, or into gluttony? And do all the laity who are in the Church have a blameless and pure heart? Or, don’t we find that after baptism there are many sins, and many sin? Therefore, even after baptism, the thief has the opportunity to enter and do what he wants. It is written: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deut. 6:5). And you say: I love and have the Holy Spirit. But do you really have remembrance of the Lord, love and fervor for Him? Are you attached to the Lord day and night? If you have such love; then you are clean. And if you don’t have; then when earthly worries, nasty and evil thoughts come, find out: are you really not inclined to this, is your soul always drawn to the love of God and committed to God? For worldly thoughts entertain the mind with earthly and corruptible things, and do not allow us to love God or remember the Lord. Often an ignorant person begins to pray, bends his knee, and his mind enters into peace; and to the extent that he undermines the opposing wall of anger and goes deep under it, the extent to which it is destroyed; a person reaches vision and wisdom, which the strong, or the wise, or the vitii do not reach, and they cannot comprehend or know the subtlety of his mind; because he is busy with Divine mysteries. He who is inexperienced in discerning the goodness of pearls, due to his inexperience, does not know how to evaluate them. Therefore, Christians abhor what is glorious on earth and consider it rotten in comparison with the greatness that works in them. 14. Question. Can a person fall, having the gift of grace? Answer . If he is careless, he falls; because enemies never remain inactive, and wage war without indulging in laziness. How much more should you not stop searching for yourself before God. For much harm comes to you if you indulge in negligence, even though, apparently, you have been tested in the very sacrament of grace. 15. Question. Does grace remain in man after his fall? Answer. God is pleased to bring man into life again, and He exhorts man to weep and repent again. And if a person continues to do this; then God convinces the one who repents of his long-standing sins to cry again and repent. 16. Question. Will the perfect face tribulation or warfare? Or are they completely carefree? Answer. There is no person whom the enemy stops attacking. Satan is merciless and hateful, therefore he is not lazy to attack any person; but, apparently, it does not attack everyone with the same force. And the heads of the regions and the comites pay tribute to the king; but such a person, boldly relying on his wealth, gold and silver, as if from his excesses, contributes taxes, not considering this a loss for himself, just as the giver of alms does not consider this at all a loss. Likewise, Satan considers this as an extraneous matter. And another is poor, does not have daily food, and is beaten and tortured; because he cannot pay taxes. Others are cruelly tormented and tormented, and he does not die; another is ordered to be beheaded for one word, and he dies. Likewise, among Christians, others endure strong warfare and torment from sin, and even become stronger and wiser in the warfare, neglecting the opposing force, and there is no danger for them in this regard; because they are unshakable and confident in their salvation; since they often practiced and gained experience in the battle against malice, and God himself was with them; They are guided and given peace by God. 17. Others, without having yet exercised, if they fall into sorrow and war rises up against them, they are immediately plunged into trouble and death. Like those walking through the city, wanting to see their loved ones and their acquaintances, although they meet many in the squares, they do not linger; because they intend to see friends; and when they knock on the door from outside and call their name, their loved ones joyfully open it; and if they stop and joke in the squares, or are delayed by those they meet, then the door remains locked, and no one opens for them: so those who hasten to come to our truly beloved Master Christ must neglect and despise everything else. As those who enter the palace of the king, the comites, or leaders of the regions, are in great fear of how to give them an answer and not be subject to reproach and punishment if they make a mistake in the answer; and the villagers and common people, who have never seen the prince, behave carefree: so this entire heavenly world, everyone from kings to beggars, not knowing the glory of Christ, is concerned about the affairs of everyday life, and not soon will anyone remember the day of judgment; those who enter with their thoughts into the judgment seat of Christ, where the throne of Christ is, and those who always stand before Christ remain in constant fear and trembling, so as not to sin in any way against His holy commandments. 18. The rich people of the earth, when a lot of fruits have been gathered into their barns, again begin to work even more every day so that they may have abundance and not become scarce. If they rely on the wealth lying in the granaries and are negligent, not adding new things, but spending what is due; they will soon fall into poverty and misery. Why, collecting profits and bringing them into granaries, should they work and collect again, so as not to reach poverty. So, in Christianity, a person can taste the grace of God; for it is said: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 33:9): this tasting is undoubtedly the active power of the Spirit, serving in the heart. For those who are the sons of light and the ministry of the New Testament in the Holy Spirit do not learn anything from people, as they are taught by God. Grace itself writes the laws of the Spirit on their hearts. Therefore, not only in the Scriptures, written in ink, should they find confirmation for themselves, but also on the tablets of the heart, the grace of God writes the laws of the Spirit and heavenly mysteries; because the heart is sovereign and kingly in the whole bodily joint. And when grace takes possession of the pastures of the heart; then she reigns over all members and thoughts: for there is the mind and all thoughts, and the aspirations of the soul. Why, grace penetrates all members of the body. 19. And vice versa, in those who are the sons of darkness, sin reigns over the heart and penetrates into all parts: “for from the heart come evil thoughts” (Matthew 15:19). And thus, sin, spreading, darkens a person. And those who claim that there is no evil in man, which feeds and grows with him, should not worry about the morning and have no desires. For some time, evil ceased to disturb them by instilling any desire: and therefore, a person with an oath claims: “such and such a passion no longer rises in me”; but after a while he burns with desire, and moreover, he turns out to be an oathbreaker. How water flows in a pipe; so sin is in the heart and thoughts. Those who reject this are exposed and ridiculed by sin itself when it triumphs over them; because evil tries to hide and hide in a person’s thoughts. 20. Therefore, if someone loves God, then God communicates His love to him; whoever once believed in God adds heavenly faith to him, and the person becomes stronger. Therefore, as you bring Him a gift from your members; so He, likewise, will give from His own members to your soul, so that you can do everything, love and pray, purely. For high is the dignity of man. Look what the sky, earth, sun and moon are like: and the Lord did not deign to rest in them, but only in man. Therefore, man is more precious than all creatures, even, I dare say, not only visible, but also invisible creatures, that is, ministering spirits. For God did not say about the Archangels Michael and Gabriel: “Let us create in our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26), but spoke about the intelligent human essence, I mean the immortal soul. It is written: The hosts of angels are “around those who fear Him” (Ps. 33:8); and visible creatures are bound by some kind of motionless nature. 21. Once the sky, the sun, the moon, the earth were brought into order, and the Lord was not pleased with them; on the contrary, they cannot leave the state in which they were created and have no will. And you were created in the image and likeness of God; because, just as God is free and does what He wants (if He pleases, by His power He will send the righteous to Gehenna and the sinners to the kingdom; but He will not choose this and will not agree to this, for the Lord is just), so you are free; and if you want to perish, then your nature is changeable; If you want to spew blasphemy, create poison, kill someone, no one opposes you or forbids you. He who wants, submits to God, and follows the path of truth, and has control over his wishes; because this mind is an opponent, and with a strong thought it can overcome vicious aspirations and vile desires. 22. If in a large house - where the walls and ceilings are covered with gold and silver, where there are various clothes, gold and silver, living slaves and slaves (although our nature, due to the sin inherent in it, lusts for everything), - they curb their minds, and, out of human fear of the masters, restrain the aspirations of desires: then how much more so, where there is the fear of God, the mind must resist and resist what is living in man vice; because God has commanded you what is possible for you. So the nature of dumb animals is connected; for example, a snake is by nature evil and poisonous, why are all snakes like that; the wolf is accustomed to stealing, and all wolves are of the same nature; the lamb is simply stolen, and they are all of the same quality; the pigeon is simple and innocent, all pigeons are of the same quality. But man is not like that. One is a ravenous wolf, and the other is stolen like a lamb, and both come from the same human race. 23. Some are not content with their own wife and live fornication; and the other will not allow lust to arise in his heart. One steals his neighbor's property; and the other, out of godliness, gives away his own. You see how flexible one and the same nature is, inclined sometimes towards the bad, sometimes towards the beautiful, and as a result of both, has the ability to deign to do whatever it wants. Therefore, our nature is suitable for both good and evil, both for God’s grace and for resisting power. But she cannot be forced. Adam himself, initially being in purity, reigned over his thoughts; but, as soon as he transgressed the commandment, unbearable mountains lay on his mind, and the vicious thoughts that were mixed in all became as if he were his own. But none of them are his own; because they are supported by vice. 24. Finally, you need to look for a lamp to light it and with it to find pure thoughts: because they are natural to you; The Lord created them clean. Those brought up on the sea learn to swim, and when storms and waves arise, they are not horrified. So are Christians. Just as the mind of a three-year-old child cannot contain or comprehend the thoughts of a perfect sophist, therefore the distance of their years is great: so Christians, like breastfeeding babies, understand the world, looking at the measure of grace. They are alien to this age; Their city is different, their rest is different. Christians have the consolation of the Spirit, tears, weeping and sighing, and tears themselves constitute pleasure for them. With joy and joy, they also have fear, and thus become like people who carry their blood in their hands, do not rely on themselves, and do not think about themselves that they mean anything, but behave as if they are humiliated and rejected by all people. 25. If the king places his treasure with some beggar; then the one who accepted it for safekeeping does not consider this treasure to be his own property, but everywhere admits his poverty, not daring to squander someone else’s treasure; because he always reasons with himself: “This treasure is not only someone else’s, but it was also given to me by a strong king, and when he wants, he will take it from me.” And those who have the grace of God must also think about themselves, be humble, and confess their poverty. If a beggar, having accepted the treasure entrusted to him from the king and relying on this foreign treasure, begins to exalt himself with it as if it were his own wealth, and his heart is filled with arrogance; then the king takes the treasure from him, and the one who had it for safekeeping remains the same beggar as he was before. So, if those who have grace become arrogant and their hearts become puffed up, then the Lord will take away His grace from them, and they will remain the same as they were before receiving grace from the Lord. 26. But many, although grace is inherent in them, do not know that they have been robbed by sin. Just as if a young woman, as well as a young man, lives in some house, and the woman, seduced by the man, finally comes into agreement with him, commits adultery and becomes despicable: so the terrible serpent of sin dwells with the soul, seduces and convinces it, and if it agrees, then the disembodied soul enters into communion with the disembodied malice of the spirit, that is, the spirit enters into communion with the spirit, and commits adultery in its heart the one who accepts the thought of the evil one and agrees to it. Therefore, the measure of your achievement is that you do not commit adultery in your thoughts, but resist with your mind and internally wage war, fight against vice and not obey it, not enjoy it in your thoughts. And if the Lord finds this readiness in you; then on the last day He will receive you into His kingdom. 27. The Lord arranges things differently so as not to leave His divine grace and His calling untested. Other things are built by permission in order to introduce a person into temptation and exercise, and so that the free will of a person is revealed. For those who have been subjected to sorrows and temptations, if they endure them, will not be deprived of the heavenly kingdom. Why, Christians in sorrowful circumstances do not grieve and do not grieve. If they are tested by poverty or suffering; then we should not be amazed at this, but rather, enjoy poverty and count it as wealth, and fasting as pleasure, dishonor and disgrace as glory. And vice versa, if they encounter something that is considered glorious in this life, and attracts them to carnal peace, or to wealth, or to fame, or to luxury; then we should not enjoy all this, but flee from it as from fire. 28. In the visible world, if a small people rose up to fight the king, then the king does not bother to go to war himself, but sends soldiers with military leaders, and they wage war; if a numerous people rebelled and could devastate his kingdom, then the king himself, with his courtiers and his army, is forced to go and manage military affairs. Therefore, take into account your dignity: God moved with His army, that is, with the Angels and holy spirits, and He Himself came to intercede for you and deliver you from death. Stand firm and imagine what kind of industry is for you. As we are still in this life, we take examples from everyday life. Just as if a king, having found a poor and sick man, was not ashamed of him, but began to heal his wounds with medicinal compounds, and carried him to his palace, and clothed him in purple and a diadem, and made him an accomplice of his meal: so the heavenly King Christ, having come to the sick man, healed him and introduced him to His royal meal; and, moreover, without forcing his will, but acting on him with admonitions, he elevated him to such honor. 29. It is written in the Gospel that the Lord sent servants to call those who wished and announce to them: “Behold, My dinner has been prepared” (Matthew 22:4), but those who were called refused and said: one: “the husband bought the oxen,” the other: “I have drunk the wife” (Luke 14:19–20). Do you see, He who called was ready, but those who were called denied, and, of course, were their own fault? Such is the dignity of Christians! You see, the Lord has prepared a kingdom for them, he calls them to come in, but they don’t want to. About the gift that Christians inherit, it can rightly be said that if every person from the time Adam was created until the end of the world fought with Satan and endured sorrow, he would not have done anything great in comparison with the glory that he inherits; because he will reign with Christ for endless ages. Glory to Him who loved the soul so much that He gave Himself and His grace and entrusted it to the soul! Glory to His greatness! 30. In appearance, all of us, the brethren sitting here, have one image and one Adam’s face. Is it really possible that, both secretly and in the very interior, everyone has one will, one heart? Are we really all one, all good and pious? Or are only some of us like this, because some have fellowship with Christ and His Angels, and others with Satan and demons, although we all sit together, seeming to be one person, we all have one Adam’s face? Do you see how the intelligent essence, the inner man, is something different from the outer man? For we are all as if we were one; but some are with Christ and with the Angels, while others are with Satan and unclean spirits. Therefore, there is some kind of boundless depth in the heart; there are banquet rooms, and bedchambers, and doors, and vestibules, and many services, and exits; there is a working church of deeds of truth and untruth there; there is death there, there is also life; there is a good and a contrary purchase there. 31. Imagine vast palaces: but they are desolate, filled with all sorts of stench, with many dead bodies. So the heart is the palace of Christ; but it is filled with all uncleanness and many crowds of evil spirits. Therefore, it is necessary to renew and rebuild it, to prepare the inner chambers and spoons. For King Christ with the Angels and holy spirits goes to rest there, and to live, and to walk, and to establish His kingdom. I say that, just as on a ship, if it is fully equipped, the helmsman orders and controls everyone, reprimands some, tells others what to do: so the heart has a helmsman - a mind, and a convicting conscience, and thoughts that condemn and justify; for the Apostle says: “with thoughts of condemnation or rebuke among one another” (Rom. 2:15). 32. You see that conscience does not give its consent to such thoughts that obey sin, but immediately denounces them, for it does not lie and, always denouncing, testifies that it will speak before the face of God on the day of judgment. If the chariot, reins, animals and everything necessary are in the hands of one charioteer; then, when he wants, he rushes on the chariot with all speed, and when he wants, he holds back the chariot, and again, wherever he wants, he turns it, and there it passes, which is why the entire chariot is in the power of the charioteer. Likewise, the heart has many natural thoughts that are closely connected with it, and the mind and conscience give admonitions and directions to the heart, and lull the natural thoughts that arise in the heart; because the soul has many compositions, although it is one. 33. As soon as Adam transgressed the commandment, the serpent entered and became the ruler of the house, and he is with the soul as another soul. And the Lord says: everyone who does not deny himself and hate his own soul is not My disciple (Luke 14:26); and: “He who loves his life will destroy it” (John 12:25). For sin, having entered the soul, became its member; it even cleaves to the physical person, and many unclean thoughts flow into the heart. Therefore, whoever fulfills the desires of his soul fulfills the desires of his heart; because the soul is connected and united with it. Therefore, whoever conquers his soul and is angry with himself and with the wishes that are in him, he is like one who conquers the city of his enemies and is honored to come to a good measure of the spirit, and by Divine power accepts a pure person into himself, and becomes something greater than himself, because such a one is already adored and becomes a son of God, receiving the heavenly seal into his soul. For God's elect are anointed with sanctifying oil, and are made high-ranking men and kings. 34. Man has such a nature that he who is in the depths of vice and works at sin can turn to good, and he who is bound by the Holy Spirit and intoxicated with heaven has the power to turn to evil. Imagine a woman dressed in rags, suffering from hunger, covered in filth; and if, after many labors, she reaches the royal rank, is clothed in purple and a crown, and becomes the king’s bride, then she remembers her former impurity, and has the will to return to her primitive state, but does not dare to stoop to her former shame; because this is reckless. But even those who have tasted God’s grace and become partakers of the Spirit, if they are not careful, fade away and become worse than they were while living in the world. And this happens not because God is changeable and weak, or the Spirit is quenched, but because people themselves do not agree with grace, which is why they are seduced and fall into thousands of evils. For those who have tasted this gift have both with them - both joy and consolation, as well as fear and trembling, both joy and crying; They mourn themselves and the whole Adam, because people have one nature, and their tears are bread, their crying is pleasure and peace. 35. If you see someone arrogant and puffed up because he is a partaker of grace; then even if he performed signs and raised the dead, if he does not recognize his soul as dishonest and humiliated, and himself as poor in Spirit and vile, he is hidden by malice, and he himself does not know it. Even if he performs signs, one should not believe him; because the sign of Christianity is for someone who is well-skilled before God to try to hide this from people, and if he has all the treasures of the king, to hide them and always say: “This treasure is not mine, someone else put it with me; and I am a beggar; when he who puts it wants, he will take it from me.” If someone says: “I am rich, what I have acquired is enough for me; no longer needed"; then such a person is not a Christian, but a vessel of delusion and the devil. For the pleasure of God is insatiable, and to the extent that someone eats and partakes, the more hungry he becomes. Such people have ardor and uncontrollable love for God; The more they try to succeed and acquire, the more they recognize themselves as poor, as meager in everything and having acquired nothing. They say: “I am not worthy for this sun to shine on me.” This is a sign of Christianity, this is humility. 36. If someone says: “I am sufficient and abundant”; then he is seduced and a liar. Just as the body of the Lord, when He ascended the mountain, was glorified and transformed into Divine glory and infinite light: so the bodies of the Saints are glorified and made shining. For just as the inner glory of Christ was to such an extent spread out and shone on the body of Christ: so, like this, in the Saints within, the real power of Christ on that day will overflow outside - onto their bodies; because even now with their minds they partake of Christ’s essence and Christ’s nature. For it is written: “Both He who is holy and those who are sanctified are of one” (Heb. 2:11); and: “The glory that you gave to me, you gave to them” (John 17:22). Just as many lamps are lit by one fire, so it is necessary for the bodies of the Saints - these members of Christ - to become one and the same with Christ Himself. 37. Question. In what sense are Christians superior to the first Adam? – Adam was immortal and incorruptible in soul and body, but Christians die and decay. Answer. True death is inside - in the heart, and it is hidden; the inner man dies with it. Therefore, if someone has passed from death to the hidden life, then he truly lives forever and does not die. Even if their bodies are destroyed for a while, they will be resurrected again in glory, because they have been sanctified. Therefore, we call the death of Christians sleep and dormition. And if a person became immortal and incorruptible in body; then the whole world, seeing the extraordinary nature of the matter, namely, that the bodies of Christians do not decay, would bow to goodness out of some necessity, and not out of arbitrary disposition. 38. But in order for the freedom that God gave him in the beginning to be clearly visible and remain in man, everything is arranged with special consideration for this, and bodies are destroyed, so that it is in the will of man to turn to good or to evil. For just as one who is perfect is not bound by any necessity to good, so one who is mired in sin and makes himself a vessel of the devil, by whom the world is condemned, is not bound to evil; on the contrary, he also has the freedom to become a vessel of election and life, and similarly, those intoxicated with the Divine, although filled and bound by the Holy Spirit, are nevertheless not restrained by any necessity, but have the freedom to turn and do in this age what they want. 39. Question. Is evil gradually thinned out and eradicated, and a person prospers in grace, or is evil eradicated immediately as progress begins? Answer. Just as a fetus in its mother’s womb does not suddenly become a man, but gradually takes on a human form, and is born, however, at an immature age as a man, but first grows for many years, and then becomes a husband; and also the seeds of barley or wheat do not immediately take root as soon as they are thrown into the ground, but when the cold and winds pass, then in due time they sprout stems; and whoever plants a pear tree does not immediately collect the fruit from it: so in the spiritual, where there is so much wisdom and subtlety, a person gradually grows and comes “to a perfect man, according to the measure of his age” (Eph. 4:13), and not, as others claim, as if this is the same as being unclothed and clothed. 40. Whoever wants to study verbal sciences goes and memorizes the letters, and when he is the first there, he enters the Latin school, where he is the last of all; when he again becomes the first there, he enters the grammar school, and again becomes the last and newest of all; then, when he becomes a scholastic, he is the newest and last of all jurists; and when he becomes the first there again, then he becomes a ruler, and when he becomes a boss, he takes on his comrades as assistants. Therefore, if in the visible there are so many degrees of progress; How much more can the heavenly mysteries allow progress and increase in many degrees? And only after long-term exercises, those who have avoided many temptations become perfect. For those Christians who have really tasted grace, and have the sign of the cross in their minds and hearts, consider everything, from the rulers to the beggars, to be rotten and stenchful, and they alone can understand that the whole earthly world and royal treasures, and wealth, and glory, and words of wisdom - all this is some kind of dream, something that does not have a solid foundation, but is transitory; and if there is anything under heaven, then for them it is worthy of all contempt. 41. Why is this? - Because what is wonderful and wondrous is that which is above the heavens, which is not found either in the treasures of kings, or in the words of wisdom, or in the glory of the world. And the dignity or wealth that they acquired for themselves - having the Lord and Creator of all things in the inner man - is not a transitory acquisition, but eternally abiding. For Christians know that the soul is more precious than all creatures; because one person was created in the image and likeness of God. Look how vast the heavens and the earth are, how precious are the creatures on them, and how majestic are their belongings! But man is more precious than all this; because the Lord was pleased with him alone, although the whales of the sea, mountains and animals, apparently, are greater than man. Therefore, consider your worth, how precious you are; God placed you above the Angels when He Himself came to earth in His person to be your Intercessor and your Redeemer. 42. When did angels come to save you? The King, the Son of Kings, held counsel with His Father, and the Word was sent, and having put on flesh and hidden His Divinity, in order to save like, He laid His soul on the cross. So great is God's love for man! The immortal was pleased to be crucified for you. Therefore, look how “God loved the world, for He also gave His only begotten Son to eat” for it (John 3:16). “How can he not also give us all things with Him” (Rom. 8:32)? And in another place the Scripture says: “Amen, I say to you, He will set him over all his possessions” (Matthew 24:47). And in another place he shows that Angels are the servants of the Saints. When Elijah was on the mountain, and foreigners were coming against him, the youth said: “Many people are coming against us, but we are alone.” Then Elijah answers: “Don’t you see that there are regiments and many Angels helping us around us?” Do you see that the Lord himself and many angels are with His servants? Therefore, what does the soul mean, and how highly is it valued by God? Both God and the Angel are looking for her in order to have her in their own fellowship and in the kingdom, and Satan and his forces are looking for her in order to attract her to their side. 43. Just as in the visible world a king chooses for his service not shepherds, but good-looking and well-educated people; so in the heavenly palace those who are blameless, blameless, and pure in heart serve the heavenly King. And just as in the royal palaces beautiful maidens, without any blemish, the most beautiful ones, enter the royal community: so in the spiritual, only souls adorned with all sorts of good morals are honored with communication with the heavenly King. In the visible world, if a prince goes somewhere to stay, and there happens to be some uncleanness in this house, the house is repaired, a lot of decorations are made in it, incense is poured out: how much more, the house of the soul, in which the Lord rests, needs many decorations so that the Most Pure and All-Perfect One can enter there and rest there. For in such a heart God and the entire heavenly Church rests. 44. In the visible world, if a father has property, he also has tiaras and precious stones, then he hides them in the storerooms of churches, and saves them for his beloved son, and gives them to him. So God entrusted His acquisition and His own treasures to the soul. In the visible world, if there is a war, and the king comes to fight with an army, but his side is smaller or weaker, he immediately sends an embassy to ask for peace. And if a strong nation meets a strong one, and a king with a king, for example, Persian and Roman; then, out of all necessity, both kings must move with their entire army. Therefore, look what your dignity is; because God with His own army (I mean Angels and spirits) moved into battle with the enemy in order to deliver you from death. That's why God came for you. 45. Imagine that the king finds some beggar who has leprosy on all his limbs, and is not ashamed, but applies medicine to his ulcers and heals his scabs, and finally, brings him to the royal meal, and puts purple on him, and makes him king. God did the same with the human race, washed away people’s wounds, healed them, and brought them into the heavenly bridal chamber. Therefore, the dignity of Christians is great; it is incomparable to anything. And if someone is driven to distraction and robbed by malice; then it is likened to a city that has no walls, and robbers freely enter it from wherever they want, and devastate and burn it. So, if you are careless and not attentive to yourself; then evil spirits come, turn the mind into nothing and empty the mind, scattering thoughts in this age. 46. ​​Many, strictly observing the external, practicing the sciences and caring about the right life, think that such a person is perfect, without delving into the heart, without noticing there the vices that possess the soul. Meanwhile, in the members there is a root of vice, commensurate with the internal vicious thought, and in the house lies a robber, that is, an opposing force, and therefore opposing and at the same time mental. And if someone does not struggle with sin, then internal vice, spreading gradually, with its multiplication, draws a person into obvious sins, leading to the commission of them by deed itself; because evil, like the opening of a source, always exudes a stream. Therefore, try to hold back the streams of vice, so that, falling into thousands of evils, you do not become numb with amazement, like a noble and rich man, living carefree, who is suddenly taken by the servants and officials of the prince and led to him, saying: “You have been accused of a crime and are subject to a death sentence,” and, frightened by such news, he already loses all reasoning and becomes numb from amazement. 47. Therefore, conclude the same about evil spirits. For the visible world, from kings to beggars, is all in confusion, in disorder, in struggle, and none of them knows the reason for this, that is, this obvious evil that arose as a result of Adam’s disobedience, this sting of death; because the sin that came, as a certain rational force and essence of Satan, sowed all evil: it secretly acts on the inner man and on the mind, and fights with it with thoughts; people do not know that they are doing this, prompted by some alien force; on the contrary, they think that it is natural, and that they are doing this according to their own reasoning. But in their very minds, those who have the peace of Christ and the illumination of Christ know where all this comes from. 48. The world suffers from the disease of vice, and does not know it. There is an unclean fire that inflames the heart, runs through all the members and prompts people to lewdness and thousands of evil deeds. And those who are irritated and enjoy themselves, internally, in their hearts, commit fornication; and when evil thus finds food for itself, they fall into open fornication. Also understand about the love of money, about vanity, about arrogance, about jealousy, about irritability. Just as if someone is invited to dinner and a lot of food is offered to him, so sin inspires him to taste everything, and then the enjoying soul is burdened. Passions are unbearable mountains; among them are rivers of snakes, poisonous animals and reptiles. Imagine that someone swallows a person into his belly: in the same way sin consumes souls. Passions are a burning fiery flame and kindled arrows of the evil one; for the Apostle says: yes, “you will be able to quench the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16), because evil has grown up and laid a foundation in the soul. 49. But the wise, when passions arise, do not obey them, but express anger at evil wishes, and become enemies of themselves; because Satan greatly desires peace and space in his soul, and he grieves and is embarrassed when the soul does not obey. Others are so dominated by Divine power that if they see a young man with a woman, even though they think something, their mind is not defiled and does not commit internal sin. However, such a person should not yet boldly rely on himself. And there are also those in whom lust has completely ceased, faded and faded; but only the great ones achieve this measure. Just as merchants, having stripped themselves naked, plunge into the depths of the sea to die under water in order to find pearls there suitable for the royal crown and purple: so the monks, having stripped themselves of everything, leave the world and plunge into the depths of the sea of wickedness and the abyss of darkness, and from the depths they take and carry away precious stones that enter the crown of Christ, the heavenly Church, into the new age, into luminous city, in the Angelic Cathedral. 50. Just as many types of fish are caught in a net, and those that are unfit are immediately thrown into the sea again: so the sea of ​​grace extends to everyone, and seeks peace for everyone; but people do not obey, and therefore they are again plunged into the same depths of darkness. Just as gold is washed out of more sand, and then in the form of the smallest grains, like millet, so out of many, a few are skillful. For those who work for the kingdom are visible, those who adorn its word are visible; also visible are those who are dissolved with heavenly salt and speak borrowed from the treasures of the Spirit. Vessels are visible in which God is pleased and to which He gives His grace. And others, with much patience, accept the sanctifying power into themselves according to the manifold will of the Lord. Therefore, someone who speaks but is not guided by heavenly light and wisdom cannot implant conviction in everyone’s mind; because there are many wills, and some are in battle, while others are at rest. 51. Imagine a deserted city, and someone wants to build it again; - He immediately completely destroys what threatens to fall and has fallen, then he begins to dig, and lays foundations in ditches and builds buildings, but there is no house in the city yet. And whoever wants to plant a garden in empty and stinking places, first begins to clear the place, fence it off and prepare water pipes, and then he plants it, and what is planted grows, so that in this way, after a long time, the garden will bear fruit. So human wills, through crime, became wild, desolate, overgrown with thorns; for God said to man: “The earth will grow thorns and thistles for you” (Gen. 3:18). Therefore, a lot of labor and achievement is required to find someone and lay a foundation, until fire descends in the human heart and begins to cleanse the thorns; and then people begin to be sanctified, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 16. About the fact that spiritual people are subject to temptations and sorrows stemming from the first sin 1. The Creator created all rational entities, I mean Angels, souls and demons, pure and very simple. And that some of them turned to evil - this happened to them out of self-will; because, of their own free will, they deviated from the rightful thought. If we say that the Creator created them evil; then let us call God an unrighteous judge, who sends Satan into the fire. But there are heretics who claim that matter is without beginning, and that it is the root, the root force, and is equivalent to God. You can thoroughly object to this: what kind of power finally prevails? It must be said that it is the power of God. And in this case, the defeated one is no longer modern or unequal to the victorious one. Those who claim that evil is independent know nothing. For in God there is no independent evil according to His impassivity and Divinity. Evil acts in us with all its strength and sensitivity, inspiring all unclean desires; however, it is dissolved with us not as others say about mixing wine with water, but as in one field both wheat grows on its own and tares on their own, or as in one house there is a separate thief and a separate owner of the house. 2. The spring pours out clean water; but at the bottom lies mud. If anyone disturbs the mud, the entire source becomes muddy. So the soul, when it is indignant, dissolves with vice. And Satan does something with the soul; both spirits during fornication or murder constitute one thing. Therefore, “the wicked one is joined in one body with the harlot” (1 Cor. 6:16). However, at other times, an independent soul acts on its own, and repents of its actions, cries, prays, and brings God to its memory. And if the soul were always mired in evil, then how could it do this; because Satan, being hard-hearted, does not want people to turn to repentance? And the wife, when married to her husband, is one with him, but at other times they are separated from each other: because often one of them dies, while the other remains alive. A similar thing happens when the soul communicates with the Holy Spirit: the soul becomes one spirit with Him. “Be cleave unto the Lord; for there is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). This happens when a person is absorbed in grace itself. 3. Others, having already tasted the sweetness of God, are still subject to the influence of the enemy on them, and out of inexperience they are amazed that even after God’s visit, thoughts have their effect during the Christian sacraments. But those who grow old in this state are not surprised at this, just like experienced farmers, due to long-term practice, when fertility occurs, they do not remain completely careless, but expect hunger and poverty, and vice versa, when hunger or poverty befalls them, they do not completely lose hope, knowing that times are changing. So in the spiritual, when the soul falls under various temptations, it does not marvel and does not despair; for he knows that, by God’s permission, malice is allowed to test and punish it, and vice versa, with its great wealth and peace, it does not become careless, but expects change. The sun is a body and a creature, but, illuminating stinking places where there is mud and uncleanness, it does not tolerate or become defiled in the least; how much more does the pure and Holy Spirit, dwelling in the soul, which is still under the influence of the evil one, borrow nothing from it; for “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot comprehend it” (John 1:5). 4. Therefore, when a person is in the depths of grace and enriched by it, then there is still a potion of vice in him, but he also has an intercessor who helps him. Why, when someone is in sorrow, or in the agitation of passions, should not lose hope; because despair introduces sin even more into the soul and makes it white. And when someone has unceasing hope in God, the evil seems to thin out and become watery in him. If others are weakened, have damaged limbs, suffer from fire and are unwell; then this came from sin, because it is the root of all evil; from him there are spiritual wishes and bad thoughts. If the source is flowing; then the places surrounding it are damp and damp. And how soon the heat comes; Both the source and nearby places dry up. So in the servants of God, in whom grace abounds, it dries up both the desire aroused by the evil one, as well as the natural one; because now God's men have become higher than the first Adam. 5. God is indescribable and incomprehensible, He reveals Himself everywhere, on the mountains, in the sea and at the bottom of the abyss, without moving from one place to another, just as Angels descend from heaven to earth; He is in heaven, He is here too. But you ask: how is it possible for God to be in Gehenna, or how is it possible for Him to be in darkness or in Satan, or in places where there is a stench? I answer you that God is impassive and embraces everything; because it's indescribable. And Satan, as His creature, is bound by Him; what is good is not desecrated or darkened. And if you do not affirm that God embraces everything, both Gehenna and Satan, then you allow us to conclude that He is described by the place in which the evil one is located, and you force us to look for another god who is higher than Him; because God needs to be everywhere, above everything. But according to the mystery and subtlety of the Divine, the darkness that He embraces does not embrace Him. Evil cannot be a participant in the purity that is in God. Therefore, for God there is no independent evil; because He suffers no harm from anything. 6. But for us there is evil; because it lives and acts in the heart, instilling evil and unclean thoughts, preventing us from offering pure prayers, making the mind a captive of this age. It clothes itself in the soul, touches the very composition of the bones. Just as Satan is in the air, and, being co-present there, God is not at all embarrassed by it: so there is sin in the soul, and equally co-present, without being in the least embarrassed, is God’s grace. Just as a slave, if he is near his master, is under fear the entire time he is near him, and does nothing without him: so we must expose and reveal our thoughts before the Master and Heart-Knower Christ, and have hope and trust in Him, because He is my glory, He is my father. He is my wealth. Therefore, you should always have care and fear in your conscience. And if someone does not yet have God’s grace implanted and established in himself, then day and night, as if to something natural, let his soul cleave to that which at times guides him, awakens him and directs him to good. Let, at least, as something natural and unchangeable, there be in him care, fear, pain and contrition of heart always established in him. 7. But just as a bee secretly makes a honeycomb in a hive, so grace secretly produces its love in hearts, and turns bitterness into sweetness, and hard-heartedness into kindness. And like a silversmith and a carver, carving a dish in parts, he covers the different animals that he carves on it; and when he finishes the work, then he shows the dish in full splendor: so the true Artist, the Lord, decorates our hearts with carvings and renews them mysteriously until we leave the body; and then the beauty of the soul will become visible. Those who want to arrange vessels and depict animals on them first make a wax cast, and in its likeness the vessel is cast, which is why the work finally takes its form. Likewise, sin, being of a spiritual nature, has its own image and is transformed into many forms. Likewise, the inner man is a kind of living being, having its own image and its own outline; because the inner man is the likeness of the outer. This is an important and precious vessel; because God favors him more than all creatures. And just as the good thoughts of the soul are like precious stones and pearls, so unclean thoughts are filled with dead bones and all uncleanness and stench. 8. Therefore, Christians belong to another age, they are the sons of heavenly Adam, a new birth, children of the Holy Spirit, luminous brothers of Christ, like their spiritual and luminous Father Adam; from that city they are, from that generation, they are involved in that power; do not belong to this world, but to another world. For the Lord himself says: you “are not of this world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). Like a merchant, returning from afar, having increased his purchase many times over, he sends to his family to buy him houses, gardens and the necessary clothes; when he comes to his homeland and brings with him great wealth, his family and relatives receive him with great joy: this also happens in spiritual things. If others redeem heavenly wealth for themselves, then their fellow citizens, that is, the spirits of Saints and Angels, will learn about this, and they will be amazed, saying: “Our brothers who are on earth have acquired great wealth.” Such in their relationship, having the Lord with them, ascend with great joy to those above, and those who are with the Lord receive them, having prepared for them abodes, gardens, all-bright and valuable clothes. 9. Therefore, sobriety is needed in everything, so that even those benefits that we apparently have do not turn to our detriment. For even people who are good by nature, if they are not careful, are gradually enticed by goodness itself, and those who have wisdom are robbed by wisdom itself. Therefore, a person must be moderate in all parts: temper goodness with severity, wisdom with prudence, words with deeds, and place all trust in the Lord, and not in oneself. For virtue is corrected by many, just as some necessary food requires fragrant wine or something else for its seasoning, and not only honey, but also pepper, and only in this case it becomes fit for consumption. 10. Those who claim that there is no sin in man are like people who during a flood drown in many waters, and do not admit it, but say: “We heard the sound of waters.” So these too, wallowing in the depths of the waves of vice, claim that there is no sin in their minds and thoughts. And there are others who have words and speak, but are not seasoned with heavenly salt, and therefore, they talk about the royal meal, but they themselves do not eat it, and do not gain anything. And another sees the king himself and, when his treasures are opened, he enters, receives the inheritance, eats and drinks these valuable foods. 11. If a mother had an only-begotten son, the most handsome in face, wise, adorned with all blessings, and all her hopes lay in this son, but she buried him; then all that remains for her is one incessant sorrow, one inconsolable cry. So, the mind about the soul, as having died for God, should begin to weep and shed tears, constantly indulge in sorrow, heartily lament, be in fear and care, always hunger and thirst for good. Finally, the grace of God and hope come to such a person, and he no longer has to cry; on the contrary, he rejoices as if he had found a treasure, and again trembles so as not to lose it; because robbers are attacking. And just as someone who has repeatedly fallen into the hands of robbers and, having suffered losses from them, with great difficulty escaped from them, and after that has acquired enormous property and great wealth, is no longer afraid of ruin due to the increased wealth: so spiritual people, who first went through many temptations and terrible places, then were filled with grace and abundant in blessings, are no longer afraid of those who want to plunder them, because their wealth is not small. However, they also have fear - not the fear of people frightened by evil spirits, but fear and concern about how to manage the spiritual gifts entrusted to them. 12. Such a person considers himself humiliated more than all sinners; and such a thought is implanted in him as natural; and the deeper he enters into the knowledge of God, the more he considers himself ignorant; The more he studies, the more he admits that he knows nothing. This promoting grace produces in the soul as something natural. Just as if a baby is in the arms of a young man, then the one holding him in his arms carries him wherever he wants: so the deep-penetrating grace holds the mind in his arms and lifts him to heaven, to perfect peace, to eternal rest. But even in grace itself there are measures and orders. One is the commander of a military detachment, having boldness before the king, and another is the leader of the entire army. Just as a house full of smoke spills it into the outside air, so vice, having filled the soul, pours out and bears fruit. Just as those who are entrusted with the main administration of a region or the royal treasure are at all times concerned so as not to offend the king in any way, so those who are entrusted with spiritual matters are always concerned, and having peace, it is as if they do not have it: because they are still expelling from the soul the kingdom of darkness that has invaded the city, that is, the soul, and the barbarians who have taken possession of its pastures. 13. King Christ sends avengers to this city, binds its tormentors, settles there, as in his own fatherland, the heavenly army, a regiment of holy spirits. Finally, the sun will shine in the heart, and its rays penetrate all members, and deep peace will reign there. Human effort, and feat, and art, and commitment to God, then become visible when, with the retreat of grace, a person will take courage and cry out to God. And you, having heard that there are rivers of serpents and mouths of lions, and dark heavenly powers, and a fiery flame bubbling in the members, such as is not on earth, do you know that if, when you leave your body, you do not accept the pledge of the Holy Spirit, then they will hold back your soul, not allowing you to ascend to heaven? Likewise, hearing about the dignity of the soul, about how precious this intelligent essence is, do you understand that God said not about the Angels, but about human nature: “Let us create in Our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26), and that heaven and earth pass by, and you are called to sonship, to brotherhood, to be the bride of the King? In the visible world, everything that belongs to the groom also belongs to the bride: so everything that belongs to the Lord is entrusted to you. For He himself came to intercede for you, to call you. But you have no idea and don’t understand your nobility. Therefore, rightly, the spirit-bearing man mourns your fall, saying: “This man, in honor without understanding, has been likened to foolish cattle, and has become like them” (Ps. 49:21). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 17. About the spiritual anointing and glory of Christians and that without Christ it is impossible to be saved or become a partaker of eternal life 1. Perfect Christians, who have been deemed worthy to enter the measure of perfection and become close to the King, always devote themselves as a gift to the cross of Christ. As under the Prophets, anointing was most honorable; because kings and prophets were anointed: so now spiritual people, anointed with heavenly anointing, are made Christians by grace, so that they can be kings and prophets of heavenly mysteries. They are sons, and masters, and gods, bound, taken into captivity, overthrown, crucified, dedicated as a gift. If the anointing with oil, which we receive from an earthly plant, from a visible tree, had such power that those who were anointed unquestioningly received the dignity (for everyone recognized that they were appointed kings, and the anointed David immediately underwent persecution and tribulation, and after seven years became king): then how much more are those whose mind and inner man are anointed with the sanctifying and joyful, heavenly and spiritual with the oil of joy, they receive the seal of that incorruptible kingdom and eternal power, the pledge of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit and the Comforter himself (understand that the Comforter both comforts and fulfills the joys of those in sorrow). 2. These, anointed with the oil of the heavenly planting, the tree of life - Jesus Christ, are honored to enter the measure of perfection, that is, the kingdom and adoption, since, while still in this world, they are already the secret places of the heavenly King, have boldness before the Almighty, enter His palace, where the Angels and spirits of the Saints are. For, having not yet received the perfect inheritance prepared for them in this age, with the pledge that they have now received, they secured themselves as already crowned and reigning, and with the abundance and boldness of the Spirit, they do not find it surprising to themselves that they will reign with Christ. Why? Because while still in the flesh, they already had within themselves this sensation of sweetness and this effect of power. 3. He who is a friend of the king, is constantly in his palaces, knows his secrets, sees his purple, when he himself becomes a king and wears a crown, he does not come to amazement and horror, because for a long time he was occupied with the secrets of the king’s palaces. Apart from experienced and educated people, it is impossible for any of the shepherds and common people, unfamiliar with the secrets of the king, to come and reign. Likewise, Christians do not marvel at the fact that they will reign in the next century; because we have previously already learned the secrets of grace. When a person violated the commandment; the devil covered his entire soul with a dark veil. Therefore, grace finally comes and removes all the veil, so that the soul, having already become pure and having perceived its own nature, this blameless and pure creature, always contemplates with pure and pure eyes the glory of the true light and the true sun of righteousness, shining in the very heart. 4. Just as at the end of the world, when this firmament no longer exists, the righteous will already live in the kingdom in light and glory, seeing nothing else but how Christ always abides in glory at the right hand of the Father: so these too, now still raptured and taken captives into that age; contemplate all the wonders and wonders there. For we, while still on earth, have citizenship in heaven, as inhabitants and citizens of one world in mind and in the inner man. Just as the visible eye, being pure, always sees the sun purely: so the mind, being completely cleansed, always sees the glory of the light - Christ and abides with the Lord day and night, just as the body of the Lord, united with the Divine, always coexists with the Holy Spirit. But people do not suddenly achieve this measure, and only through labor, sorrow, or great feat. For there are also those within whom, although grace active and resting within them is inherent in them, vice also remains; and in one heart two kinds of life are active - the life of light and the life of darkness. 5. But of course you will say to me: “What communication is there between light and darkness?” Is the Divine light darkened and disturbed somewhere, and is the undefiled and pure desecrated somewhere? It is written: “and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot comprehend it” (John 1:5). There is no need to understand things in a monotonous and one-sided way. Others rest in God’s grace to such an extent that they are more courageous than the vice that dwells in them, and having prayer and great peace before God, at other times they fall under the influence of evil thoughts and are concealed by sin, although they still remain in the grace of God. But frivolous and ignorant people, when grace partially acts in them, think that there is no longer sin in them; but those who know how to reason and are prudent will not dare to renounce, so that, having the grace of God in themselves, they will not be subject to the influence of shameful and unclean thoughts. 6. We often find in the brothers that others acquired great joy and grace, and, for five or six years, they said about themselves: “lust has faded in us,” and after that, when they considered themselves completely freed from lust, the vice that was hidden in them began to move, and they were kindled with lust, which is why they marveled at themselves and said: “Where did such a vice arise in us after such a long time?” Therefore, no one who thinks sensibly will dare to say: “since grace abides in me, I am completely free from sin.” On the contrary, two faces act on the mind. Those who are inexperienced in the matter, as soon as grace, although somewhat, influenced them, think that they have already won and have become perfect Christians. But in my opinion, it happens like this: when the sun is shining in the sky in clear air, and clouds come over it, cover it and thicken the air, the sun, being behind the clouds, does not suffer any damage either in the light or in its essence. This also happens in those who have not achieved perfect purity. And abiding in the grace of God, and in the depths of their souls still possessed by sin, they have within themselves both natural movements and thoughts that strengthen them in the desire for God, although they are not entirely confirmed in goodness. 7. So, on the contrary, those who in the depths of their souls adhere to the good side, that is, are dominated by grace, still remain slaves and captives of evil thoughts, and are on the side of vice. Therefore, a lot of prudence is required for a person to find out experimentally how things happen in us. I tell you that the Apostles, having the Comforter within them, were not completely carefree. In them, with joy and joy, there was also fear and trembling due to the action of grace itself, and not from the side of vice; grace itself guarded them so that they would not go astray even in the slightest. Just as someone throwing a piece of stone at a wall will not do any damage or move the wall; or, shooting an arrow at someone wearing armor will not harm either the iron or the body, because the armor reflects the arrow: so, if a piece of vice approached the Apostles, it did not harm them; because they were clothed with the perfect power of Christ, and they themselves, being perfect, had the freedom to do righteous deeds. 8. Because some argue that with grace the soul has nothing to worry about; then God, even in the perfect, requires spiritual will to serve the Spirit, so that they act in accordance with grace. For the Apostle says: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19). Some do not want to be a burden to others, some serve themselves, and others take worldly things from people and give them to the poor. And this is superior. Some, having grace, care only about themselves; while others try to benefit the souls of others. The latter have many advantages over the former. And others, having grace, give up their bodies to mockery and suffering for the name of God. And these are again higher than the former. Others, practicing virtue, want people to praise and honor them, saying about themselves: “we are Christians and partakers of the Holy Spirit”; others try to protect themselves from meeting people. – The latter have many advantages over the former. Do you see how, even with perfection itself, zeal for God, depending on the natural will, becomes higher and more dominant? 9. Just as someone dressed in a poor robe, if he sees himself in a dream as a rich man, then, getting up from sleep, again sees himself poor and naked: so those who talk about the spiritual, apparently, speak consistently; but since what they are talking about is not confirmed in the mind by any experience, force or certification, they stop at some dream. Or, as if a woman dressed all in silk and pearls appeared in an indecent house: so in such people their heart is a whorehouse of unclean spirits, they want to talk about righteousness without looking into the deeds. 10. Just as it is impossible for a fish to live without water, or for a man to walk without legs, or to see the light without eyes, or to speak without a tongue, or to hear without ears: so without the Lord Jesus and without the action of God’s power it is impossible for a person to know the mysteries and wisdom of God, or for a person to become rich and a Christian. For those are the true sages, warriors, men of goodness and wise men of God, who, according to the inner man, are led and controlled by God’s power. Hellenic philosophers learn to master words; but there are other philosophers who are ignorant of the word, but rejoice and rejoice in God’s grace, and these are pious men. Let us now decide which of them is better? It is said: “The kingdom of God is in deed and power, and not in words” (1 Cor. 4:20). 11. It is not difficult to tell someone that this bread is made from wheat; but it is necessary to explain in detail exactly how the bread is prepared and baked. Few people can talk about dispassion and perfection. The Gospel puts it succinctly: do not be angry, do not covet. “If someone hits you on the right side of your cheek, give him the other one too; and if anyone sues to take your robe, give him the spores too” (Matthew 5:39,40). The Apostle, extending further, how it is necessary to gradually complete the work of purification with patience and generosity, teaches at length, first feeding him with milk, like infants, and then leading him to growth and perfection. The Gospel said that clothing is made from waves; The apostle explained the details of the preparation. 12. Whoever speaks about spiritual things without tasting it himself is like a man who, when the heat of the day sets in, walks through an empty field, and, languishing with thirst, describes a spring flowing with water, depicting himself as drinking, while his lips and tongue are dry from their scorching thirst, or a man who says about honey that it is sweet, but has not tasted it himself and does not know the power of sweetness. So, if they are talking about perfection, about joy, or about dispassion, they do not feel their effectiveness in themselves and are certified in them; then in reality not everything happens as they say. For when such a person is eventually worthy, at least partially, to begin the task, then he will judge for himself: “It did not turn out as I expected. I reasoned differently, but the Spirit acts differently.” 13. Christianity is food and drink. And the more one tastes it, the more the mind is excited by sweetness, becoming uncontrollable and insatiable, more and more demanding and tasting. Or how; If someone is thirsty and a sweet drink is given to him, then, having tasted it, he becomes even more inflamed with thirst and moves closer to the drink: so eating the Spirit produces an almost unquenchable thirst, which is rightly likened to the thirst of such a person. And these are not just words, but the action of the Holy Spirit, mysteriously promoting the mind. Some people think that by abstaining from communication with their wife and from everything visible, they are already holy. But in reality it is not so; because vice abides in the mind, lives and rises in the heart. Holy is he who has been cleansed and sanctified according to the inner man. Wherever truth penetrates, error fights against it, trying to overshadow and outrage it. 14. When the Jews had the priesthood among themselves, then some of this people were persecuted and insulted, because they stood for the truth; such, for example, are Eleazar and the Maccabees. Now, when, since the time of the cross and the tearing of the veil, the Spirit has departed from the Jews, the truth has been revealed and is already at work here, again some of this people suffer persecution. But then some of this people were persecuted and insulted, so that the lovers of the truth became martyrs. For how will the truth be revealed if it does not have opponents, lying people who rebel against the truth? But even among brothers there are those who bear suffering and sorrow. And they need a lot of caution so as not to fall. One of the brethren, praying together with another, was captivated by Divine power, and the raptured one saw the mountain city of Jerusalem, and luminous images and boundless light, and heard a voice that said: “this is the resting place of the righteous.” Soon afterwards, he became arrogant and thought that he had a vision about himself, and fell into the very abyss and depth of sin, and into thousands of evils. 15. Therefore, if a person who lived internally and was high has fallen, can anyone say: “I fast, lead a wandering life, squander my property, therefore I am already holy”? For abstinence from evil is not perfection itself, unless you have already entered into a humiliated mind and killed the serpent, which lurks under the very mind, in the depths of thoughts, nests and kills you in the so-called secret places and storehouses of the soul; because the heart is an abyss; and so, did you kill him and cast out from yourself all the uncleanness that was in you? All wise men, the Law, the Apostles, and the coming of Christ have the goal of purification. Every person, both Jew and Greek, loves cleanliness, but cannot become pure. Therefore, it is necessary to find out how and by what means one can achieve heart purity. This is not possible otherwise than with the help of Him crucified for us. He is the way, the life, the truth, the door, the pearl, the living and heavenly bread. Without this Truth, it is impossible for anyone to know the truth and be saved. Therefore, just as in the reasoning of the external man and visible things you renounced everything and gave away your property: so, if you have the knowledge and power of words in worldly wisdom, you must renounce everything from yourself, count everything as nothing; then only will you be able to edify yourself in the violence of preaching, which is true wisdom, consisting not in the beauty of words, but in the power of the holy cross. Glory to the consubstantial Trinity forever! Amen. Conversation 18. About the treasure of Christians, that is, about Christ and the Holy Spirit, leading them in various ways to achieve perfection 1. If someone in the world is very rich, and he has a hidden treasure: then with this treasure and the wealth that he has, he acquires for himself everything he wants, and, whatever he wants, obtains any acquisitions in the world without difficulty, relying on his treasure; because they can easily acquire any thing that a person wants to have. So those who first of all sought from God, and found, and already have the heavenly treasure of the Spirit, the Lord himself, shining in their hearts, with this treasure, who is in them by Christ, acquire for themselves all the truth of virtues and all the possession of the goodness of the commandments of the Lord, and with the same treasure they add to themselves even greater heavenly wealth. For with the help of heavenly treasure, firmly relying on the abundance of spiritual wealth in them, they fulfill every virtue of righteousness, and by the power of the invisible wealth of the grace that is in them, they easily fulfill every righteousness and commandment of the Lord. And the Apostle says: having “this treasure in scanty vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7), that is, while still in the flesh, we were deemed worthy to acquire within ourselves this treasure - the sanctifying power of the Spirit. And again: “For we have received wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and deliverance” (1 Cor. 1:30). 2. Therefore, whoever has acquired and has within himself this heavenly treasure of the Spirit, he immaculately and purely performs with it all righteousness according to the commandments and all practice of virtues, without coercion or difficulty. Therefore, we will begin to beg God, we will seek and ask that He also grant us the treasure of His Spirit, and thus be able to abide blamelessly and purely in all His commandments, to purely and perfectly fulfill all the truth of the Spirit, with the help of heavenly treasure, that is, Christ. He who is poor and poor, who is starved to death, because of his poverty, cannot acquire anything in the world. But whoever has a treasure, as has already been said, without labor or pain, acquires any acquisition he wants. So the soul, which is naked and deprived of communion with the Spirit and remains in the terrible poverty of sin, before the communion of the Spirit, cannot, even if it desires, really create the spiritual fruit of righteousness. 3. However, everyone should force himself to ask the Lord, so that he may be worthy to find and receive the heavenly treasure of the Spirit, and to come to a state without difficulty and easily to fulfill all the commandments of the Lord without reproach and purely, which he could not fulfill before even with all his effort. For, being poor and naked without communion with the Spirit, how could he acquire such spiritual acquisitions without having spiritual treasures and riches? The soul, through seeking the Spirit, through faith and much patience having found the Lord - this true treasure, produces the fruits of the Spirit, as was said before, without labor, and fulfills all the truth and all the commandments of the Lord commanded by the Spirit in itself and by itself purely, completely and irreproachably. 4. Or, let's use another similarity. If someone is rich and prepares an expensive supper; then he spends from his wealth and from the treasure that he has, and with great wealth he is not afraid that he will lack anything; and thus he entertains the guests he invites luxuriously and magnificently, offering them various and unusual foods. But a beggar and one who does not have wealth, if he decides to prepare a supper for someone, borrows everything, including the very vessels, and clothes and other things, and as soon as those invited have supped, as they usually can from a beggar, he then gives back to everyone what he borrowed from him, either a silver vessel, or clothes, or other things. And when in this way he distributes everything that belongs to everyone; he himself remains poor and naked, not having his own wealth with which he could enjoy himself. 5. So those who are enriched with the Holy Spirit, truly having in themselves heavenly riches and the fellowship of the Spirit, if they speak to anyone the word of truth, and if they communicate to anyone a spiritual word, and wish to rejoice souls; then from their own wealth and from their own treasure, which they have within themselves, they utter the word, with it they rejoice the souls of those who listen to the spiritual word, and are not afraid of their own poverty; because they possess within themselves a heavenly treasure of goodness, from which they offer food and entertain those treated spiritually. But a beggar who has not acquired for himself the riches of Christ, not having in his soul spiritual wealth that exudes all the goodness of words and deeds, and thoughts of Divine and unspoken mysteries, even if he wants to utter the word of truth and cheer some of those who listen; then, in reality and in truth, without having acquired the word of God for himself, but only by remembering and borrowing words from each book of Scripture, or by retelling and teaching what he heard from spiritual men, he apparently amuses others, and others delight in his words; but, as soon as he finishes his speech, each of his words returns to its place from where it was taken, and he himself again remains naked and poor; because the spiritual treasure from which he offers, uses and amuses others is not his property, and he himself is not the first to be rejoiced and delighted by the Spirit. 6. Therefore, first of all, with heart disease and faith, we must ask God to allow us to find in our hearts His riches, the true treasure of Christ, in the power and effectiveness of the Spirit; and thus, having first found in ourselves the benefit and salvation and eternal life of the Lord, then, as much as we have the strength and opportunity, we will use others, from the inner treasure of Christ, offering all the goodness of spiritual words, and telling heavenly mysteries. For the goodness of the Father’s will was so pleased to dwell in everyone who believes and asks Him. “He who loves Me,” says the Lord, “will be loved by My Father: and I will love him, and I will appear to him Myself” (John 14:21); and again: “I and My Father will come and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). This is how the infinite kindness of the Father willed, this is how the inconceivable love of Christ pleased, this is how the inexpressible goodness of the Spirit promised. Glory to the ineffable mercy of the Holy Trinity! 7. Those who have been deemed worthy to become children of God and to be born again by the Holy Spirit, having within them Christ who enlightens and gives them rest, are guided by the Spirit in various and varied ways, and grace invisibly acts in their hearts during spiritual repose. But let us take images from visible pleasures in the world, so that with these similarities we may partially show how grace operates in the souls of such. Sometimes they are overjoyed, as if at a royal supper, and rejoice with joy and joy unspeakable. At other times they are like a bride, resting in divine peace in community with her groom. Sometimes, like disembodied Angels, while still in the body, they feel the same lightness and inspiration in themselves. Sometimes they seem to be in a state of drunkenness, rejoiced and intoxicated by the Spirit, intoxicated by the Divine spiritual mysteries. 8. But sometimes they seem to cry and lament about the human race, and praying for the whole Adam, they shed tears and cry, inflamed with spiritual love for humanity. Sometimes the Spirit kindles them with such joy and love that, if it were possible, they would accommodate every person in their hearts, not distinguishing evil from good. Sometimes, in humility of spirit, they humiliate themselves so much before every person that they consider themselves the lowest and least of all. Sometimes the Spirit constantly keeps them in unspeakable joy. Sometimes they are likened to a strong warrior who, having put on the royal armor, goes out to battle the enemies and strives hard to defeat them. For likewise the spiritual one puts on the heavenly weapons of the Spirit, advances on enemies and makes war with them in order to bring them under his feet. 9. Sometimes the soul rests in a certain great silence, in silence and peace, being in one spiritual pleasure, in indescribable peace and prosperity. Sometimes he gains wisdom by grace in the understanding of something, in ineffable wisdom, in the knowledge of the untestable Spirit, which cannot be uttered with the tongue and lips. Sometimes a person becomes like one of the ordinary ones. Grace acts in people in such a variety of ways, and guides the soul in many ways, resting it according to the will of God, and exercises it in various ways in order to present it perfect, blameless and pure to the heavenly Father. 10. These actions of the Spirit that we have listed reach greater proportions when they are close to perfection. For the numbered various reposes of grace are expressed in different ways in words and are carried out continuously in people, so that one action follows another. When the soul ascends to the perfection of the Spirit, having been completely cleansed of all passions, and in indescribable communion has come into unity and dissolution with the Comforter Spirit, and being dissolved by the Spirit, it itself will be vouchsafed to become a spirit; then it becomes all light, all eye, all spirit, all joy, all peace, all joy, all love, all mercy, all goodness and kindness. Just as in the abyss of the sea a stone is surrounded everywhere by water: so these people, dissolved in every possible way by the Holy Spirit, become like Christ, immutably having within themselves the virtues of spiritual strength, internally remaining blameless, blameless and pure. For those who have been renewed by the Spirit, how can they outwardly produce the fruit of vice? On the contrary, the fruits of the Spirit always shine in them in everything. 11. Therefore, let us also beg God, with love and with great trust we will believe in Him, that He may also give us the heavenly grace of a spiritual gift, so that the Spirit Himself may rule and guide us to the fulfillment of all God’s will, and rest us in the many different ways of His repose, and so that, with such grace-filled guidance and exercise and with spiritual advancement, we will be deemed worthy to come to the perfection of the fullness of Christ, as the Apostle says: “that you may be filled with all the fulfillment of Christ” (Eph. 3:19); and again: “until we reach all things perfect, according to the age of the fulfillment of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). The Lord truly promised to grant all those who truly believe in Him and ask Him the secrets of ineffable spiritual communication. Therefore, we, having completely surrendered ourselves to the Lord, will hasten to receive the blessings mentioned above, dedicating both soul and body to Him, and having been nailed to the cross of Christ, we will become worthy of the eternal kingdom, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. Conversation 19. Christians who want to prosper and grow must force themselves to do everything good in order to get rid of the sin that lives in them and be filled with the Holy Spirit 1. Whoever wants to come to the Lord, to be worthy of eternal life, to become the abode of Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, in order to come into a state of bearing the fruits of the Spirit, to fulfill the commandments of Christ purely and blamelessly: he must begin by first of all firmly believing in the Lord, and completely devote himself to the message of His commandments, renouncing the world in everything, so that the whole mind is not occupied with anything visible. And he must constantly remain in prayer, with faith, in the hope of the Lord, always expecting His visit and help, having this alone as the goal of his mind at every moment. Then, because of the sin living in him, he must force himself to do every good deed, to fulfill all the commandments of the Lord. For example: one must force oneself to humility before every person, consider oneself lower and worse than anyone, not seeking honor, or praise, or glory from any person, as is written in the Gospel, but always having before the eyes of one Lord and His commandments, desiring to please Him alone in meekness of heart, as the Lord says: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). 2. In the same way, let him accustom himself, as much as possible, to be merciful, kind, merciful, good, as the Lord says: be kind and good, “just as your heavenly Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36); and also says: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15); and again: “Strive to enter through the strait gate” (Luke 13:24). Most of all, in unforgettable memory, as an example, let him contain the humility of the Lord and His life, and meekness, and treatment of people, let him remain in prayer, always believing and asking that the Lord would come and dwell in him, perfect and strengthen him in the fulfillment of all His commandments, and that the Lord himself would become the abode of his soul. And thus, what he does now with the compulsion of an involuntary heart, he will no longer do voluntarily, constantly accustoming himself to goodness, and always remembering the Lord and constantly waiting for Him with great love. Then the Lord, seeing such his will and good zeal, seeing how he forces himself to remember the Lord, and how his heart, even against his will, constantly leads to goodness, to humility, to meekness, to love, and leads, as much as he has the opportunity, with all his effort; - then I say, the Lord shows His mercy to him, delivers him from his enemies and from the sin living in him, filling him with the Holy Spirit. Then, without effort and labor, in all truth, he does all the commandments of the Lord, or better yet, the Lord himself does His commandments in him, and he then bears purely fruitful fruits of the Spirit. 3. But he who approaches the Lord must, therefore, first of all, even against the will of his heart, force himself to do good, always expecting the Lord’s mercy with undoubted faith; one must force oneself to love if one does not have love; force oneself to be meek, if one does not have meekness; force yourself to be merciful and have a merciful heart; force yourself to endure neglect, and when neglected, to be generous when humiliated or dishonored, not to become indignant, according to what was said: “do not avenge yourself, beloved” (Rom. 12:19); one must force oneself to pray if one does not have spiritual prayer. In this case, God, seeing that a person struggles so much and, against the will of his heart, effortlessly curbs himself, will give him true spiritual prayer, give him true love, true meekness, “the womb of generosity,” true kindness, and in a word, will fill him with spiritual fruit. 4. If someone, not having prayer, forces himself to pray alone in order to have the grace of prayer, but does not force himself to meekness, to humility, to love, to fulfilling the other commandments of the Lord, and does not care, does not make labor and effort to succeed in them; then, according to his will and free will, in accordance with his request, he is sometimes given some of the grace of prayer, in peace and joy of spirit, but in morals he remains the same as he was before. He does not have meekness, because he did not seek labor and did not prepare himself to become meek; does not have humility, because he did not ask or force himself to do so; does not have love for everyone, because when asking for prayer, he did not take care of this and did not show any effort. While busy with business, he has no faith and trust in God; because he knew himself, and yet did not notice that he did not have this, and did not bother with sorrow to seek from the Lord firm faith in Him and true trust in Him. 5. Everyone should force and force himself, even against the will of his heart, both to prayer and to hope, and to humility, and to love, and to meekness, sincerity and simple-heartedness, and to all patience, even long-suffering, as it is written, with joy (1 Thess. 5:16); and also to force oneself to self-abasement, to consider oneself poor and last, also to not talk about anything useless, but to meditate, and to always utter with one’s heart and lips what is God’s, also to not be irritated and not to cry out, according to what has been said: “Let all grief, and rage, and anger, and cry, and blasphemy be taken away from you with all malice" (Eph.4:31); also force yourself to become like the Lord in everything in morals; to force oneself to every virtuous deed, to a good and beautiful life, to every kindness in behavior, to every humility of meekness, not to be arrogant, not to be arrogant, not to be arrogant, and not to speak ill of anyone. 6. Anyone who wants to become well-skilled and please Christ must force himself to do all this, so that the Lord, seeing his zeal and willfulness, with which he forces and with effort encourages himself to all kindness, simplicity, goodness, to humility, to love, to prayer, gives him all of Himself, and so that the Lord himself in all purity and truth, without labor and effort, accomplishes in him everything that he Previously, due to the sin living in him, he could not preserve, even with effort. Then every exercise in virtue turns for him, as it were, into nature; Finally, the Lord comes, abides in him, and he abides in the Lord, and the Lord himself easily performs His own commandments in him, fulfilling his spiritual fruit. If someone forces himself to pray alone until he receives gifts from God, but does not force himself, does not force him, and does not accustom himself in the same way to the other virtues mentioned above; then he cannot truly perform them purely and blamelessly. On the contrary, in the same way one must, as much as possible, prepare oneself for good. For sometimes the grace of God comes to him, at his request and prayer; because God is good and merciful, and to those who ask Him He gives what they ask; however, whoever does not have the above-mentioned virtues, has not accustomed and prepared himself for them, even if he accepts grace, he loses it upon acceptance, and falls from arrogance, or does not succeed and does not grow in the grace given to him; because he does not devote himself wholeheartedly to fulfilling the commandments of the Lord. For the abode and rest of the Spirit are humility, love, meekness and other commandments of the Lord. 7. Therefore, whoever wants to truly please God, to receive from Him the heavenly grace of the Spirit, to grow and be perfected in the Holy Spirit, must force himself to fulfill all the commandments of God and conquer the heart, even against his will, according to what was said: “For this reason I was guided to all Your commandments, I hated every way of unrighteousness” (Ps. 119:128). Just as someone else forces and forces himself to remain in prayer until he succeeds; so, similarly, if he wants to force himself and force himself to any exercise in virtue, he accustoms himself to a good habit, and thus, constantly asking and praying to the Lord, and having received what he asked, having tasted the sweetness of God and becoming a partaker of the Holy Spirit, he does so that the gift given to him grows and blossoms, resting in his humility, love and meekness. 8. The Spirit itself gives him this, and teaches him true prayer, true love, true meekness, to which he previously forced himself, which he sought, about which he cared and thought, and which were finally given to him. And thus, growing and perfecting himself in God, he is vouchsafed to be the heir of the kingdom; because the humble never falls. Where will the one who is the lowest go? Arrogance is great humiliation. And humility is a great height, honor and dignity. Therefore, we too, even against the will of our hearts, will force and force ourselves to humility, meekness and love, asking and begging God incessantly with faith, hope and love in that hope and with the thought that He will send His Spirit into our hearts, and then we will pray and worship God in spirit and truth. 9. And the Spirit himself will teach us true prayer, which we now cannot perform and with effort, will teach us “the womb of generosity,” kindness and how to fulfill all the commandments of the Lord truly, carefree and easy, as the Spirit himself knows to fill us with His fruits. And thus, when we fulfill all the commandments of God by the Spirit of God, Who alone knows the will of the Lord, and when the Spirit perfects us in Himself, and is perfected in us, cleansed from all filthiness and sinful impurity: then the Spirit will present our souls, like beautiful brides, to Christ pure and blameless; and we will rest in God, in His kingdom, and God will rest in us for endless ages. Glory to His bounties, mercy and love; because he vouchsafed such honor and glory to the human race, vouchsafed people to be sons of the Heavenly Father, and called them His brothers! Glory to Him forever! Amen. Conversation 20. Christ alone, the true physician of the inner man, can heal the soul and adorn it with the robe of grace 1. If anyone does not have the Divine and heavenly robe, that is, the power of the Spirit, as it is said: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Rom. 8:9); then let him cry and beg the Lord to accept this spiritual robe given to him from heaven and clothe with it a soul deprived of Divine efficacy; because he is covered with the great shame of the passions of dishonor, who is not clothed in the robe of the Spirit. Just as in the visible world anyone who is naked suffers great shame and dishonor, and friends turn away from friends, and relatives from their own if they are naked, and children, seeing their father naked, turned away their eyes so as not to look at their father’s naked body, approached “backward with sight” and covered him, turning away their gaze (Gen. 9:23): so God turns away from souls, who are not fully clothed with the robe of the Spirit, have not put on the Lord Jesus Christ in power and truth. 2. The very first man, seeing himself naked, was ashamed. There is so much dishonor in nakedness! If bodily nudity also exposes one to such shame; then how much more is that soul covered with shame and dishonor of passions that is naked from Divine power, does not have on itself, and is not clothed in all truth in the ineffable, incorruptible and spiritual robe - the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And everyone who is naked from this Divine glory should be as ashamed of himself and aware of his dishonor as Adam was ashamed, being naked bodily: and although he made himself a robe of fig leaves, he nevertheless wore shame, aware of his poverty and nakedness. Therefore, let such a soul ask from Christ, who gives the robe and clothes him with glory in ineffable light, and let it not make itself a garment out of vain thoughts, and let it not think, deluded by its own righteousness, that it has the robe of salvation. 3. He who stops at his own righteousness only, and thinks to deliver himself, works in vain and in vain. For all conceit about one’s righteousness will become evident on the last day, like “an unclean port,” as the Prophet Isaiah says: “all our righteousness will become like an unclean port” (Is. 64:6). Therefore, let us ask and pray to God that we may be clothed with the robe of salvation, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the ineffable light, of which the souls clothed in Him will never be put off. But on the contrary, in the resurrection their bodies will be glorified with the glory of this light, in which faithful and noble souls are still clothed today, as the Apostle says: “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our dead bodies through His living Spirit in us” (Rom. 8:11). Glory to His ineffable compassion and unspeakable mercy! 4. And also, like the bleeding woman, having truly believed and touched the vestment of the Lord, she immediately received healing, and the stream of the unclean source of blood dried up: so every soul, having an incurable ulcer of sin, the source of unclean and evil thoughts, if it comes to Christ, and truly believing, asks, then it will receive saving healing from the inhealable current of passions, and by force the only Jesus will dry up, becoming impoverished, that source flowing with unclean thoughts; but it is impossible for anyone else to heal this ulcer. For this is what the enemy sought, so that through Adam’s crime he could wound and darken the inner man, the sovereign mind that sees God. And his eyes, when heavenly blessings became inaccessible to them, began to see clearly for vices and passions. 5. Therefore, man is so wounded that it is impossible for anyone to heal him except the Lord alone. He alone is able to do this. For He came and took away the sin of the world, that is, dried up the unclean source of spiritual thoughts. Just as she was bleeding, having squandered all her property on those who could have healed her, and received no benefit from any of them until she approached the Lord, truly believing in Him, and touched His vestment, at which she immediately felt healing and the flow of blood stopped: so the soul, initially wounded by the incurable ulcer of harmful passions, could not be healed by any of the righteous or from Fathers, nor from Prophets, nor from Patriarchs. 6. Moses came, but could not give perfect healing. There were priests, gifts, tithes, sabbaths, new moons, washings, sacrifices, burnt offerings, and all other righteousness was done according to the Law; but the soul could not be healed and cleansed from the unclean current of evil thoughts, and all its truth was not able to heal a person, until the Savior came, the true doctor, who heals nothing, and who gives Himself as a redemptive price for the human race. He alone accomplished the great and saving redemption and healing of the soul; He freed her from slavery, and brought her out of darkness, glorifying her with His own light; He dried up the source of unclean thoughts in her. For it is said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). 7. Our own medicines taken from the earth, that is, our own works of righteousness, could not heal and heal the soul from such an invisible ulcer; Only by the power of heavenly and Divine nature, the gift of the Holy Spirit - with this healing alone could a person receive healing and achieve life, after cleansing the heart by the Holy Spirit. But how is it that the woman, although she could not be healed and remained ulcerated, nevertheless had legs to come to the Lord and came to receive healing, and in the same way the blind man, although he could not come and approach the Lord because he did not see, nevertheless sent a voice that flowed faster than the messengers, for he said: “Son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47), and thus, having believed, he received healing when the Lord came to him and gave him insight: so the soul, although ulcerated by the wounds of shameful passions, although blinded by sinful darkness, nevertheless has the will to cry out to Jesus and call on Him so that He will come and create eternal deliverance for the soul. 8. Just as the blind man, if he had not cried out, and the bleeding woman, if she had not come to the Lord, would not have received healing: so, if someone does not approach the Lord, of his own free will and with all his will, and does not beg Him with the certainty of faith, then he will not receive healing. For why, having believed, were they immediately healed, but we have not yet truly received our sight and have not been healed of secret passions? Meanwhile, the Lord has more concern for the immortal soul than for the body. If the soul receives its sight, according to the words of the one who said: “Open my eyes” (Ps. 119:18): then it will no longer be blind, and having been healed, it will not be wounded again. If the Lord, having come to earth, had concern for corruptible bodies; then doesn’t it have all the more about the immortal soul created in His image? But because of our unbelief, because of our differences of opinion, because we do not love Him with all our hearts and do not truly believe in Him, we have not yet received spiritual healing and salvation. Therefore, let us believe in Him and truly approach Him, so that He will soon accomplish true healing in us. For He promised to give “the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13), to open the door to those who strike it, and to be found to those who seek Him (Matt. 7:7). And false, “Who is the same as the promise” (Titus 1:2). To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 21. A Christian faces a twofold battle, namely: internal and external, and the latter consists in removing oneself from earthly amusements, and the first occurs in the heart with thoughts that are inspired by evil spirits 1. Whoever wants to truly please God and has truly hated the opposite side of evil must wage war in deeds and struggles of two kinds, namely: in the visible affairs of this world, move away from earthly amusements, from love for worldly connections and from sinful passions, and in hidden matters, fight the very spirits of evil, about which the Apostle said: “Our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but towards the beginning, to the powers, to the rulers of the darkness of this world, to the spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). 2. Man, having transgressed the commandment and being expelled from paradise, is bound in two ways and by two kinds of bonds: in this world - by the affairs of life, by love of the world, that is, by carnal pleasures and passions, by wealth and glory, by property, by a wife, by children, by relatives, by the fatherland, by place and clothing, in a word, by everything visible, from which the word of God commands to renounce of his own free will (because everyone is attached to everything visible of his own free will), so that, having renounced and freed himself from all this, he could become a perfect fulfiller of the commandment; secretly the spirits of evil entangle, entrench, ossify and bind the soul with the shackles of darkness; why, he cannot love the Lord as much as he wants, nor can he believe as much as he wants, nor can he pray as much as he wants, because since the time of the crime of the first man, rebellion, both openly and secretly, has taken possession of us in everything. 3. Therefore, when, having heard God’s word, one enters into a feat, renounces the affairs of everyday life and worldly connections, renounces all carnal pleasures and renounces them; then, constantly directing his thoughts to the Lord, he can recognize that there is another struggle in the heart, another secret resistance, another battle of thoughts from evil spirits, and that a different feat lies before him. And thus, with undoubted faith and great patience, constantly calling on the Lord, expecting help from Him, here you can still receive inner liberation from bonds, snares, barriers and the darkness of evil spirits, that is, from the action of secret passions. 4. This warfare can be ended by the grace and power of God; because a person by himself is not able to rid himself of resistance, from wandering thoughts, from invisible passions and the wiles of the evil one. If someone is attached to visible things in this world, entangles himself with many different earthly bonds and is carried away by evil passions, then he does not know that inside he has another struggle, and battle, and warfare. And oh, if only a person, when with effort, would snatch and free himself from these visible worldly bonds and material worries and carnal pleasures, and would begin to constantly cleave to the Lord, removing himself from this world, although after this he would come to the state of recognizing the internal struggle of passions, and internal warfare, and evil thoughts! And if, as we said before, he does not forcefully renounce the world, does not renounce earthly desires with all his heart, and does not wish to cleave entirely to the Lord; then he does not recognize the deception of the hidden spirits of malice and secret evil passions, but remains alien to himself, because his ulcers are unknown to him, and, having secret passions in himself, is not aware of them; but still voluntarily becomes attached to what is visible and clings to worldly concerns. 5. And whoever has truly renounced the world strives, has thrown off earthly burdens, freed himself from vain desires, from carnal pleasures, from glory, leadership and human honors, and with all his heart moves away from this; one - when the Lord helps him secretly in this obvious feat, as his will renounces the world, and when he himself is completely, i.e. established in body and soul and constantly abides in the service of the Lord - he finds in himself resistance, secret passions, invisible bonds, secret warfare, secret struggle and secret feat. And thus, having asked the Lord, having received from heaven spiritual weapons, which the blessed Apostle numbered: the armor of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit (Eph. 6:14-17), and armed with them, he will be able to resist the secret machinations of the devil in the wickedness he creates; Having acquired these weapons for yourself through prayer, patience, petition, fasting, and even more so through faith, you will be able to struggle in battle with the rulers, authorities and rulers of the world; and thus, having defeated opposing forces with the assistance of the Spirit and with one’s own diligence in all virtues, one will become worthy of eternal life, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 22. About the twofold state of those departing from this life When the human soul leaves the body, then a great mystery takes place. For if she is guilty of sins, then crowds of demons come, and evil angels and dark forces capture that soul and take it into their own realm. And no one should be surprised at this; because if the soul in this life, being in this century, submitted and obeyed them and was their slave, then all the more is it retained by them and remains in their power when it departs from the world. And as for the good part; then you should imagine that things happen like this. Angels still remain with the holy servants of God, and holy spirits surround and protect them. And when they depart from the body, then the faces of the Angels receive their souls into their own region, into the pure age, and thus lead them to the Lord. Conversation 23. Just as royal and valuable beads can be worn only by those born from the royal seed: so the heavenly beads can only be worn by the children of God 1. Large, valuable and royal beads that go into the royal crown belong only to the king; and one king can wear these beads; another person is not allowed to wear such beads. So, if someone is not born of the royal and God's Spirit and has not become a heavenly and royal family and a child of God, according to what is written: “And the little ones received him, that he gave them the domain of becoming children of God” (John 1:12), then, having not become the son of the King, he cannot wear the heavenly and valuable beads, this image of the light, and the unspeakable light, that is, the Lord, because those who possess this beads and those who wear them will live and reign with Christ forever. For this is what the Apostle said: “As we have put on the image of the ring, let us also be clothed in the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:50). 2. The horse, while grazing in the forests with wild animals, is disobedient to people. And when he is caught, then to tame him they put a heavy rein on him until he learns to walk orderly and upright. Then, an experienced rider exercises him to make him capable of fighting. Then they put weapons on him, I mean a breastplate and visor, and they hang up the old bridle and shake him right in front of his eyes, so that he gets used to it and is not afraid. And a horseman trained in this way, if he does not get used to it, cannot be in war, and as soon as he gets used to it and gets used to fighting, as soon as he feels and hears the sound of a fight, he himself readily goes to the enemies, which is why, with his very neighing, he instills fear in the enemies. 3. Likewise, the soul, having gone wild and become rebellious since the time of the crime, in the desert of the world draws closer to beasts - evil spirits, continuing to serve sin. When he hears the word of God and believes; then, bridled by the Spirit, she puts aside her wild disposition and carnal wisdom, guided by the horseman Christ. Then she comes into sorrow, into pacification, into tightness, which is necessary for her testing, so that the Spirit gradually tames her, with gradual impoverishment and the destruction of sin in her. And thus, the soul, clothed in the armor of righteousness, in the helmet of salvation, in the shield of faith, and having received the sword of the Spirit, learns to wage war with its enemies, and armed with the Spirit of the Lord, it fights with the spirits of evil, and quenches the kindled arrows of the evil one. And without spiritual weapons he does not join the militia; how quickly she has the weapon of the Lord, as soon as she hears and feels strong battles, she comes out “jumping and neighing,” as Job says (Job 39:25): because from the very voice of her prayer her enemies fall. Having accomplished such a feat and, with the help of the Spirit, having won victory in battle, he will receive victorious crowns with great boldness and will rest together with the heavenly King. To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 24. The condition of Christians is like buy and leaven. Just as merchants collect earthly profits, so Christians collect the thoughts scattered in this age. And just as leaven makes the whole mixture sour, so sinful leaven permeates the entire race of Adam, but Christ puts the heavenly leaven of goodness into the faithful souls 1. Christians are like merchants who make large profits from their purchases. Just as merchants collect earthly profits from the earth, so Christians, scattered in this age, collect the thoughts of their hearts with all the virtues and the power of the Spirit from all the earth. And this is the most important and true purchase; because this world is opposed to the world above, and this age is opposite to the age above. Therefore, a Christian, in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, must, having renounced the world, from this age, in which the mind is mired and caught in Adam’s crimes, repose and move with the mind into another age, and in thought abide in the heavenly world of the Divine, as it is said: “our life is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). 2. And in this it is in no way possible to succeed if the soul does not believe in the Lord with all its heart, renouncing this world, and if the power of God’s Spirit does not gather into love for the Lord the heart scattered throughout the entire earth, and does not transfer thoughts to the eternal world; because, since the time of Adam’s crimes, spiritual thoughts, having been torn away from the love of God, have been scattered in this age and mixed with material and earthly thoughts. But just as Adam, who transgressed the commandment, took into himself the leaven of evil passions, so those born from him, and the entire race of Adam, by succession became partakers of this leaven; and with gradual progress and growth, sinful passions have already multiplied in people so much that they extended to adultery, lewdness, idolatry, murder and other absurd deeds, until all of humanity was soured with vices. Evil grew so much in people that they thought that there was no God, and began to worship inanimate stones; They could not even form a concept of God at all. To such an extent did the leaven of evil passions leaven the race of the old Adam. 3. But the Lord, at His coming, deigned to suffer for everyone, to redeem everyone with His blood and to impart the heavenly leaven of goodness into faithful souls humiliated by sin, and thus, with their gradual advancement and growth, to perfect in them all the truth of the commandments and all the virtues, until they are leavened in goodness, having come into one, and they are, according to the saying of Paul, “one spirit with Lord" (1 Cor. 6:17); when it will be impossible for vice and wickedness to even enter into thought in a soul completely leavened by the Divine Spirit, as it is said: love “thinks no evil,” and so on (1 Cor. 13:6). Without heavenly leaven, that is, the power of the Divine Spirit, it is impossible for the soul to partake of the Lord’s goodness and achieve life; just as it would have been impossible for Adam’s race to be seduced to such an extent into vice and wickedness if the leaven of vice had not first entered into it, that is, sin—this kind of intelligent and mental power of Satan. 4. How, if someone dissolves the flour, but does not put in the leaven, then no matter how much, apparently, he tries to knead and work on the dough, it will remain unleavened and unfit for food; and when the leaven is put in, it attracts to itself the whole mixture of flour, and makes everything leavened; to which the Lord likened the kingdom, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, but the wife took it and hid it in three flours until it was all leavened” (Matthew 13:33); or like meat, if someone takes every care of it, but does not salt it with salt, which destroys worms and destroys the stench, it becomes fetid, rots and becomes unfit for human consumption: so, like this, imagine all of humanity as if it were meat and unleavened dough, and by salt and leaven from another age understand the divine nature of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if the heavenly leaven of the Spirit, as well as the good and holy salt of the Divine, are not inserted and mixed into the humiliated human nature from this age and from this fatherland, then the soul will not be freed from the stench of vice and will not be fermented by the heaviness and unleavenedness of wickedness. 5. But what the soul does, apparently, by itself, what it undertakes and makes an effort to accomplish, relying only on its own strength, and thinking that by itself without the assistance of the Spirit it can bring the matter to perfection, is a great sin; because that soul is unsuitable for the heavenly abodes, unsuitable for the kingdom, which thinks by itself and by its own strength alone, without the Spirit, to succeed in perfect purity. If a person, under the influence of passions, does not approach God, renouncing the world, with hope and patience does not believe that he will receive some extraordinary good for his own nature, that is, the power of the Holy Spirit, and divine life does not flow from the Lord from above into the soul; then he will not feel true life, will not be sobered up from material rapture, the illumination of the Spirit will not shine in the darkened soul, the holy day will not shine in it, and it will not awaken from the deepest sleep of ignorance in order to truly know God, by God’s power and the action of grace. 6. For if a person is not worthy to receive grace by faith, then he is unsuitable and incapable of the kingdom of God. And vice versa, whoever, having received the grace of the Spirit, is not seduced in anything, does not offend grace by negligence and bad deeds, and thus, struggling for a long time, will not grieve the Spirit; he will be able to obtain eternal life. Just as someone feels in himself the effects of malice in the passions, such as: irritability, lust, envy, heaviness, evil thoughts and other incongruities: so a person should feel the grace and Divine power in the virtues, namely: in love, in forbearance, in goodness, in joy, in lightness, in Divine joy, in order to be able to become like the good and the Divine nature; and be dissolved in the good and holy effectiveness of grace. As one progresses and grows, over time and years, the will that turns out to be skillful, if it is always in unity with grace and pleasing to it, becomes, as it progresses, entirely spiritual; and when the Spirit makes it holy and pure, it becomes worthy of the kingdom. Glory and worship to the Most Pure Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 25. This conversation teaches that not a single person, if not supported by Christ, is able to overcome the temptations of the evil one, shows what those who desire divine glory should do; and also teaches that through Adam’s disobedience we fell into slavery to carnal passions, from which we are delivered through the sacrament of the cross; and finally, it shows how great the power of tears and divine fire is 1. In whom the divine law is not inscribed in ink and writing, but implanted in the hearts of the flesh, those, having enlightened eyes of the mind, and prompted not by sensory and visible, but by invisible and mental hope, can overcome the temptations of the evil one, but only with invincible power. But those unadorned by God’s word, untrained by the Divine law, in vain, arrogantly, think with their own freedom to remove from themselves the reasons for sin, condemned by the single sacrament of the cross. The freedom possible for a person extends to resisting the devil, and not to necessarily having power over the passions. For it is said: “Unless the Lord builds the house and preserves the city, it is built in vain” and the builder labors (Ps. 127:1). 2. It is impossible for him to step on the asp and the basilisk and trample the lion and the serpent, who has not cleansed himself first, as far as this is possible for a person, and who has not been strengthened by the One who said to the Apostles: “Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion and all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:14). And if human nature, even without the full armor of the Holy Spirit, could resist the wiles of the devil, then the Apostle would not have said: “Let the God of peace quickly crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20); and again: “the Lord will kill him with the breath of His mouth” (2 Thess. 2:8). That is why we are commanded to ask the Lord: “lead us not into misfortune, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). For if we are not worthy of sonship, having been delivered from the flaming arrows of the evil one by the highest help, then we labor in vain, as though we are far removed from the power of God. 3. Therefore, whoever wants to be a partaker of the Divine glory, and to see the image of Christ as in a mirror in the sovereign power of his soul, with insatiable love, with unsatisfied desire, with all his heart and with all his strength, day and night, he must seek God’s omnipotent help, which cannot be received unless someone, according to what was said before, first abstains from worldly sensuality, from the desires of an opposing force that is alien to light. and there is evil activity, hostile to good activity and completely alienated from it. Therefore, if you want to find out why we, created in honor and settled in paradise, subsequently joined the senseless beasts and became like them, having lost our most pure glory, then know that, through disobedience, having become slaves of carnal passions, we expelled ourselves from the blessed land of the living, and having become captives, we are still sitting on the rivers of Babylon; and since we are still in Egypt, we have not inherited the promised land flowing with milk and honey, we have not yet been dissolved in the brew of purity, but to this day we remain in the brew of wickedness. Our heart has not yet been sprinkled with God’s blood; because in it there is also “the bottom of hell” ( Proverbs 8:19 ) and the pierced sting of malice. 4. We have not yet received the saving joy of Christ; because the sting of death is still deep within us. We have not yet put on “the new man, created according to God in reverence”; because they have not put off “the old man, which is corrupt in the lusts of deceit” (Eph. 4:22,24). We do not yet bear within ourselves the image of the Heavenly One, and have not become conformed to His glory. We have not yet begun to worship God in spirit and in truth; because sin reigns in our dead body. We have not yet seen the glory of the imperishable; because we are still under the influence of the darkness of the night. We have not yet put on the weapons of light; because they did not lay down their weapons, arrows and works of darkness. We have not yet been transformed by the renewal of our minds; because we are conformed to this world in vanity of mind. We have not yet become glorified with Christ; because we do not suffer with Him. We do not bear the wounds of Christ on our body, remaining in the sacrament of the cross of Christ; because we are in carnal passions and lusts. We have not yet become heirs and joint heirs of Christ; because we still have in us the spirit of slavery, and not of sonship. We have not yet become the church of God and the abode of the Holy Spirit; because to this day, in our desire for passions, we are an idolatrous church and a habitat of evil spirits. 5. Truly, we have not yet acquired simplicity of morals and serenity of mind. They have not yet been granted unflattering verbal milk and mental growth. The day has not yet illuminated us, and the morning star has not shone in our hearts. We have not yet been imbued with the Sun of Truth; and His rays did not cover us. We have not yet taken upon ourselves the likeness of the Lord, and have not become partakers of the Divine nature. We have not yet become genuine royal purple, a genuine image of God. We have not yet been wounded by Divine commitment, we have not been struck by spiritual love for the Bridegroom. We have not yet cognized the ineffable communication, we have not understood the power and peace in the shrine. And expressing all this together, we are not yet a “chosen generation”, not a “royal priesthood”, not a “holy tongue”, not “a people of renewal” (1 Peter 2:9), because we are serpents, “the birth of echidnov” (Matthew 3:7). 6. And how are we not serpents, when we do not turn out to be obedient to God, but remain in disobedience inspired by the serpent? Therefore, I can’t find a way to adequately mourn my misfortune. I don’t know how to appeal with tears to the One who is able to drive out from me the deception that is within me. “How can I sing the song of the Lord in foreign lands” (Ps. 136:4)? How will I pay for Jerusalem? How can I avoid Pharaoh's hard work? How can I leave this shameful place of residence? How can I renounce bitter torment? How will I get out of the land of Egypt? How will I cross the Red Sea? How will I cross the great desert? How can I not die, bitten by snakes? How to defeat foreigners? How to destroy pagan peoples within yourself? How can you accept the words of the Divine Law on your tablets? How to see the true pillar of light and the cloudy pillar of the Holy Spirit? How to enjoy the manna of eternal joys? How can I drink water from the life-giving stone? How will I cross the Jordan, entering the holy land of promise? How can I look at the Archangel of the Lord, before whom Joshua, seeing him, instantly “fell on his face and worshiped him” (Joshua 5:14)? 7. If even with all this I do not destroy the pagan nations within myself; then, having entered, I will not rest in the sanctuary of God, I will not become a partaker of the royal glory. Therefore, strive to become a blameless child of God, and to enter into that rest, “where Christ is the forerunner for us” (Heb. 6:20). Try to be written in the Church in heaven with the firstborn, so that you may be found at the right hand of the majesty of the Most High. Try to enter the holy city, the peaceful and heavenly Jerusalem, where paradise is. For you will not be worthy of these wondrous and blessed sights unless you shed tears day and night, like the one who says: “I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). Don’t you know that “those who sow with tears will reap with joy” (Ps. 125:5). Why does the Prophet boldly say: “Do not silence my tears” (Ps. 39:13); and again: “Thou hast laid down my tears before Thee, as also in Thy promise” (Ps. 55:9); and: “My tears were my bread day and night” (Ps. 41:4); and in another psalm: “Mix my drink with weeping” (Ps. 101:10). 8. A tear, truly shed out of great sorrow and heartache, with the knowledge of the truth and with the kindling of the inside, is the food of the soul, given from the heavenly bread, which, sitting at the feet of the Lord and weeping, Mary especially partook of, according to the testimony of the Savior himself. For He says: “Mary has chosen the good part, lest it be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Oh, what precious beads these are in the outpouring of blessed tears! What a right and respectable rumor this is! What a courageous and wise mind! What penetration by the Lord’s Spirit, what love, so strongly drawn to the Most Pure Bridegroom! What a sharp sting of spiritual longing for God the Word! What close communication between the bride and the heavenly Groom! 9. Imitate Mary, child, imitate, not having anything else in mind, but looking only to Him who said: “He brought fire to the earth, and whatever I want, even if it is already on fire” (Luke 12:49)? For the ignition of the spirit quickens the hearts. Immaterial and Divine fire illuminates souls and tempts them, like genuine gold in a furnace, and vice burns up like thorns and stubble; because “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), “in fiery fires” he gives vengeance to “those who do not know Him and those who do not obey His gospel” (2 Thess. 1:8). This fire acted in the Apostles when they spoke with tongues of fire. This fire shone with Paul's voice and enlightened his mind, but darkened his sense of vision. For not without flesh did he see the power of this light. Moses saw this fire in the bush. This fire, in the form of a chariot, snatched Elijah from the earth. Seeking the effectiveness of this fire, blessed David said: “Test me, Lord, and try me, kindle my belly and my heart” (Ps. 25:2). 10. This fire warmed the hearts of Cleopas and his companion when the Savior spoke to them after the resurrection. Both Angels and ministering Spirits partake of the light of this fire, according to what is said: “He made His angels spirits, and made His servants a burning fire” (Heb. 1:7). This fire, burning the twig in the inner eye, makes the mind pure, so that, having regained its natural insight, it continually sees the wonders of God, like the one who says: “Open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law” (Ps. 119:18). Therefore, this fire drives away demons, destroys sin, it is the power of resurrection, the effectiveness of immortality, the enlightenment of holy souls, the affirmation of mental powers. Let us pray that this fire will touch us too; and then, walking unceasingly in the light, even in small things we will not stumble our feet against a stone, but like the lights that have appeared in the world, we will contain within ourselves the words of eternal life, and enjoying God’s blessings, we will rest in life with the Lord, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Glory to him forever! Amen. Conversation 26. About the dignity, preciousness, strength and work of the immortal soul, and how it is tempted by Satan and receives deliverance from temptations. There are also some very instructive questions included here. 1. Delve, beloved, into the mental essence of the soul; and don’t delve into it lightly. The immortal soul is a precious vessel. Look how great heaven and earth are, and God was not pleased about them, but only about you. Look at your dignity and nobility, because he did not send angels, but the Lord himself came as an intercessor for you, to call upon the lost, ulcerated, to return to you the original image of pure Adam. Man was the ruler of everything, from heaven to earth, he knew how to distinguish between passions, he was alien to demons, pure from sin or vices, he was in the likeness of God, but he died for a crime, became wounded and dead. Satan darkened his mind. And in another, a person is truly dead, but in another, he lives, reasons, and has a will. 2. Question. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, is natural lust also eradicated along with sin? Answer. Before, I said that sin is eradicated, and man takes on the original image of pure Adam. By the power of the Spirit and as a result of spiritual rebirth, man comes to the measure of the first Adam, and becomes even higher than him; because it becomes deified. 3. Question. Does Satan go as far as he wants, or does he attack us as much as he wants? Answer. His desire is not only for Christians, but also for idolaters, and for the whole world. Therefore, if he were allowed to attack as much as he wanted, he would destroy everyone. Why? Because this is his business, and this is his will. But like a poor man, when he puts vessels on the fire, he heats the stove in moderation, and not too much, so that the vessels fired for longer than the proper time do not crack, and not too little, so that, if they remain unburned, they do not go to waste; and also, the one who makes silver and gold things adds fire in moderation; and if the fire intensifies, then the gold and silver melt, become liquid and disappear; and the human mind knows how to compare the weight with the strength of a pack animal, or a camel, or some other animal, what kind of weight it can bear: so how much more does God, Who knows the strength of human vessels, allow the opposing force to act in different measures. 4. Just as the land is the same, but where it is hard, and where it is fat, in another place it is capable of planting grapes, and in another for sowing wheat and barley: so are the hearts and wills of men different; and in accordance with this, gifts from above are also given: to one is given the ministry of the word, to another - prudence, to another - the gifts of healing. God knows how someone can use what is given to him, and accordingly gives various gifts. And similarly in battles, to the extent that someone can accept and withstand the battle, in such a way a resistive force is allowed to act on people. 5. Question. Does the one who has received the Divine power and partially changed remain in his nature? Answer. So that even after grace the will is tested, to what it is inclined and with what it agrees, the nature remains the same; and the stern man is left with his severity, and the light man with his lightness. It also happens that another ignorant person is reborn spiritually through reason, transformed into a wise person, and hidden secrets become known to him, but by nature he is an ignorant person. Another, being harsh by nature, betrays his will to piety, and God accepts him; and nature remains in its severity, but God is well pleased with it. Another is kind, modest, kind, devotes himself to God, and the Lord accepts him. And if he does not continue in good deeds, then the Lord does not favor him; because Adam’s entire nature is receptive to good and evil, susceptible to evil, but can not do evil if it wishes. 6. How a memorial book is written in different ways; what you wanted, you wrote down in it, and then erased it again; because the memorial book accepts every record: so the stern man surrendered his will to God, turned to goodness and was accepted by God; because God, wanting to show His mercy, accepts everyone and every will. Whatever city the apostles entered, they spent some time there, and some of the suffering were healed, but others were not. The Apostles themselves would like to revive all their dead and make all those who suffer healthy; but their desire was not completely fulfilled. For it was not given to them to do everything they wanted. Likewise, Paul, when he was detained by the leader of the people, if the grace that was with him had favored him, just as a man who had the Comforter within himself could have crushed both the leader and the wall; and meanwhile the Apostle is “hanging in the chest” (2 Cor. 11:32). Where is the divine power that is with him? This was done according to God's will, that in other ways the Apostles performed signs and wonders, and in others they turned out to be weak; so that through this the difference of faith in the faithful and the unfaithful is made visible, human freedom is tested, and it is revealed whether others are not tempted by their weakness. And if the Apostles had done everything they wanted, then with their signs and will they would have confirmed people in godliness, as if by some kind of involuntary force, and there would have been no room for either faith or unbelief. Christianity is a stumbling block and a stone of temptation. 7. It is not simply what is written about Job, as Satan asked him for himself; because he could not do anything on his own without permission. What does the devil say to the Lord? Give it into my hands, “unless he blesses you at your presence” ( Job 1:11 )? So now Job is the same, God is the same, and the devil is the same. At the very time when Job saw God’s help for himself, was zealous and ardent for grace, Satan asks him for himself and says to the Lord: “Because you help him and protect him; serves You. Leave him and hand him over to me; “Shall He not bless you in Your presence?” Finally, as if by the very fact that the soul is comforted, grace departs from it, and the soul gives in to temptations. Therefore, the devil comes and inflicts on it thousands of disasters, hopelessness, despair, evil thoughts, and crushes the soul in order to weaken it and make it far from trusting in God. 8. A prudent soul, even in disasters and sorrow, does not lose hope, but possesses what it possesses, and no matter what is inflicted on it, among a thousand temptations, enduring everything, it says: “Even if I die, I will not leave Him.” And then, if a person endures to the end, the Lord begins to argue with Satan: “You see how much evil and sorrow you caused him, and he did not listen to you; but he serves Me, he fears Me.” Then the devil is put to shame and can no longer say anything. For if he had known about Job that, having been subjected to temptations, he would endure them and would not yield victory over himself, he would not have asked him for himself, so as not to be put to shame. So now Satan is put to shame by those who endure sorrows and temptations, and repents of the fact that he did not succeed in anything. For the Lord begins to speak to him the following word: “Behold, I gave his will into yours, I allowed you to tempt him; could you have done anything? did he listen to you in anything?” 9. Question. Does Satan really know all the thoughts and intentions of men? Answer. If a person, when dealing with a person, knows what concerns him, and you, having lived twenty years, know what concerns your neighbor, then how does Satan, who has been with you since your birth, not know your thoughts, when he is already 6000 years old? We do not say that before tempting a person, he knows what the person will do. The tempter tempts, but does not know whether the soul will obey him, or whether the soul will not obey, until it betrays its will into slavery. We also do not say that the devil knows all the thoughts and desires of the heart. Like a tree has many branches and many members; so there are several branches of thoughts and intentions that Satan takes possession of; but there are other thoughts and intentions that are not possessed by Satan. 10. In some cases, the side of malice is stronger when thoughts are aroused; in others, the human thought again prevails, accepting help and deliverance from God and resisting malice; in another a person is overcome, and in another he has his own will. It sometimes happens that a person approaches God with ardor; Satan knows this, and sees that man acts contrary to him, and cannot take possession of man. Why? Because he has the will to cry out to God, has the natural fruits of loving God, believing in Him, seeking Him, and coming to Him. For in the visible world, the farmer cultivates the land. So in the spiritual things are presented in two forms. Therefore, a person must, of his own free will, cultivate the land of his heart and work; because God requires labor, effort and effort from man. But if heavenly clouds and beneficial rains do not appear from above; The toiling farmer will not succeed in anything. 11. This is the sign of Christianity: no matter how hard you work, no matter how much you do righteous deeds, remain in the thought that you have done nothing; when fasting, say: “I did not fast”; praying: – “did not pray”; being in prayer: - “I did not abide, I lay only the beginning of deeds and labors.” Even if you were righteous before God, you must say: “I’m not a righteous person, I don’t work, and I’m just starting every day.” But every day a Christian must also have hope, joy and hope for the future kingdom and deliverance, and say: “If I am not delivered today, I will be delivered in the morning.” The one who plants a vineyard, before starting to work, has joy and hope in himself, and when there is no wine yet, he vividly imagines the winepress in his mind, calculates the income, and in such thoughts he sets to work; hope and expectation make him work hard, and he still makes large expenses in the house. And in the same way, the housebuilder and the farmer first squander a lot of his property, in the hope of future profit. So here too, if a person does not have joy and hope before his eyes that he will receive deliverance and life, then he will not be able to endure sorrows and take on the burden and walk along a narrow path. And the hope and joy that accompany him mean that he works, endures sorrows, and takes on burdens, and walks the narrow path. 12. Just as it is difficult for a brand to escape from fire, so the soul cannot escape the fire of death except with great difficulty. Most often, Satan, as if under the guise of good thoughts that one can please this God, makes his suggestions to the soul and draws it into subtle and specious enterprises; and the one who is drawn does not know how to discern, and therefore falls into the snare and destruction of the devil. The most important weapon for a fighter and ascetic is that, having entered the heart, he makes war with Satan, hates himself, renounces his soul, gets angry with it, reproaches it, resists his usual wishes, argues with his thoughts, fights with himself. 13. But if you outwardly keep your body from corruption and fornication, but inwardly you have committed adultery and committed fornication in your thoughts, then you are an adulterer before God, and your virgin body will not benefit you. Just as if a young man, having seduced a maiden by cunning, corrupts her, then she becomes abominable to her fiancé for fornication: so the disembodied soul, which enters into communication with the serpent living inside, the evil spirit, commits fornication before God. And it is written: “Everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). For there is fornication committed bodily, and there is fornication of the soul that enters into communication with Satan. One and the same soul becomes an accomplice and sister of either demons, or God and Angels, and by committing adultery with the devil, it becomes unprofitable for the heavenly Bridegroom. 14. Question. Does Satan ever calm down, and is a person freed from warfare, or must he continue to struggle as long as he lives? Answer. Satan never rests in his attacks, and as long as man lives in this age and bears flesh, he endures his attacks until then. But when the kindled arrows of the evil one are extinguished, can it really still harm a person? If Satan comes to the competition, then another is a friend of kings and leads Prue with a rival. Therefore, when the king is on the side of this man and is favorable to him, he himself helps him, then he does not suffer the slightest harm. For whoever has gone through all the ranks and degrees, and has become a friend of the king, from whom can he suffer anything? In the visible world, other cities receive gifts and supplies from the king; therefore, even if they bear small duties, they do not suffer any loss when they receive so much and are favored by the king. Likewise, Christians, even if an enemy attacks them, have refuge in the Divine; they have clothed themselves with strength and peace from above and are not in the least disturbed by their warfare. 15. Just as the Lord, having laid aside all rulership and power, took on a body, so Christians are clothed with the Holy Spirit and remain in peace. If warfare comes from without, Satan makes the attack; then they are internally protected by the Lord’s power, and are not alarmed by the attacks of Satan. When he tempted the Lord in the desert for forty days, did he harm Him in any way by approaching His body from the outside? In this body was God. Likewise, Christians, even if they are tempted externally, are internally filled with the power of the Divine, and do not tolerate any offense. But if someone has achieved such a measure, then he has come into the perfect love of Christ and the fulfillment of the Divine. And whoever is not like that is still fighting internally. At other times he rests in prayer, and at other times he is in sorrow and battle. For it is so pleasing to the Lord; Since man is still a baby, the Lord trains him in battle. And inside, as it were, two faces appear, light and darkness, peace and sorrow; at other times they pray in peace, and at others they are in confusion. 16. Do you not hear what Paul says? If I have all the gifts, “even if I deliver my body to be burned, even if I speak in the tongues of angels, I am not an imam of love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1-3). For these gifts lead only to perfection; and those who have achieved them, although in the light, are still infants. Many of the brethren ascended to this degree, and had the gifts of healing, revelation and prophecy; but, since they had not yet arrived at perfect love, in which there is “a bond of perfection” (Col. 3:14), then warfare arose in them, and they, being careless, fell. But whoever achieves perfect love already becomes a prisoner and captive of grace. And whoever is gradually approaching the perfect measure of love, but has not yet reached the point of becoming a prisoner of love, is still under fear, he is threatened with war and fall; and if he does not protect himself, then Satan will overthrow him. 17. So many were deceived by the very work of grace in them: they thought that they had achieved perfection, and said: “We have enough, we need nothing.” But the Lord is infinite and incomprehensible. And Christians do not dare to say that they have comprehended, but they humble themselves day and night. In the visible world, the verbal sciences are inexhaustible, and no one knows this except the scientist who has studied them properly. So here too, God is incomprehensible and immeasurable to anyone, except those who have tasted what they have received from Him and are aware of their weakness. If a scientist with a slight knowledge of science comes to a village where people who have not studied live; then he is glorified by them, because the villagers do not at all know how to judge him. And if this same person, unversed in the sciences, comes to a city where there are vitii and scientists; then he does not dare to appear and speak in front of them; because scientists will pronounce the same judgment on him as on a villager. 18. Question. If a person, while still in battle, when both sin and grace are active in his soul, departs from this world, then where does this person obsessed with both go? Answer. It goes where the mind has its goal and what it loves. If sorrow or abuse befalls you, you should only resist and hate. For it is not your business for war to come; and it’s your business to hate. And then the Lord, seeing your mind, because you strive and love the Lord with all your soul, in one hour removes death from your soul (this is not difficult for Him), and accepts you into His bosom and into the light; in a single instant of time snatches you from the jaws of darkness, and immediately presents you to His kingdom. It is easy for God to accomplish everything in an instant, if only you had love for Him. God requires man to do this, because the soul is worthy to be in communion with the Divine. 19. We have repeatedly cited the parable of a farmer who, having labored and planted seeds in the ground, must still wait for rain from above. And if the cloud does not appear and the winds do not blow, the farmer’s labor will not bring him any benefit, and the seed will lie empty. Apply this to the spiritual as well. If a person confines himself only to his own doing, and does not accept what is unusual for his nature; it cannot bear fruit worthy of the Lord. What is the doing of man himself? In renouncing, withdrawing from the world, remaining in prayer, in vigil, loving God and the brethren; to remain in all this is his own business. But if he confines himself to his own doing, and does not hope to accept something else, and the winds of the Holy Spirit do not blow on the soul, the heavenly cloud will not appear, the rain will not fall from the sky, and will not water the soul; then a person cannot bear fruits worthy of the Lord. 20. It is written that when a worker sees “a rod producing fruit, he cuts it off, so that he may produce more fruit; but the rod that produces no fruit” he uproots and burns (John 15:2). A person should, whether he fasts, stays on vigil, prays, or does anything good, attribute everything to the Lord, saying this: “if God had not strengthened me, I could neither fast, nor pray, nor leave the world.” And God, seeing your good will, because you attribute your own, done by natural forces, to God, and He Himself gives you His own, spiritual, Divine, heavenly. What exactly? – Fruits of the Spirit, joy and gladness. 21. Question. But since natural fruits are similar to this, love, faith, prayer: then show us the difference, why are they called spiritual? Answer. Actually, what you do is yours, although it is good and pleasing to God, it is still unclean. For example, you love God, but imperfectly; The Lord comes and gives you unchanging, heavenly love. You pray, and at the same time your thoughts naturally swirl; and God gives you pure prayer, performed in spirit and truth. In the visible world, the earth itself most often brings thorns; the farmer digs up the land, diligently cultivates and sows; however, thorns and unsown plants grow and multiply, because Adam, after his crime, was told: “thorns and thistles will the earth grow for you” (Gen. 3:18). The farmer works again, digs up the thorns; they multiply even more. Understand this spiritually; according to the crime, the earth wears out thorns and thistles from the heart; a person cultivates the land, works, and the thorns of evil spirits will still be born. Then, the Holy Spirit himself helps human weakness, and the Lord puts heavenly seed into this land of the heart and cultivates it. And when the seed of the Lord is fallen, thorns and thistles will still be born. The Lord Himself and man again cultivate the land of the soul, and the seven wicked spirits and thorns still emerge and are reflected there, until summer comes, grace increases, and the thorns wither from the heat of the sun. 22. Although vice abides in nature itself, it prevails only where it finds pasture. The tender stalks of wheat can be choked by tares. But when, with the onset of summer, the plants become dry, then the tares do not harm the wheat in the least. Let there be thirty measures of pure wheat, but there is impurity and chaff in it, for example, there will be several handfuls of them; The tares will not be visible in the abundance of wheat. So it is in grace: when the gift of God and grace multiply in a person, and he becomes rich in the Lord; then vice, although partly remains in a person, cannot harm him and has no power over him, or any share in him. For this is the purpose of the coming and providence of the Lord, so that we, who were enslaved, guilty and subject to vice, would be freed and made conquerors of death and sin. Therefore, the brethren should not be surprised if they endure sorrow from someone in order to be freed from vice. 23. And in the old testament, Moses and Aaron, having the priesthood, suffered much. And Caiaphas, sitting in their pulpit, himself persecuted and condemned the Lord. However, the Lord, instilling respect for the priesthood, allowed this to happen. Likewise, the Prophets were persecuted by the Jewish people. Finally, Peter became the successor of Moses, when the new Church of Christ and the true priesthood were entrusted to him. Now we have baptism of fire and spirit, and circumcision performed in the heart; because the Divine and heavenly Spirit dwells in the mind. But even these perfect ones, while they remain in the flesh, are not freed from worries because of freedom and are under fear; that is why temptations are allowed to fall upon them. When the soul enters this city of Saints, then only will it be able to remain without sorrows and temptations; because there is no care, or sorrow, or labor, or old age, or Satan, or war, but there is peace, joy, peace and salvation. There, in the midst of them, the Lord, Who is called the Savior because He saves the captives, is called a doctor because He gives heavenly and Divine medicine and heals spiritual passions that to some extent dominate man. In a word: Jesus is the King and God, and Satan is the tormentor and evil prince. 24. Moreover, God and His Angels want this man to be with them in the kingdom, and likewise the devil and his angels want him to be with them. Therefore, the soul is in the middle of two beings, and whichever side the spiritual will bends to, a person becomes the son of that side. If a father sends his son to a foreign land, where animals will meet him on the way; then he gives him poisons and antidotes, so that when animals and snakes attack him, he gives them poison and kills them. So you, too, try to accept heavenly medicine, which is healing for the soul and serves as an antidote to it, so that you can use it to kill poison-bearing animals - unclean spirits. For it is not an easy task to acquire a pure heart; A person needs a lot of struggle and labor in order to have a clear conscience and heart, and to completely eradicate evil in himself. 25. It also happens that in others there is grace, but the heart is still unclean. That is why those who fell fell; they did not believe that smoke and sin abided in them with grace. All the righteous, walking the narrow and narrow path, pleased God to the end: Abraham was rich according to God, but in relation to the world he called himself earth and ashes (Gen. 18:27); and David says about himself: “a reproach of men and a humiliation of men, a worm, and not a man” (Ps. 21:7). Likewise, all the Apostles and Prophets suffered and were reproached. The Lord Himself, Who is the way and God, came not for Himself, but for your sake, in order to become for you the image of all that is good, look in what humiliation He came; God, the Son of God, the King and the Son of Kings, took the form of a servant; He gives healing medicines and heals the ulcerated, and in appearance he looks like one of the ulcerated. 26. But do not neglect God’s greatness when you see Him in appearance humiliated and as if similar to one of us: for our sake, and not for His own sake, He appeared like this. Consider whether He was not more humiliated than all others at that hour when they cried out: “Crucify Him, crucify Him,” and the people flocked in! Just as in the world, if a prince pronounces a sentence on a villain, then all the people abhor him and humiliate him: so the Lord, at the time of the crucifixion, as a man condemned to die, was imputed to nothing by the Pharisees. And when they also spat on His face, they laid a crown of thorns on Him, and struck Him on the cheeks; Didn't this exceed the measure of all humiliation? For it is written: “I have put My cloaks on the wounds, but I have not turned My face away from the cold of spitting, and My cheeks from being blown” (Is. 50:6). If God accepted so much reproach, suffering and humiliation; then no matter how much you humble yourself - you are mud by nature and mortal by nature, you will not do anything like your Master. For your sake God humbled Himself; and you do not humble yourself for your own sake, but are exalted and arrogant. He came to take upon Himself sorrows and burdens, and to give you His peace; but you do not want to endure labor and suffer, so that through this your ulcers can be healed. Glory to His suffering and forbearance forever! Amen. Conversation 27. This conversation ends the lengthy discussion begun in the previous conversation about the dignity and condition of the Christian person; She also teaches many useful things about arbitrariness, adding to this some questions filled with divine wisdom. 1. Know, man, your nobility and dignity; How precious are you, brother of Christ, friend of the Tsars, bride of the heavenly Bridegroom! He who is able to know the dignity of his soul can know the power and secrets of the Divine, and for this reason he is all the more humble, because, with the help of God’s power, man sees his own fall. But just as Christ himself endured suffering and the cross, and then became glorified and sat down at the right hand of the Father, so you also need to suffer and be crucified, and then ascend, be seated together, be united with the body of Christ, and always reign with Christ in the next century: “For as long as we have suffered with Him, we also will be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17). 2. All those who were able to overcome and bypass the barriers of sin enter the heavenly city, peaceful and filled with many blessings, where the spirits of the righteous rest. And for this you must work hard and strive; Otherwise, it will be unfair for the Bridegroom who came for you to suffer and be crucified, and for the bride, for whom the Groom came, to be cheerful and whirl. As in the visible world, the harlot recklessly betrays herself to everyone; so the soul has given itself over to every demon and is corrupted by spirits. For some commit sin and evil voluntarily, and some do not voluntarily. What does this mean? The fact that those who do bad things of their own accord surrender their will to vice, enjoy it, make friends with it, they are at peace with Satan, and in their thoughts they do not fight with the devil; and those who do this not of their own free will, they have sin in themselves, according to the Apostle, “warring in their ways” (Rom. 7:23), in those who will, there is a dark power and a veil, and they do not agree with the thoughts, do not enjoy them, do not obey them, but contradict and resist, and are angry with themselves. The latter are much better and more precious before God than the former, who, of their own free will, surrender their will to vice and delight in it. 3. Imagine that the king, having found some poor girl dressed in rags, was not ashamed, but took off her unclean clothes, washed her blackness, adorned her with light vestments, and made her an accomplice and participant in the royal meal and feast. So the Lord found a wounded and contrite soul, gave it healing, removed from it the blackened clothes and the shame of vice, clothed it in royal, heavenly, Divine, luminous and glorious robes, placed a crown on it and introduced it to the royal meal, for joy and gladness. Imagine a garden; There are fruitful trees there, and all are fragrant; There are many pleasant places there, quite beautiful, filled with fragrance and joy; no matter who goes there, everyone has fun and finds peace. So are the souls in the kingdom; they fully taste joy, fun and peace, they are kings, rulers and gods there. For it is written: “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). 4. Therefore, Christianity is not something unimportant; it is a great mystery. Know your nobility, namely, that you have been called to royal dignity, that you are “a chosen generation, a priest, and a holy tongue” (1 Peter 2:9). The mystery of Christianity is extraordinary for this world. The visible glory and wealth of the king are something earthly, perishable, transitory; but that kingdom and that wealth are divine, heavenly, glorious, never passing away or never ceasing. For in the heavenly Church they will co-reign with the heavenly King; and just as He himself is “the firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18), so those who reign with Him are the firstborn. But although such are the chosen and well-skilled before God; however, they recognize themselves as very small and extremely unskilled, and it has become natural and indispensable for them to consider themselves low, or even nothing. 5. Question. Do they really not know what was given to them, what they did not have, and acquired something extraordinary for their nature? Answer. I tell you that they do not recognize themselves as skillful and successful, they do not know what they have acquired and what they did not have. The grace that descends on such people itself teaches them so that even if they prosper, they do not consider their souls precious, but naturally recognize themselves as worthless. And although they are precious before God, they are not so to themselves; with their prosperity and the knowledge of God, they recognize themselves as if they know nothing, and the rich before God seem to themselves to be poor. Just as Christ, “taking on the form of a servant,” defeated the devil with humility: so the serpent first overthrew Adam with arrogance and arrogance. And now this serpent, through arrogance, entering the hearts, overthrows and destroys the Christian race. 6. Imagine a free and noble man in the world who, having great wealth, still receives income and collects fruits; he forgets himself and becomes arrogant, and having become intolerable to everyone, he tramples everyone underfoot and strangles them by the ear. This happens to others; lacking prudence, having acquired a little peace and the gift of prayer, they began to become arrogant, forget themselves and condemn others, and thus fell into the underworld. The same serpent who expelled Adam with arrogance, saying: “You will be like gods,” and now puts arrogance into hearts, saying: “You are perfect, enough is enough for you, you have become rich, you have no more need, you are blessed.” Others in the world, having wealth and receiving income from it in the multitude of harvested fruits, adhere to prudence, do not boast, do not exalt themselves, but are indifferent; for they know that after profit comes poverty. And again, when they suffer loss and impoverishment, they do not grieve, but are indifferent; for they know that after this comes abundance. And having experienced both of them more than once, they do not come to amazement; they are not puffed up by profits and abundance, and when they have to suffer losses, they are not amazed. 7. Therefore, the work of Christianity is this: to taste the truth, to have the truth through food and drink, and, moreover, to eat and drink according to one’s strength and activity. Imagine a spring, and let some thirsty person begin to drink there, then, when he drinks, someone distracts him and does not allow him to drink as much as he wants; then, having tasted the water, he becomes even more thirsty and seeks drink more intensely. This also happens in spiritual things; another is already eating and partaking of heavenly food, and suddenly at this very time he is stopped, and no one allows him to be satisfied. 8. Question. Why are they not allowed to be satisfied with heavenly food? Answer. The Lord knows the weakness of man, that man is soon exalted; therefore he stops him and allows him to be in constant exercise and excitement. For if, when you accept little, you become intolerable to everyone and become arrogant, how much more will you become intolerable if they give you enough to eat just once. But God, knowing your weakness, according to His discretion, sends you sorrows so that you become humble and seek God more zealously. One beggar in the world, having found a wallet with gold, out of frivolity began to proclaim: “I found it, I found the wallet, I am rich.” Then, as rumor spread, the man who had lost his wallet heard about this and took it. Another rich man forgot himself, began to trample on everyone, offend everyone, and exalt himself over others; The king, hearing about this, described his estate. So it is in the spiritual; others, if they taste a little peace, do not know how to use it, but lose even what they received; because sin tempts them and darkens their minds. 9. Question. Why do others fall after grace has visited them? Isn't Satan much less active in them? For how can there be night where there is day? Answer. They fall not because grace fades or fails; God allows evil to act in order to test your arbitrariness and your freedom, where they are inclined. And you, approaching the Lord again by your own will, again call upon yourself the visitation of grace. For why is it written: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19), when it is not quenched and is full of light? Because you, neglecting the Spirit and not agreeing with Him with your will, become extinct for the Spirit. Likewise, Scripture says: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit, by whom you are marked on the day of deliverance” (Eph. 4:30). You see, it is your will and your self-will to honor the Holy Spirit, and not to offend Him. But I tell you that even in perfect Christians, who are captivated and intoxicated with good things, there is arbitrariness; Therefore, having experienced thousands of evils, they turn to good. 10. Imagine people of bureaucracy, rich and noble; and so, of their own free will and at their own discretion, they leave wealth, and nobility, and their ranks, they retire, put on unclean and poor clothes, and instead of glory - in dishonor, they live in poverty and humiliation; it is left to their own will. But I tell you that even the Apostles, perfect in grace, were not hindered by grace from doing what they wanted, even if they wanted to do something displeasing to grace; because our nature is receptive to both good and bad; and the opposing force can motivate rather than compel. Finally, you have the freedom to bow to whatever you please. Do you not see that Peter was “disgraceful” (Gal. 2:11), and Paul rebuked him against the law? And such a person could be shameful! Yes, and Paul, a spiritual man of his own free will, entered into a dispute with Barnabas, and as a result of the quarrel they were separated from each other (Acts 15:39). And he again says: “You spiritually correct such a one; he is careful for himself, lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). So the spiritual ones suffer temptations; because arbitrariness still remains in them, and their enemies attack them while they are in this century. 11. Question. Could the apostles have sinned if they wanted to? or was grace stronger than the will itself? Answer. They could not sin; because, being in the light, and with such grace, they were not exalted. However, we do not say that grace was weak in them, but we affirm that grace allows even perfect spiritual men to have their own wills and the opportunity to do what they want and bow to whatever they please. And human nature itself, being weak, has the ability to evade the good that accompanies it. As those who are fully armed, in armor and other weapons, are already internally brought to safety, and enemies do not attack them; or they attack, but it is in their will to use weapons, resist the enemies, enter into a fight with them and win victory, or, having weapons, not fight with the enemies, but have fun with them and be in peace: so Christians, being clothed with perfect power and having heavenly weapons, if they want, enjoy together with Satan and are in peace with him, and do not fight; because nature is easily changeable, and man, due to the arbitrariness remaining in him, if he wants, becomes a son of God or also a son of destruction. 12. It’s another thing to talk about bread and meals, and another thing to eat and take in the nutritional value of bread and be strengthened with all your members. It’s another thing to talk in words about the sweet drink itself, and another thing to go and draw from the source itself and be satisfied with tasting the sweet drink. It is another thing to talk about war, about courageous fighters and warriors, and another thing for a person to go into military formation and enter into battle with enemies, advance and retreat, take and inflict blows and win victory. So it is in the spiritual; it is another thing to explain to oneself what has been said with knowledge and mind alone, and another thing is to essentially, in fact, with certainty, have in the inner man and mind the treasure, grace, tasting and action of the Holy Spirit. Those who utter only words dream and become puffed up with their minds. And our word, as it is said, and our preaching “is not in the words of human wisdom, but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power” (1 Cor. 2:4). And in another place the Apostle says: “But this is the end of the testament, love from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and unfeigned faith” (1 Tim. 1:5). This one doesn't fall. For the door was opened to many who sought God; they saw the treasure and entered into it. And as soon as they began to say in joy: “We have found a treasure,” God closed the doors on them; They began to cry out, cry and grieve: “We found a treasure and lost it.” According to a special look, grace moves away from us so that we seek it more intensely. The treasure is revealed as you search. 13. Question. Because others say that a person, upon receiving grace, passes from death to life; then can anyone, being in the light, have unclean thoughts? Answer. It is written: Having been made in spirit, you are now finished in the flesh (Gal.3:3). The Apostle also says: put on the full armor of the Spirit, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11). According to this word, there are two places in which a person puts on weapons and in which he wages war with the principalities and with the authorities, that is, in light or in darkness. Also: for it is possible for you to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). And one more thing: do not offend the Holy Spirit of God (Eph.4:30). And also: it is impossible to renew those who have been enlightened by one, and have tasted the gift of God and are partakers of the Holy Spirit and have fallen away (Heb. 6:4-6). Those who are enlightened and have tasted fall away. You see that man has the will to agree with the Spirit, and has the will to offend Him. Without a doubt, he will take up arms in order to go to war and fight enemies; no doubt, enlightened in order to fight against darkness. 14. Question. In what sense does the Apostle say: if I have all knowledge and all prophecy, and “I speak with the tongues of angels, what am I?” (1 Cor. 13:1-2)? Answer. We should not understand this as if the Apostle were nothing; but in comparison with that love that is perfect, these gifts are still small; and whoever stands on this level falls; and he who has love cannot fall. I tell you that I saw people who had all the gifts and became partakers of the Spirit, and, not having achieved perfect love, they fell. Someone, a noble man, having renounced the world, sold his property and gave freedom to slaves; and how prudent and sensible he became famous for his honest life, and meanwhile, giving in to conceit and arrogance, finally fell into debauchery and a thousand evils. 15. Another, during persecution, betrayed his body, and having become a confessor, subsequently, after the advent of peace, he was freed and was respected: his eyelids were damaged due to the fact that he was tormented in strong smoke. And he, the glorified one, being called to prayer, took bread and gave it to his servant; and his mind came to such a state as if he had never heard God’s word. Another gave up his body to torture during the persecution, was hanged and planed, then thrown into prison. By faith, he was served by a nun, and having become close to her while he was in prison, he fell into fornication. Look, why did this rich man, who sold his property, and this one, who gave up his body to be tortured, fall? 16. And another certain prudent ascetic, living with me in the same house and praying with me, was so rich in grace that, praying next to me, he came into tenderness; because grace was seething in him. He was given the gift of healings; and not only cast out demons, but also those who were bound hand and foot and had severe illnesses, he healed them by the laying on of hands. Then, being careless, glorified by the world, and enjoying himself, he became proud and fell into the very depths of sin. Look, the one who had the gift of healing has fallen. Do you see how those who do not measure up to love fall? And whoever has achieved love, is bound and intoxicated by it, is immersed and taken captive into another world, as if not feeling his own nature. 17. Question. What do the words mean: eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed (1 Cor. 2:9)? Answer. At that time, the great, righteous kings and Prophets knew that the Deliverer would come; but they did not know, did not hear, and it did not enter their hearts that He would suffer and be crucified, that blood would be shed on the cross, that there would be baptism by fire and the Holy Spirit, that bread and wine would be offered in the Church instead of His flesh and blood, that those who partake of the visible bread would spiritually eat the flesh of the Lord, that the Apostles and Christians would receive the Comforter and be clothed with power from on high. and the Divinities will be filled, so that souls will be worthy of unity with the Holy Spirit. The prophets and kings did not know this; this did not even enter their hearts. Nowadays, Christians are enriched in a different way and filled with love for the Divine, but even having such joy and consolation, they remain in fear and trembling. 18. Question. In what fear and trembling do Christians find themselves? Answer. So as not to slip in anything, but to remain in harmony with grace. Imagine that someone has treasures and goes to places where there are robbers: he already rejoices at his wealth and treasure, but he is also afraid that the robbers will attack and rob him, and in such a state it is as if he were carrying his own body in his hands. For apparently we have all renounced the world, become strangers and non-covetous people, and have deprived ourselves of carnal communication; finally, the body is bowed to prayer; but we must understand, brethren, whether the mind also agrees with the body. As in the world of artists and craftsmen, for the most part, the body, as well as the mind, is devoted to art day and night; So, finally, pay attention to yourself, is it true that when the body is removed from this world, then your mind is also alienated from this age, and no longer spins in the world? For every layman, whether a warrior or a merchant, where his body is, there his mind is attached, there he has a treasure; since it is written: “Where the treasure is, there is the heart” (Matthew 6:21). 19. Finally: to what treasure is your mind directed? Are you completely devoted to God or not? If not, should you tell me what is preventing this? Of course, evil spirits, Satan and demons hold the mind and pierce the soul. The resourceful devil, who has locks, triple doors and many tricks, occupies the spiritual pastures and thoughts, and does not allow one to pray correctly and approach God; because nature itself can be in communion with demons and evil spirits, just as in communion with Angels and the Holy Spirit, it can be the church of Satan and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, pay attention to your mind, brothers, with whom is it in communication, with Angels or with demons? Whose church is it, is it God’s dwelling or the devil’s? What treasure is the heart filled with, gracious or satanic? Therefore, like a house full of stench and uncleanness, it is necessary to completely cleanse the heart, decorate it and fill it with all kinds of fragrance and treasures, so that instead of Satan the Holy Spirit will come and rest in the souls of Christians. 20. However, a person does not immediately become worthy of the good part as soon as he hears God’s word. And if at the same time, when he heard, he became worthy of the good part, then there would be no more feats, or occasions for battle, or a field for struggle; but everyone without difficulty, as you would soon hear, achieved peace and a measure of perfection. In reality this is not the case. By asserting the opposite, you take away a person’s will and deny the existence of a resistive force that opposes the mind. We say that the one who listens to the word comes into contrition, and then, because grace, according to God’s vision for the benefit of man, moves away from him, he begins to exercise and learn in battle, fights and labors against Satan, and after a long competition and struggle he wins and becomes a Christian. And if, by hearing only, someone could easily reach the good part; then both the actors and all the fornicators would enter the kingdom and life. But no one will give them life without labor and achievement, because the way is narrow and straitened (Matthew 7:14). It is this rough path that one must walk, and endure, and grieve, and thus enter into life. 21. If only one could prosper without difficulty; then Christianity would no longer be a stumbling block and a stone of temptation, there would be neither faith nor unbelief. Moreover, you make a person unfree, unyielding to either good or evil; because the law is given to those who can bow to one side or the other, who have the will to wage war against opposing forces. But an unfree nature is not subject to law: neither the sun, nor the sky, nor the earth are subject to law: because these creatures have an unfree nature, and therefore do not deserve honor and are not subject to punishment. For glory and honor are prepared for the one who is willing to do good; and also Gehenna and punishment are prepared for the same changeable nature, capable of avoiding evil and bowing to the right side towards good. But you claim that man has an unfree nature; therefore, you do not recognize a good person as worthy of praise. For whoever is good and beneficial by nature is still unworthy of praise, although worthy of love; that which is not good by choice is not praiseworthy, although it is desirable. He is worthy of praise who, through his own zeal, with effort and struggle, chose what is good out of free will. 22. Imagine the Persian camp and the Roman camp; and now two young men, inspired by courage and equal in strength, came out of them and are fighting. So the opposing force and the mind are equally powerful and have equal power, just as Satan to bow and flattery draw the soul into his will, so again the soul to contradict and not obey him in anything; because both forces can only encourage, and not force, evil and good. Such and such a will is given God's help, and through struggle it can acquire weapons from heaven, and with them they can defeat and eradicate sin; because the soul can resist sin, but without God it cannot overcome or eradicate evil. But those who claim that sin is like a strong giant, but the soul is like a youth, speak poorly. For if such was the dissimilarity, and sin was likened to a giant, and the soul to a child, then the Lawmaker, who gave man the law to wage war with Satan, would be unjust. 23. This is the foundation of the path to God - with great patience, with hope, with humility, in spiritual poverty, with meekness to walk the path of life; This person can acquire justification in himself, and by justification we mean the Lord himself. The very commandments that prescribe this are, as it were, paths and signs of the royal path, which leads those who walk to the heavenly city. For the Lord says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the meek; blessed are the merciful; blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:3–9). This is Christianity! But if anyone does not follow this path, then he wanders along the paths and has laid a bad foundation. Glory to the bounties of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 28. In this conversation the misfortune of the soul is described and lamented, namely, that due to sin the Lord does not dwell in it; It is also said about John the Baptist that none of those born of women is greater than he 1. How, having once been angry with the Jews, God gave Jerusalem up to the shame of the enemies, and those who hated them began to dominate them, and there was no longer any holiday or offering there: so, having become angry with his soul for breaking the commandment, he gave it over to the enemies, demons and passions; and they, having seduced her, completely humiliated her, and there was no longer any holiday, no incense, no offering offered by the soul to God; because the paths to the places of interest in it were filled with wild animals, and reptiles - wicked spirits - nested in it. And just as a house, if the owner does not live in it, is clothed in darkness, in disgrace and reproach, filled with uncleanness and pus: so the soul, if its Master does not rejoice in it with the Angels, is filled with sinful darkness, shameful passions and all kinds of disgrace. 2. Woe is the path if no one walks there and hears no human voice on it; because it became a refuge for animals. Woe to the soul when the Lord does not walk in it and does not drive out the wicked spiritual beasts with His voice. Woe to the house when the owner does not live in it. Woe to the earth when there is no farmer to cultivate it. Woe to the ship when there is no helmsman; because he perishes, carried by the waves and the sea storm. Woe to the soul when it does not have within itself the true helmsman - Christ; because, being in the midst of a bitter sea of ​​darkness, agitated by a storm of passions, and overwhelmed by evil spirits, she finally comes to destruction. Woe to the soul when it does not have within itself Christ who diligently cultivates it, so that it can bear good spiritual fruits; because, having become desolate and becoming full of thorns and thistles, it finally bears fruit through fire. Woe to the soul when its Lord Christ does not dwell in it; because, empty and filled with the stench of passions, it becomes a refuge of vice. 3. Just as a farmer, when he goes to cultivate the land, must take tools and clothing suitable for cultivating: so Christ, the Heavenly King and true worker, when he came to humanity desolate from vices, putting on a body and bearing a cross instead of a tool, cultivated the desolate soul, removed from it the thorns and thistles of evil spirits, plucked out the tares of sin, and all the past sins of it. burned with fire. And thus, having cultivated it with the tree of the cross, he planted in it a most beautiful spiritual garden, which brings all kinds of sweet and desired fruits to God as the Master. 4. And just as in Egypt, during the three-day darkness, a son did not see his father, a brother - a brother, a friend - a sincere friend, because darkness covered them: so after Adam transgressed the commandment, fell from his former glory and submitted to the spirit of the world, and the veil of darkness descended on his soul - from him until the last Adam - the Lord, man did not see the true heavenly Father, the merciful and kind mother - the grace of the Spirit, the sweetest and longed-for brother - the Lord, friends and sincere ones - the holy Angels, with whom I once joyfully rejoiced and celebrated. And not only until the last Adam, even now, for whom the sun of righteousness, Christ, did not shine, for whom the eyes of the soul, enlightened by the true light, were not opened, all of them are covered with the same darkness of sin, have in themselves the same action of voluptuousness, are subject to the same punishment, and they do not have eyes with which they could see the Father. 5. For everyone should know that there are eyes, which are the inner parts of these eyes, and there is hearing, which is the inner part of this hearing. And just as these eyes sensually see and recognize the face of a friend or loved one: so the eyes of a worthy and faithful soul, enlightened by the Divine light, spiritually see and recognize a true friend, the sweetest and much-desired bridegroom - the Lord, as soon as the soul is illuminated by the venerable Spirit. And thus, the soul, mentally contemplating the coveted and one ineffable beauty, is wounded by Divine love, attuned to all spiritual virtues, and as a result of this acquires boundless and inexhaustible love for the Lord desired for it. Therefore, what is more blessed than that eternal verb in which John presents us before the eyes of the Lord and says: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29)? 6. Truly, of those born of women, none is greater than John the Baptist; because he is the completeness of all Prophets. Everyone prophesied about the Lord, showing His coming from afar; but John, prophesying about the Savior, presented Him before the eyes of everyone, crying out and saying: “Behold the Lamb of God!” How sweet and beautiful is the voice of one who directly points to what he preaches! None of those born of women is greater than John the Baptist: “He is greater in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 11:11). These are the Apostles born again from God, who received the firstfruits of the Comforter Spirit; for they were deemed worthy to judge with Christ, to be co-thrones of Christ, and became deliverers of men. And you will also find that they part the sea of ​​evil forces and bring faithful souls; you will find that they are workers, cultivating spiritual grapes; you will find that they are groomsmen, betrothing souls to Christ; for it is said: “I will betroth you to one husband” (2 Cor. 11:2); you will find that they give life to people; in a word, you will find that they serve the Spirit in many ways and in many ways. This “sick man” is John the Baptist. 7. As a farmer, keeping a pair of oxen, cultivates the land: so, like this, the Lord Jesus, this perfect and true worker, having gathered together the Apostles “in twos, sent them out” (Luke 10:1), Himself with them cultivating the land of those who listen and truly believe. However, this is also worthy of note: the kingdom of God and the Apostolic preaching are not in one audible word, so that for this one only needs to be able to speak and convey it to others, on the contrary, the kingdom is in the power and effectiveness of the Spirit. The Israelites experienced this; always studying in Scripture, and without a doubt, occupied with the thought of the Lord, they did not accept the Truth itself, and passed on their very inheritance to others. Likewise, those who communicate the words of the Spirit to others, but do not themselves possess the word in its power, pass on the inheritance to others. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 29. God distributes grace to the human race in two ways, in order to demand its fruits at a righteous judgment 1. The boundless and incomprehensible wisdom of God, in an incomprehensible and inexplicable way, distributes grace to the human race in many different ways, to test free will, so that those who love God with all their hearts and for His sake endure every danger and every labor are revealed. For others, as soon as they approach with faith and prayer, while they still live in the world, without their labors, sweats and exhaustions, are preceded by the gifts and gifts of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, God gives grace not without a reason, not untimely and not as it happened, but according to some indescribable and incomprehensible wisdom, so that the will and free will of those who soon receive God's grace turn out to be good, namely, in the fact that they feel the benefit, the mercy and sweetness of God shown to them according to the measure communicated to them without their own labors, the grace which, having been honored, they are obliged to show diligence, tirelessness, effort and the fruit of love from one’s own will and from one’s will, and to repay one’s gifts, that is, to completely surrender oneself, devoting oneself to the love of the Lord and fulfilling only the Lord’s will, completely moving away from any carnal desire. 2. And to others, although they have withdrawn from the world, renounced this world, according to the Gospel, and with great patience succeed in prayer, fasting, diligence and other virtues, God does not quickly give grace, and peace, and spiritual joy, but hesitates and withholds the gift. And this is not without a reason, not untimely and not how it happened, but according to some ineffable wisdom, for the test of free will, in order to see whether they truly honor God as faithful and true, who promised to give to those who ask and to open the door of life to those who strike at it, to see whether they truly believed in His word, whether they will remain in undoubted faith to the end, and whether they will ask and seek with all diligence, not whether they will turn away from God in suffering and fear, whether they will not indulge in laziness, falling into unbelief and hopelessness and not enduring to the end, due to the slowness of time and the testing of their will and discretion. 3. For whoever does not quickly accept, when God postpones and lingers, he becomes even more inflamed and desires heavenly blessings more strongly, and daily exerts greater desire, zeal, tirelessness, effort, the totality of all virtues, hunger and thirst, just to receive the good, and does not weaken from the vicious thoughts that reside in the soul, does not fall into laziness, impatience and despair; or, under the pretext of slowing down, he does not indulge in relaxation, driven by the following thought: “Will I ever receive the grace of God?” and through this being drawn into negligence by the evil one. On the contrary, to the extent that the Lord himself postpones and lingers, testing the faith and love of his will, in such a way he, the more swiftly and carefully, unremittingly and tirelessly, must seek the gift of God, having once believed and become convinced that God is honest and true, promising to give His grace to those who ask for it with faith and with all patience to the end. 4. Faithful souls consider God faithful and true, and according to the true word, they are established, “as He is true” (John 3:33). And in accordance with this, according to the above-mentioned concept of faith, they test themselves, in what, depending on them, they have a deficiency, whether in work, or in effort, or in diligence, or in faith, or in love, or in other virtues, and having tested themselves with all the refined accuracy, as much as they have the strength, they force and force themselves to please the Lord, having once believed that God, as true, will not deprive them of the spiritual gift if they continue to the end with all diligence before Him in service and patience, and that, while still in the flesh, they will be honored with heavenly grace and receive eternal life. 5. Thus, they direct all their love to the Lord, renouncing everything, waiting for Him alone with strong lust, with hunger and thirst, always expecting peace and consolation of grace, without being consoled or rested by anything in this world, voluntarily binding themselves, constantly resisting material thoughts, expecting only God’s help and God’s intercession; They expect that in such souls, who have accepted willfulness, diligence and patience, the Lord himself will be secretly present, help them, protect and support in them every fruit of virtue: they expect, even if they were in labor and sorrow, even if in the knowledge of the truth and in spiritual revelation they had not yet received the grace of the Spirit and peace as a heavenly gift, they did not feel this with certainty, according to ineffable wisdom and according to the inscrutable judgments of God, who tests believing souls in various ways and looks at love that comes from will and discretion. For there are limits, measure and weight to free will and free love and feasible disposition to all His holy commandments. And thus, souls who fulfill the measure of their love and duty are awarded the kingdom and eternal life. 6. God is righteous and His judgments are just, and He has no partiality, but according to the measure of good deeds, both physical and spiritual, or knowledge, or understanding, or prudence (which God has variously invested in human nature), judging each one, He will seek the fruits of virtue, and in a worthy measure will reward each one according to his deeds. And “the mighty will be tormented more severely, but the little one is worthy of mercy” (Wis. 6:6). And the Lord says: “A servant who knows the will of his master, and having neither prepared nor done according to his will, will receive many beatings. The ignorant one, having created something worthy of wounds, will have few beatings. But to everyone to whom much is given, much will be required of him, and having given him much, much will be asked of him” (Luke 12:47-48). Understand knowledge and understanding differently, either that which is given by grace and the heavenly gift of the Spirit, or that which is a natural consequence of understanding, or prudence, and the study of the Divine Scriptures. For from everyone the fruits of virtue will be required, in proportion to the benefits God has shown him, either natural or bestowed by God’s grace. Therefore, on the day of judgment, every person is irresponsible before God, because from everyone, whether he has heard or has never heard the word of God, the fruits of faith and love and all virtue commensurate with him will be required, as reward from the will and will. 7. A faithful and true-loving soul, looking at the eternal blessings prepared for the righteous, and at the ineffable goodness of God’s grace that has come down, recognizes itself and its zeal, and its labor and feat as unworthy of the ineffable promises of the Spirit. Such is the poor in spirit whom the Lord pleases. Such is the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Such is the brokenhearted. Those who have accepted such will, and diligence, and labor, and love for virtue and who remain so to the end, will truly be able to improve life and the eternal kingdom. Therefore, let no one of the brethren be proud of his brother, and let him who is deceived by the evil one not succeed in conceit. saying: “I already have a spiritual gift.” For it is unworthy of Christians to think so. You don’t know what the morning will do to your brother; you don’t know what your and his end will be. On the contrary, let everyone, being attentive to himself, constantly examine his conscience and test the work of his heart, with what zeal and effort the mind strives for God; and having in mind the perfect goal - freedom, dispassion and spiritual peace, let it flow continuously and non-slothfully, without undoubtedly relying on any talent or justification. Glory and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 30. In order for the soul to enter the kingdom of God, it must be born of the Holy Spirit, and how this happens 1. Those who hear the word must show in their souls the work of the word; because the word of God is not an idle word, but has work done in the soul. This is why it is called work, so that it will turn out to be work in those who listen. Therefore, may the Lord reveal the work of truth to those who hear, so that the word may become fruitful in you. Just as a shadow represents the body, but serves only as an indicator of the body, reality itself is the body: so in a similar way, the word is, as it were, a shadow of the truth - Christ; and the word represents the truth. Fathers on earth give birth to children from their nature, their body and their soul, and those born as their children are carefully trained with all zeal until they become perfect men, successors and heirs; because fathers initially have the goal and concern to give birth to children and have heirs, and if they had not given birth, they would have experienced great sadness and grief, therefore, on the contrary, having given birth, they rejoice in this, there is even joy for relatives and neighbors. 2. In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ, having taken upon Himself the care of man’s salvation, completed the entire economy, and from the very beginning applied care through the Fathers, Patriarchs, through the Law and Prophets; and finally, having come himself and despising the shame of the cross, he suffered death. And all His work, all His zeal was in order from Himself, from His nature, to give birth to children by the Spirit, deigning that they would be born again from His Divinity. And just as earthly fathers grieve if they do not give birth, so the Lord, having loved the human race as His own image, wanted to give birth to them from His Divine seed. And if others do not want to receive such a birth, and be born from the loins of the Spirit of God; this is great sorrow for Christ, who suffered and endured for them in order to save them. 3. The Lord wants all people to be worthy of this birth; because he died for everyone and called everyone to life. And life is birth from God from above. For without this birth it is impossible for the soul to live, as the Lord says: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). And therefore, all those who believed in the Lord, and having come, were considered worthy of this birth, bring joy and great joy in heaven to the parents who gave birth to them. All Angels and holy Powers rejoice over the soul born of the Spirit and made spirit. For this body is the likeness of the soul, and the soul is the image of the Spirit; and just as a body without a soul is dead and cannot do anything, so without a heavenly soul, without the Spirit of God, the soul is dead to the kingdom, and without the Spirit it cannot do the things of God. 4. Like a painter carefully looks at the king’s face and paints his image; and when the princess’s face is directly opposite the painter and turned towards him, then it is convenient and good to paint the image for him; and when the king turns away his face, then it is impossible for the painter to paint; because the face is not directed at the writer: in the same way, the excellent painter - Christ in the souls who believe in him and are constantly directed towards Him, soon paints the heavenly man in His image, and from His Spirit, from the hypostasis of His ineffable light, paints a heavenly image, and gives the soul a beautiful and kind Bridegroom. And if someone is not constantly striving towards Him, and has not despised everything else, then the Lord does not write His image in him with His light. Therefore, we need to direct our gaze to Him, having believed in Him, loving Him, abandoning everything and listening to Him alone, so that, having painted His heavenly image, He would send it down into our souls, and thus, bearing Christ within us, we would receive eternal life, and having been convinced of this, we would still rest here. 5. Like a gold coin, if it does not accept and imprint on itself the royal image, does not circulate in trade, is not invested in the royal treasury, but everyone sweeps it away: so the soul, if it does not have the image of the heavenly Spirit in the ineffable light, i.e. Christ imprinted in it, it is inappropriate for the heavenly treasures, and is rejected by the merchants of the kingdom - the good Apostles. For even the one who was called, but did not have the wedding garment on him, was thrown away into alien darkness like a stranger; because he did not have a heavenly image in himself. This is a sign and sign of the Lord imprinted on the souls, this is the Spirit of ineffable light. And just as a dead person is not needed for anything and is not good for anything at all for the living, why, they take him out and place him outside the city: so the soul, which does not have in itself the heavenly image of the Divine light, that is, the life of the soul, becomes as if it has no value and is completely rejected; because a dead soul that does not have within itself the luminous and Divine Spirit is unprofitable for the City of Saints. Just as in this world the soul is the life of the body, so in the eternal and heavenly world the life of the soul is God’s Spirit. 6. Therefore, whoever tries to believe and come to the Lord must pray that here he may still receive God’s Spirit, because He is the life of the soul, and for this purpose the Lord’s coming was to give life to the soul here – His Spirit. For it is said: “As long as you have light, believe in the light” (John 12:36); “the night will come when you cannot work” (John 9:4). Therefore, if someone here has not sought and accepted life for the soul, that is, the divine light of the Spirit, then during the departure from the body he is already exiled to the present land of darkness, not entering the heavenly kingdom, and Gehenna has an end with the devil and with his angels. Or, like gold or silver, when it is cast into fire, it becomes purer and more good, and nothing, neither wood nor grass can change it, because it itself becomes like fire and devours everything that approaches it: so the soul, being in spiritual fire and in the Divine light, will not tolerate any evil from any of the evil spirits; it is consumed by the heavenly fire of the Spirit. Or, like a bird, when it flies high, has no worries, is not afraid of hunters or cunning animals, and soaring high, laughs at everything: so the soul, having received the wing of the Spirit and soars into the heavenly heights, above everything else, laughs at everything. 7. Carnal Israel, when Moses divided the sea, walked along its bottom: and Christians, having become children of God, walk over the bitter sea of ​​wicked forces; because both their body and soul became the house of God. On the day when Adam fell, God came and, walking in paradise and seeing Adam, felt sorry, so to speak, and said: “With such good things, why have you chosen evil! After such glory as you carry with you the shame! Why are you now so darkened, so ugly, so frail? After such light, what darkness has covered you!” When Adam fell and died for God, the Creator regretted him; Angels, all the powers, heaven, earth, all creatures mourned his death and fall. For the creatures saw that the one given to them as king had become a slave to a resistive and crafty force. So he clothed his soul with darkness, bitter darkness, and evil, because the prince of darkness reigned over him. He was the one who was wounded by robbers and became half dead when he passed from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:30). 8. And Lazarus, whom the Lord raised, this Lazarus, filled with a great stench, why no one could approach his tomb, was the image of Adam, who received a great stench into his soul and was filled with blackness and darkness. But when you hear about Adam, about Adam, who was wounded by the robbers, and about Lazarus, do not let your mind wander as if through the mountains, but shut yourself up inside your soul, because you also carry the same ulcers, the same stench, the same darkness. We are all sons of this darkened race, we are all partakers of the same stench. Whatever weakness Adam suffered, so did all of us who come from Adam’s seed. For the same weakness, as Isaiah says, has befallen us: “neither a scab, nor a sore, nor a burning wound: there is no plaster to apply, lower than oil, lower than the duty to do” (Is. 1:6). We are wounded by such an incurable ulcer; Only the Lord can heal her. That is why He himself came; for none of the Old Testament, neither the Law itself, nor the Prophets could heal this ulcer: He alone, coming, healed this inhealable spiritual wound. 9. Let us therefore receive God and the Lord, the true physician. Who, having come and worked hard for us, alone can heal our souls. For He continually strikes the doors of our hearts, so that we would open to Him, and He would ascend and rest in our souls, and we washed and anointed His feet, and He would make an abode with us. And there the Lord rebukes him who did not wash His feet (Luke 7:44); and in another place he says: “Behold, I stand at the door: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Rev. 3:20). For this reason, He deigned to suffer a lot, giving His body to death, and redeeming us from slavery, so that, having come to our soul, He would create an abode in it. Therefore, those who will be placed on the left side at His judgment, and whom He will send with the devil to Gehenna. The Lord will say: “I am strange, and you do not know Me; you are hungry, and you will not let me eat; You were thirsty, and did not give me a drink” (Matthew 25:42–43); for food, and drink, and clothing, and His covering, and His rest are in our souls. Therefore, he constantly knocks on the door, wanting to come in to us. Let us accept Him and bring Him inside ourselves; because for us He is food, life, drink, and eternal life. And every soul that has not received Him into itself and has not rested Him within itself now, or better to say, has not itself rested in Him, has no inheritance with the saints in the kingdom of heaven, and cannot enter the heavenly city. You Yourself, Lord Jesus Christ, lead us into it, glorifying Your name with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 31. A believer must change his mind and gather all his thoughts into God, which is what all service to God really consists of. 1. A believer must ask God for himself, so that his will may be changed by a change of heart, changed from bitterness to sweetness. He must remember how the blind man was healed, how the bleeding woman was healed by touching the holy vestments, how the nature of lions was tamed, the nature of fire was rendered inactive, because God is the highest beauty; You must raise your mind and thoughts to Him, and not contain in your thoughts anything other than the desire to see Him. 2. And therefore, like playful children, let the soul gather and pacify the thoughts scattered by sin; let him bring them into the house of his body, constantly fasting and lovingly waiting for the Lord when He comes and really gathers her into one. Because the future is unknown; then let him hope even more, placing his hope well in the helmsman, and let him remember how Rahab, living with foreigners, believed in the Israelites and was honored to live with them, and how the Israelites returned to Egypt with their desire. Just as Rahab was not harmed in the least by her stay with foreigners, but on the contrary, faith joined her to the part of the Israelites: so sin will not harm those who wait with hope and faith for the Redeemer, Who, having come, transforms the thoughts of the soul, makes them divine, heavenly, good, and teaches the soul true, undistracted, undistracted prayer. It is said: do not be afraid, “I will go before you, and I will level the mountains, I will break in pieces the gates of copper and break the iron ropes” (Is. 45:2). And it is also said: “Take heed to yourself, lest the word of iniquity be hidden in your heart” (Deut. 15:9); Do not say in your heart: “This tongue is much and strong” (Deut. 2:21). 3. If we are not lazy and do not give ourselves pastures to unruly, vicious thoughts, but by our own will we attract the mind, forcing our thoughts to rush to the Lord: then, without a doubt, the Lord will come to us by His will and will really gather us to Himself; because all good pleasure and service depends on thoughts. Therefore, try to please the Lord, always waiting for Him inwardly, seeking Him in your thoughts, urging and forcing your will and your will to constantly strive towards Him. See how He comes to you and makes his abode with you. For to the extent that you gather your mind to seek Him, to such and even greater extent is He compelled by His own compassion and His goodness to come to you and give you rest. He stands and examines your mind, thoughts and movements of thoughts, observes how you seek Him, whether with all your soul, or with laziness, or with negligence. 4. And when he sees your diligence in seeking Him, then He will appear and reveal Himself to you, give His help, and prepare for you victory, delivering you from your enemies. For, having first considered your desire for Him and how all your aspirations are constantly turned towards Him. He will teach you and give you true prayer, true love; and this is He Himself, who becomes everything in you, and is for you - paradise, the tree of life, beads, a crown, a steward, a farmer, a suffering, impassive man, God, wine, living water, a sheep, a bridegroom, a warrior, a weapon - everything in all is Christ. Just as a baby does not know how to help himself or take care of himself, and looks only at his mother and cries until she takes him with pity: so faithful souls always hope in the one Lord, ascribing all truth to Him. Like a branch taken from a vine withers; so those who wish to be justified without Christ. Just as “a thief is a thief”, who “does not enter” by the real entrance, “but crawls elsewhere” (John 10:1): so is he who justifies himself without the Justifier. 5. Therefore, let us lift up this body, build an altar, place every thought on it, and pray to the Lord to send an invisible and great fire from heaven, so that it will consume both the altar and everything that is on it. And all the priests of Baal will fall, i.e. resistive forces; and then we will see heavenly rain, like a human footprint (1 Kings 18:44), descending into the soul; why, God’s promise will be fulfilled on us, as the Prophet said. “I will raise up and recompense the fallen tabernacle of David, and its dug up I will recompense” (Amos 9:11). Let us pray that the Lord, in His goodness, illuminates the soul that is in the night and in darkness, in the intoxication of ignorance; and she, having risen up, will walk without stumbling, performing the affairs of the day and life. For the soul is nourished by what it eats either from this world or from the Spirit of God; and God feeds there, lives, rests, and abides. 6. However, everyone, if he wishes, can subject himself to the test of what he eats, where he lives, and what he does, so that in this way, having understood and acquired the ability to discern accurately, he can completely surrender to the desire for good. Moreover, when performing prayer, be attentive to yourself, delving into your thoughts and actions, where do they come from, from God, or from the enemy? and who gives food to the heart, the Lord, or the rulers of this world? And you, a soul that has tested and recognized itself, in labor and with love ask the Lord for heavenly food, for the growth and work of Christ, according to what is said: “But our life is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20), and not in outward form and image, as some think. For behold, the mind and understanding of those who have the image of only piety are likened to the world; they have hesitation and agitation of will, fickle thoughts, fear and fear, according to what was said: “there will be groaning and trembling on the earth” (Gen. 4:12). Due to unbelief and confusion of fickle thoughts, shaken for so long, like all other people, by their outward appearance alone, and by the bodily achievements of the external person, and not by their thoughts, they differ from the world; with their hearts and minds they are carried away by the world and to earthly attachments, they are entangled in useless worries, without having acquired heavenly peace in their hearts, as the Apostle says: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15), - a peace that reigns and renews the minds of the faithful in love for God and for all brotherhood. Glory and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 32. The glory of Christians even now remains in their souls, but at the time of the resurrection it will be revealed and glorify their bodies, according to their piety 1. In this world there are different languages; because every people has its own language. And Christians even now learn one language, and everyone takes lessons from one wisdom, from the wisdom of God, and not from the wisdom of this world and the passing age. And how Christians live among the same creatures; then, borrowing a reason for themselves in the visible, they ascend to new heavenly contemplations, glories and sacraments. There are breeds of gentle animals, for example, the horse and the ox; each of them has its own body structure and its own voice. We also notice in animals: a lion has its own body structure and its own voice, and likewise a deer. And there is a great difference between reptiles, and among birds there is a great deal of difference in body structure; The eagle has a different body structure and a different voice, and the hawk also has a different body structure and a different voice. We also find it in the sea; many bodies, different from one another. And on dry land there are many seeds, and each seed has its own fruit; There are also many trees, and there are large trees and small trees. And the vegetables themselves have a big difference; because each of them has their own taste. There are herbs, and there is a big difference between them; some are good for health, others only emit a fragrance. Every tree from its interior produces its outer clothing, leaves, flowers and fruits; and also the seeds contain their outer clothing inside themselves; and the lilies themselves from their interior produce their clothing and adorn their greenery. 2. So, if any of the Christians are still here worthy to acquire heavenly attire, then it itself abides in their souls. And since it was predetermined by God, this creation will be destroyed, heaven and earth will pass away; that heavenly robe, which has now clothed and glorified the soul, in which form it was acquired in the heart, will clothe the resurrected bodies in that day, after they rise naked from the graves. Obviously, they will be clothed with glory by that invisible gift and that heavenly robe that Christians have received even now. Just as sheep or camels, having found grass, greedily and quickly absorb food and store food in themselves, but during hunger they regurgitate this very thing from the womb and chew it, and serve to nourish them, which was taken into themselves before: so those who have now yet captured the heavenly kingdom, living in the spirit, have tasted heavenly food, during the resurrection this same thing will cover and warm all their members. 3. And as we said about the diversity of seeds, namely, that many seeds are sown on one land and produce different fruits, different from one another; and similarly about trees, that some of them are larger, others are smaller, although the roots of all trees are in one earth: so the heavenly Church, being one, is innumerable, and each one in it is adorned in a special way with the glory of the Spirit. Just as birds produce their clothing - feathers - from their body, but there is a big difference between them; some fly almost on the ground, while others rush high in the air; or - just as there is one sky, and there are many stars on it, some brighter, some more, some less, but all established in one sky: so the Saints in the one heaven of the Divinity and on the invisible earth are rooted differently. And similarly, the thoughts that come to the mind of one and the same Adam are different, but the Spirit coming into the heart produces one thought and one heart; because both the low and the high are governed by one Spirit. 4. What do animals with cloven hooves mean? (Lev.11 – Ed.) Since they walk more freely with double hooves, they serve as an image of those who walk right in the Law. Just as the shadow of the body is produced by the body itself, however, it cannot replace the flesh in service; the shadow cannot bandage a wound, serve food, or speak, but it is a product of the body itself, and shows its presence in advance: so the old law is the shadow of the new covenant. But the shadow predicted the truth, and did not replace the Spirit; because Moses, clothed with flesh, could not have entered the heart and taken off the unclean garments of darkness, if the power of the evil darkness had not been crushed by the Spirit from the Spirit, and Fire from Fire. And circumcision in the shadow of the law indicates the approaching true circumcision of the heart, and the washing of the law is the shadow of the truth. The body was washed there; and here the baptism of fire and the Spirit cleanses and washes the defiled mind. 5. There, the priest, overcome with infirmity, entered the Holy Place, making a sacrifice for himself and for the people: here the true Bishop - Christ once entered the tabernacle not made by hands, to the altar on high, and is ready to cleanse the defiled conscience of those who ask Him. For he says: I will be with you “to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The High Priest had two precious stones on his chest, on which were the names of the twelve Patriarchs. What was there is an image; so the Lord, having clothed himself with the twelve Apostles, sent them as evangelists and preachers to the whole world. See how the approaching shadow reveals the truth. Just as a shadow does not correct services and does not heal infirmities, so the old law could not heal spiritual ulcers and infirmities; because he had no life. 6. Two conjugate persons constitute something perfect: so are two covenants. Man is created in the image and likeness of God, and has two eyes, two eyebrows, two arms, two legs; and if he happens to be one-eyed, or one-armed, or one-legged, then this serves him as a reproach. Or, like a bird, if it has one wing, it cannot fly with one wing: so human nature, if it remained naked, as it is in itself, and did not accept the dissolution and communion of the heavenly nature, it would not do anything good, but would remain by its nature naked and worthy of reproach for great impurity. For the soul itself is called the church and dwelling place of God, and the royal bride. God says: “I will dwell in them and walk around” (2 Cor. 6:16). God favored you so much that He came down from the holy heavens, and took upon Himself your rational nature, and dissolved earthly flesh with His Divine Spirit, so that you, earthly one, would receive the heavenly soul into yourself. And when your soul is in communion with the Spirit, and the heavenly soul enters your soul; then you are a perfect man in God, and an heir, and a son. 7. But just as God’s greatness and God’s incomprehensibility cannot be comprehended by either the heavenly or the earthly eyelids, so, on the contrary, the humiliation of God, the way in which God humbles Himself with the humble and the small, cannot be comprehended by either the heavenly or earthly worlds. For both the greatness and humiliation of God are incomprehensible. And when, according to God’s economy, you find yourself in sorrows, in suffering, in ulcers, then what you consider disgusting to yourself, that very thing serves to benefit your soul. If you want to be and get rich in the world; then you are met with all sorts of misfortunes, and you begin to reason with yourself: “I am unhappy in the world, I will go, renounce the world, and serve God.” Finally, having reached this thought, you hear the commandment that says: “Sell your possessions” (Matt. 19:27), hate carnal communication, and serve God. Then you begin to give thanks for your misfortune in the world, for the fact that, for this reason, you turn out to be obedient to Christ’s commandment. - Finally, if you have changed your thoughts partially - in relation to the visible, and have withdrawn from the world and from carnal communication; then you must also change in your mind, change your carnal wisdom into heavenly wisdom. Then you begin to reason about the same commandment that you heard, and you still have no peace, and you only accept the care and labor of acquiring what you heard about. 8. When you think that, having renounced the world, you have done everything, the Lord addresses you with the word: “Why do you boast? Didn't I create your body and soul? What have you done? The soul confessing to the Lord begins to ask Him and say: “All is Yours; the house in which I live is Yours; and my clothes belong to You. You feed me, You provide me with everything I need.” Then the Lord begins to speak to this: “I do you mercy; this estate is your property; this good will is your own property. For your love for Me, because you have resorted to Me, so I give you something that you did not possess until now, which people on earth do not have. Receive Me, the Lord, along with your soul, so that you can always have fun and rejoice with Me.” 9 . Like a wife, betrothed to her husband, brings all her property, all her dowry, with great love and hands it into the hands of her husband, and says: “I have nothing of my own; this property of mine has become yours, this dowry is your property, and my soul and my body belong to you”: so the chaste soul is the virgin of the Lord, entering into communion with the Holy Spirit of the Lord. Because the Lord, having come to earth, suffered and was crucified; then you also need to suffer with Him. For as soon as you withdraw from the world and begin to seek God and talk about Him, you will have to fight with your nature, with your old morals and with the skill that is innate to you. And while you are struggling with this skill, you will find thoughts opposing you and fighting with your mind; and these thoughts will drag you along and begin to spin you around in the visible things from which you were running. Then you will begin to fight and fight, pitting thoughts against thoughts, mind against mind, soul against soul, spirit against spirit; and here is the eternal Soul. 10. For some hidden and subtle power of darkness is revealed, residing in the heart. And the Lord is near your soul and body, and looking at your struggle, puts innermost, heavenly thoughts into you, and secretly begins to give you peace. But for now he still leaves you under training, and in the midst of your sorrows he provides grace for you. And when you come to rest, He will let you know Himself, and will show you that for your own good, He allowed you to be in struggle. - Like the son of a rich man who has a mentor, while the mentor punishes him, the teaching, and the wounds, and the blows seem heavy, and this happens until he becomes a husband; and then he begins to thank the mentor: so grace providentially teaches until you become a perfect husband. 11. The farmer scatters seeds everywhere, and the one who plants vines wants them all to bear fruit; and then he comes with a sickle, and is sad if he does not find fruit. So the Lord wants His word to be sown in the hearts of men. But just as a farmer grieves over a meager field, so the Lord grieves over a meager heart that does not bear fruit. Just as the winds blow everywhere, throughout all creation, and just as the sun illuminates the whole universe, so the Divinity is everywhere, you find Him everywhere. If you seek in heaven, then you will find it there too in the thoughts of Angels. If you are looking on earth; and here it is found in human hearts. But out of many, not many turn out to be Christians pleasing to Him. Glory and splendor to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 33. We must continually and earnestly pray to God 1. Not out of bodily habit, not out of the habit of crying out, being silent, kneeling, we should pray, but, soberly listening with the mind, wait for God to come and visit the soul on all its outcomes and paths and in all feelings. Thus, sometimes you need to remain silent, sometimes you need to cry out and pray with a cry, if only the mind is established in God. For just as the body, when it is working on something, being diligent in its work, is completely occupied, and all its members help one another: so let the soul devote itself entirely to prayer and the love of the Lord, without having fun and not spinning in thoughts, but placing all its aspirations on Christ. 2. And in this case, the Lord himself will enlighten her, teaching her true petition, giving pure, spiritual prayer, worthy of God, and worship in spirit and truth. But just as someone who decides to engage in trade has in mind not just one enterprise for the acquisition of profit, but tries in every possible way to increase and multiply profits, moving from one enterprise to another, and from this hastening to a new source of profit, and, leaving an enterprise that does not bring benefit, always turns to the most profitable: so we will supply our souls in different ways and skillfully in order to acquire true and great profit, that is, God, who teaches us to truly pray. For in this case, the Lord rests in the good will of the soul, making it the throne of glory, sitting and resting in it. Thus we heard from the Prophet Ezekiel about spiritual animals harnessed to the ruler’s chariot. There they are presented to us all-clear; and such is the soul that carries God within itself, or better said, carried by God; because it is made entirely by the eye. 3. Just as a house in which the owner himself is present is full of all decoration, beauty and splendor: so the soul, which has its Master within itself, and in which He dwells, is filled with all beauty and splendor; because the Lord, with His spiritual treasures, is its inhabitant and its reinserder. But woe to the house, whose owner is absent, and in which there is no master, because, being destroyed, it becomes desolate and becomes full of all uncleanness and disorder; there, according to the Prophet’s word, “syrini” and “besi” will settle (Is. 13:21), because wild cats, dogs and all kinds of uncleanness find a place for themselves in an empty house. Woe to the soul that does not rise from its grave fall, and within itself has those who convince and force it to remain in enmity with its Bridegroom and who intend to corrupt its thoughts and turn it away from Christ. 4. When the Lord sees that the soul, to the best of its strength, gathers itself into one, day and night always seeking the Lord and crying out to Him, as is commanded to pray unceasingly for everything (1 Thess. 5:17), then He will “take vengeance” on it, as He promised (Luke 18:7), having cleansed it from the vice that is in it, He will present it to Himself as an immaculate and undefiled bride. If you believe that this is true, as it is really true: then be attentive to yourself; Look, has your soul found the light that guides it, true food and true drink, that is, the Lord? If you haven’t found it; then seek day and night to obtain this. Therefore, when you see the sun, look for the true Sun; because you are blind. When you look at the light, look into your soul: have you acquired the true and good Light? Everything visible is a shadow of the invisible in the soul; besides the visible man there is another internal man; there were other eyes that Satan blinded, and other ears that he made deaf; but Jesus came to make this inner man sound. To him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 34. About the glory of Christians, which their bodies will be honored with in the resurrection, having been enlightened along with their souls 1. Just as bodily eyes see everything clearly, so the souls of the Saints are clear and visible those delights of the Divine, which are dissolved and about which Christians think. But this glory is hidden from the eyes of the body, but it is clearly revealed to the soul of the believer, who was killed by sin, and whom the Lord resurrects, just as he resurrects dead bodies, preparing for her a new heaven, a new earth, and the sun of righteousness, giving her everything from His Divinity. There is true peace, and a land of the living, and fruitful grapes, and the bread of life, and living water, as it is written: “I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the lands of the living” (Ps. 26:13); and again: “The sun of righteousness will shine on those who fear the Lord, and healing will be on His wings” (Mal.4:2). And the Lord said: “I am the true vine” (John 15:1); and again: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35); and again: “Whoever drinks of the water I will give him, there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an everlasting belly” (John 4:14). 2. The entire coming of the Lord was for a man lying dead in the tomb of darkness, sin, unclean spirit and evil forces, so that the Lord now in this age would resurrect and revive this man, cleanse him from all darkness, enlighten him with His light, and clothe him in His heavenly vestments of the Divine. At the resurrection of the bodies, whose souls were previously resurrected and glorified, these bodies will also be glorified, and the soul will be enlightened, now still enlightened and glorified; because the Lord is for them a house, a tabernacle, and a city. They will clothe themselves in a dwelling not made by hands, in heaven, in the glory of the Divine light, as those who have become children of light. They will not look at each other with an evil eye, because wickedness has been taken away; "there is" there "neither male nor female, neither slave nor free" (Gal. 3:28); because everyone is transformed into the Divine nature, becoming good, gods and children of God. There, brother will shamelessly speak peace to sister; because everything is one in Christ, and everyone rests in one light. They will be attentive to one another, and while they are attentive to each other they will immediately be illuminated by the truth, by the true contemplation of the ineffable light. 3. Thus they will see each other in many forms, and in many and varied Divine glories, and each will be amazed and rejoice with unspeakable joy, looking at the glory of the other. You see how the glory of God is inexpressible and incomprehensible; because they are ineffable light, eternal sacraments, innumerable blessings. For just as in the visible world it is impossible for anyone to comprehend by number all the diverse plants, seeds and flowers on earth, and no one is able to measure or know all the earthly wealth; or, just as it is impossible for any person to comprehend with his mind all the living creatures in the sea, or their number, or breeds, or differences, or the amount of water itself, or the space of the sea; or how it is impossible to know in the air the number of birds, or their breeds, or their diversity; or, just as it is impossible to comprehend the size of the sky, or the position of the stars, or their course: so it is impossible to express or describe the immeasurable, limitless and incomprehensible wealth of Christians. For if these creatures are so vast and incomprehensible to people, how much more incomprehensible is the One who created and prepared them? Therefore, a person must especially rejoice and be glad that such wealth and inheritance are prepared for Christians, which no one is able to express or describe. With all diligence and humility one must begin the Christian feat and accept its wealth; because the heritage and part of Christians is God himself. For it is said: “The Lord is the portion of my wealth and my cup” (Ps. 15:5). Forever, glory to Him who gives Himself and brings His holy nature into unity with Christian souls! Amen. Conversation 35. About the old and new Sabbath 1. In the shadow of the law given through Moses, God commanded that on the Sabbath everyone should rest and do nothing. And this was the image and vision of the true Sabbath, given to the soul by the Lord. For a soul that has been deemed worthy to get rid of shameful and unclean thoughts keeps the true Sabbath and rests in true peace, being idle and free from all dark deeds. For there, on the symbolic Saturday, although they were reposed bodily, their souls were bound by wickedness and vices; and this true Saturday is the true rest of the soul, which remains idle and cleansed of satanic thoughts, resting in the Lord’s eternal peace and joy. 2. Just as God then commanded that even the most dumb animals should rest on the Sabbath, the ox should not be dragged under the yoke of necessity, and the burden should not be placed on the donkey; because the very animals rested from hard work: so the Lord, having come and bestowing the true and eternal Sabbath, gave rest to the soul, burdened and burdened with the burdens of lawlessness, unclean thoughts, doing deeds of unrighteousness out of need, because it was in slavery to cruel rulers, and relieved it from unbearable burdens, from vain and unclean thoughts; removed from her the heavy yoke of deeds of unrighteousness, and gave her peace, weary in unclean thoughts. 3. For the Lord calls man to rest. saying: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And those souls who submit and come, He gives rest from these heavy, burdensome and unclean thoughts; they become idle from all lawlessness, keep the true, pleasant and holy Saturday, celebrate the spiritual holiday of unspeakable joy and joy, perform from a pure heart service that is pure and pleasing to God. And this is the true and holy Sabbath. Therefore, let us also beg God that we too may enter into this rest and be freed from shameful, evil and vain thoughts; and thus, come to the opportunity to serve God with a pure heart, and celebrate the feast of the Holy Spirit. And blessed is he who enters this rest. Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who has been so favored forever! Amen. Conversation 36. About the double resurrection of souls and bodies, and about the different glories of those resurrected 1. The resurrection of slain souls is still happening, and the resurrection of bodies will be on that day. But just as the stars established in the sky are not all equal, and one differs from the other in brightness and size, so in spiritual success the same Spirit occurs according to the measure of faith, and one turns out to be richer than the other. Scripture says: “Speak with tongues by the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 14:2); and he, speaking with God, is spiritual. And “by prophesying the Church is built” (1 Cor. 14:4); and this one has an abundance of grace. For the first edifies only himself, and the last - both himself and his neighbor; that is, like a grain of wheat sown into the ground, from one heart he bears out many and various grains. And the ears themselves are some larger, others smaller, but they are all gathered into one threshing floor, into one granary; and although they are different, one bread is made from them. 2. Or, as there are many people in a city: some of them are small children, others are men or young men, but they all drink water from the same source, eat the same bread, and have the same air; or imagine lamps; if one has two tubes, and the other seven, then in which there is a greater abundance of light, he shines differently: so those who are among fire and light cannot be in darkness, but there is a great difference between them. If someone, being a father, has two sons, one a minor and the other a young man, then he sends the young man to cities and regions, and accompanies the child everywhere himself, because he cannot do anything else. Glory to God! Amen. Conversation 37. About heaven and spiritual law 1. “The love of this world,” according to what is written, “is enmity with God” (James 4:4). Therefore, the Scripture commands everyone to “guard his heart with all care” (Prov. 4:23), so that a person, like paradise, keeping the word in him, enjoys grace, not listening to the serpent creeping inside and advising what serves for pleasure, from which fratricidal anger is born, and the soul that gives birth to it dies, but listening to the Lord, Who says: take care of faith and hope, from which is born a God-loving and humane love, leading to eternal life. Noah entered this paradise, keeping and fulfilling the commandment, and for love he was delivered from anger. By keeping it, Abraham heard the voice of God. Keeping it, Moses received glory on his face; David cultivated it in a similar way, which is why he began to dominate his enemies. And Saul, while he kept his heart, was prosperous; when he has completely transgressed the commandment, he is abandoned in the end. For the word of God comprehends him by measure, according to each person’s abilities; as much as one owns, so much one takes possession; as much as it is stored, so much is protected. 2. Therefore, the entire face of the holy Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs kept the word in their hearts, having no other care, but despising earthly things, and abiding in the commandment of the Holy Spirit, preferring to everything what is pleasing to the Spirit and good, not only in word and simple knowledge, but also in word and deed in reality itself, choosing poverty instead of wealth, instead of glory, dishonor, instead of pleasure, suffering, and as a result of this, instead of irritability - love. For, hating the pleasures of this life, they loved those who took away them all the more, as those who would further their goals, and refrained from the knowledge of good and evil. And they did not deny the good, and they did not blame the evil ones, recognizing everyone as responsible servants of the Master’s economy. Why did they have a good disposition towards everyone? For when they heard from the Lord: “Let it go, and it will be forgiven you” (Luke 6:38), then those who offend began to be considered benefactors, as providing opportunities for the forgiveness of offenses. And when they also heard: “As you will, let men do to you, and you do to them” (Matthew 7:12); Then they loved the good according to their conscience. For, having put aside their righteousness and sought the righteousness of God, they found, as they should, naturally hidden in it love. 3. The Lord, having taught many commandments about love, commanded to seek the truth of God; for he knew that she was the mother of love. It is impossible to be saved except through your neighbor, as he commanded: let him go, and he will let you go. This is a spiritual law written in the hearts of the faithful - the fulfillment of the first law. For the Lord says: “I did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it” (Matthew 5:17). How the law is fulfilled - listen. The first law, for a blessed reason, condemned the offended more than the sinner; since it is said: “By the way you judge, you condemn your friend,” and whatever he forgives will be forgiven to him (Rom. 2:1; Sir. 28:2). For according to the word of the law: between judgment there is judgment, and between plague there is plague (Deut. 17:8). 4. Therefore, the remission of sins is the fulfillment of the law. We spoke about the first law not because God gave people two laws: on the contrary, there is one law; in relation to nature he is spiritual, but in relation to persecution he subjects everyone to just persecution; He lets him go to the one who lets him go, and he pursues the one who pursues; for it is said: “You will be chosen with the chosen, but with the obstinate you will be corrupted” (Ps. 17:27). Therefore, those who fulfill the law spiritually and, in proportion to this, those who participate in grace love not only benefactors, but even blasphemers and persecutors, expecting spiritual love as a reward for these benefits. I call it blessings not because they forgive offenses, but because they do good to the souls of those who offended; They pray to God for them, as if through them they received bliss, according to what was said: “It is blessed when they revile you, and destroy you, and say all kinds of evil things against you, who lie to me for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). 5. But they learned to philosophize this way under the spiritual law. Because they endured and observed spiritual meekness, the Lord, seeing the patience of a struggling heart and irresistible love, destroyed the mediastinum of the fence; and they rejected complete enmity, and no longer with effort, but with God’s help, received love. The Lord finally restrains the “reversible weapon” (Gen. 3:24), which arouses thoughts, and they enter “into the innermost veil, where the Lord is seen as the forerunner of us” (Heb. 6:20), and enjoy the fruits of the Spirit, and contemplating the future with the constancy of the heart, and not with a mirror in fortune-telling, according to the Apostle, they say: “Whose eye has not seen, nor ear not hearing, and not sighing in the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). But I’ll ask about this wonderful thing: 6. Question. If it didn’t dawn on a person’s heart; then how do you know this, especially since you yourself confessed in Acts (Acts 14:15) that you are people servile to us? Answer. But listen to Paul's response to this. “But to us,” he says, “God has revealed it by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). And lest anyone say that they were given the Spirit, like the Apostles, but by nature this is inconceivable to us; then Paul in another place, offering a prayer, says: “May God grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strong in your inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Eph. 3:16,17); and again: “The Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17). And again: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Rom. 8:9). 7. Therefore, let us also pray with confidence and with feeling, so that we too may receive communion of the Holy Spirit, and enter where we came from, so that subsequently the soul-destroying serpent, the vain adviser, the spirit of overzealousness and drunkenness will depart from us; Therefore, having firmly believed, let us keep the commandments of the Lord and through this grow into a perfect man, according to age; and the delusion of this age will no longer dominate us, and, confirmed by the spirit, we will not lose faith that the grace of God favors repentant sinners. For what is given by grace cannot be compared with the previous weakness; otherwise grace is not grace. But, having believed in the almighty God, with a simple and inquisitive heart, let us approach the granting of the communion of the Spirit by faith, and not by assimilating works to faith. For it is said: “You did not partake of the Spirit by the works of the law, but by the hearing of faith” (Gal. 3:2). 8. Question. You say that everything spiritually hides in the soul; What does it mean: “in church I want to speak five words with my mind” (1 Cor. 14:19)? Answer. The Church can be understood in two forms: either as an assembly of the faithful, or as a spiritual composition. Therefore, when the church is taken spiritually, in the meaning of a person, then it is the whole composition of him; and the “five words” mean five general virtues, which are divided into many types and edify the whole person. Just as the one who speaks about the Lord embraces all wisdom with five words, so the one who follows the Lord instills great piety with five virtues: because these virtues are five, but they also embrace all the others. The first is prayer, then abstinence, almsgiving, poverty, long-suffering; all of them, being performed at will and will, are words of the soul, spoken by the Lord and heard by the heart; for the Lord acts, and the Spirit then speaks mentally; and to the extent that the heart desires, it manifestly commits. 9. These virtues, since they are common to everyone, are also generic in the reasoning of others. For with the absence of the first, all are destroyed; and in a similar way, the following are taken away from the second, and so on. For how can a person pray if the Spirit has not worked in him? The Scripture serves as my witness, which says: “No one can speak of the Lord Jesus except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). How can one who abstains without prayer survive without this help? And whoever does not abstain in everything, how will he be merciful to the hungry or the offended? And whoever is unmerciful will not agree to arbitrarily become poor. And conversely, irritability lives along with an addiction to money, whether a person has it or not. But a valiant soul is thus united to the Church not because it did, but because it desired. For it is not his own work that saves a person, but the One who gives the power. Therefore, if anyone suffers the plagues of the Lord, let him not have any conceit about himself in anything, even if he did something, even if he only loved and initiated the action. Therefore, do not ever think to precede the Lord in virtue, according to the words of He who said: “He is the One who works in us to do whatever we will and to do for good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). 10. Question. What does Scripture command man to do? Answer. Previously, we said that man by nature has a destiny, and God seeks it. And therefore, he commands that a person should first understand, having understood, he should love, and will begin. And in order to put a thought into action, or endure labor, or complete a deed, this is given by the grace of the Lord to the one who desires and believes. Therefore, human will is, as it were, an essential condition. If there is no will; God himself does nothing, although He can according to His freedom. Therefore, the accomplishment of a work by the Spirit depends on the will of man. Again, if we give our full will, then the whole matter is attributed to us by a God who is wonderful in everything and completely unthinkable. We, people, undertake to express some part of His miracles, based on Scripture, or better to say, taught by it. For it is said: “Who understands the mind of the Lord” (1 Cor. 2:16)? And God himself says: “How many times did your fellow children desire, but did not desire” (Luke 13:34). Therefore, we must believe that He Himself gathers us, but requires only our will. What will be the manifestation of will if not voluntary labor? 11. Just as iron, when it cuts, chops, cultivates the earth, plants, being pressed, deepens itself, however, someone else moves it and imposes it, and, when broken, kindles it in fire and renews it: so a person, although he is distressed and toils, doing good, yet the Lord works in him secretly, and in times of distress and contrition he comforts and renews. heart, as the Prophet says: “Is food glorified by the ax without the cleaver? Or will the saw be lifted up without a drawer” (Is. 10:15)? The same thing happens in evil; when a person obeys and becomes ready, then Satan motivates and tempts him, like a thief with a sword. We likened the heart to iron because of its insensibility and great cruelty. But we should not, like insensitive iron, not know who controls us (when only from the word about the worker we turned to the thought of the evil one), but on the contrary, like the ox and the donkey, we should have known who compels and leads us according to his own understanding. For it is said: “The ox and the ass knew his master’s crib, but Israel did not know me” (Is. 1:3-5). Therefore, let us pray that we may acquire the knowledge of God and learn the spiritual law to fulfill His holy commandments, glorifying the Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 38. We need a lot of attentiveness and understanding when identifying true Christians and who is a true Christian 1. Many, apparently righteous, are revered by Christians; but it is up to skilled and experienced people to find out whether they really have the mark and image of the Tsar on themselves, whether a counterfeit seal has been placed on the artistic work, why are artists either surprised or condemned? If there are no skilled people, then it will be impossible to identify the deceivers, because they also wear the image of monks or Christians. For the false apostles also suffered for Christ, and they preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven; therefore, the Apostle says: “in labor there is great abundance, in sorrow there is great sorrow, in prison there is excess” (2 Cor. 11:23), and by this he wants to show that he himself suffered more than they did. 2. Gold is easily found, but pearls and precious stones suitable for a royal crown are rarely found; often many of them are not fit to join the business. Likewise, Christians who edify the souls of others for the crown of Christ rarely find that those souls are made accomplices of the Saints. Glory to Him who loved this soul so much, suffered for it and raised it from the dead! But just as Moses had a veil over his face so that the people could not look on his face, so now a veil is laid over your heart so that the glory of God is not visible. When will the veil be removed? then God will appear and reveal Himself to Christians and those who love and truly seek Him, as He Himself says: “I will appear to him and make my abode with him” (John 14:21–23). 3. Let us try to come to the undeceitful Christ in order to accept the promise and the new covenant, which the Lord renewed, having crushed the gates of hell and sin with the cross and death, bringing out faithful souls, giving them the Comforter inside and leading them into His kingdom. And we will reign with Him in Jerusalem, His city, in the heavenly Church, in the face of the holy Angels. And those of the brethren who have practiced for a long time and have been in the experience can help the inexperienced and sympathize with them. 4. Some, having protected themselves, and with the strong action of God’s grace in them, found their members so sanctified that they concluded for themselves that in Christianity there was no longer a place for lust, but a chaste and pure mind was acquired, and that the inner man was already soaring in the divine and heavenly. Therefore, such a person thinks that he has undoubtedly achieved perfect measure; and when he considers himself to have entered a safe haven, the waves rise up against him, and again he sees himself in the middle of the sea, drawn to where there is only water and sky, and ready death. Thus, sin entering into us produces all evil lust. But, having again been granted some kind of grace, and, as it were, from the entire depths of the sea, having received a certain small drop, in this very thing they find a miracle happening hourly and daily; why, having undergone such an extraordinary, new and Divine action, he is amazed and amazed at how he was deceived. Finally, grace, as divine and heavenly, enlightens, guides, pacifies him, arranges everything for the good; why, kings and rulers, wise and dignified, in comparison with him, are considered small and low. And over time, the hour comes, and things change, so that such a person really thinks of himself that he is more sinful than all people. And at another hour he again sees himself as a great and extraordinary king, or a strong friend of the king; and again at another hour he sees himself weak and poor. Finally, the mind becomes perplexed as to why this happens one way and another; because Satan, a hater of good, instills evil in those who succeed in virtue and tries to corrupt them. This is how things happen. 5. But do not submit to this, doing the righteousness that is accomplished in the inner man, where the altar of Christ is placed along with the undefiled sanctuary, so that the testimony of your conscience may boast in the cross of Christ, cleansing your conscience from dead works, and you will serve God with your spirit, you will know Whom you worship, by what is said: “We worship Him, but we know Him” (John 4:22). Trust the God who guides you; Let your soul enter into communion with God, like a bride and groom. For it is said: “This mystery is great, but I speak in Christ” (Eph. 5:24) and in the blameless soul. Glory to the Lord forever! Amen. Conversation 39. Why did God give us divine scripture? Like a king, having written messages to those to whom he wants to give letters and gifts, he lets everyone know: “try to come to me as soon as possible and receive royal gifts from me”; and if they do not come and do not receive, then reading the messages will not benefit them; rather, they will become guilty of death for not wanting to come, and be honored from the royal hands: so the King God offered the divine Scriptures, like messages, to people, declaring with them that those who cried out to God and believed would ask for and receive a heavenly gift from the hypostasis of His Divinity. For it is written: “That we may be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). If a person does not come, does not ask, does not accept, then there will be no benefit to him from reading the Scriptures; but on the contrary, he will become guilty of death because he did not want to accept the gift of life from the heavenly King, without which it is impossible to receive immortal life, that is, Christ, to Him be glory forever! Amen. Conversation 40. About the fact that all virtues and all bad deeds are interconnected and, like links in a chain, depend on each other 1. About external asceticism, and about what way of life is the highest and first, know, beloved, the following: all virtues are connected with each other, like links in a spiritual chain, depending on one another: prayer from love, love from joy, joy from meekness, meekness from humility, humility from service, service from hope, hope from faith, faith from obedience, obedience from simplicity. So on the other hand, bad deeds depend on one another: hatred from irritability, irritability from pride, pride from vanity, vanity from unbelief, unbelief from hardness of heart, hardness of heart from negligence, negligence from laziness, laziness from despondency, despondency from impatience, impatience from voluptuousness; the other parts of vice are also connected with each other, just as on the good side they are connected with each other and virtues depend on one another. 2. The main thing in any good effort and the height of merit is diligent stay in prayer. With it, by asking God, we can daily acquire other virtues. From here, in those who are worthy, there occurs communion in God’s holiness, in spiritual effectiveness, and a union of mental disposition, as if in ineffable love for the Lord. For whoever daily forces himself to remain in prayer is inflamed with spiritual love for God towards divine commitment and ardent desire, and accepts the grace of spiritual sanctifying perfection. 3. Question. Since some sell their property, set slaves free, fulfill the commandments, but do not try to receive the Spirit in this world, will they, living in this way, not enter the kingdom of heaven? Answer. This is a delicate subject to discuss. For some argue that there is one kingdom and one Gehenna; we say that there are many degrees, differences and measures in one and the same kingdom and in the same Gehenna. Just as there is one soul in all members, and above it acts in the brain, and below it sets the legs in motion: so the Divinity embraces all creatures, both heavenly and those below the abyss, and everywhere resides entirely in creation, although by His immeasurability and immensity It is also outside of creatures. Therefore, the Divinity itself listens to people and manages everything wisely. And because some pray without knowing what they ask, others fast, others remain in service; then God, the righteous Judge, rewards everyone according to the measure of faith. For what they do, they do out of the fear of God, but they are not all sons, kings, heirs. 4. Some in the world are murderers, some are fornicators, some are predators, and some also give away their property to the poor; The Lord looks at those and others, and gives peace and reward to those who do good; There are abundant measures, and there are small measures; in the light itself and in the glory itself there is a difference. In Gehenna itself and in punishment there are poisoners, and robbers, and others who have sinned in small ways. But those who claim that there is one kingdom, one Gehenna, and no degrees, speak poorly. How many worldly people are there today who are devoted to shows and other excesses? And how many more are there who pray and fear God? God looks at both, and as a righteous Judge prepares peace for some and punishment for others. 5. People, having harnessed their horses, drive chariots and rush against each other; everyone tries to overthrow and defeat the enemy. Thus the heart of ascetics is a spectacle; there evil spirits struggle with the soul, and God and the Angels look at the feat. Moreover, every hour many new thoughts are produced by the soul, and are also implanted by malice. For the soul has many hidden thoughts, and at this hour it produces and gives birth to them; and malice has many thoughts and intentions, and every hour it gives rise to new thoughts against the soul; because the mind is the rider, it harnesses the chariot of the soul, restraining the reins of thoughts and rushes against the satanic chariot, just as Satan prepared it against the soul. 6. Question. If prayer is repose; Why do others say: “We cannot pray” and do not remain in prayer? Answer. Peace itself, in its abundance, leads to mercy and other services, such as visiting the brethren and serving the word. And nature itself demands that you go, see the brethren and say the word. What is thrown into the fire cannot remain in its own nature, but of necessity itself becomes fire. So, if you throw small stones into the fire, some lime is made from it. If a person plunges too much into the sea and goes to the very middle; he drowns and dies. And whoever enters the water gradually wants to get out again, swim out and reach the pier and see people on land. So it is in the spiritual; another enters into the depths of grace, and again remembers his friends; and nature itself demands that we go to the brothers, fulfill the duty of love, and reinforce them with words. 7. Question. How can both grace and sin be in the heart at the same time? Answer. When there is fire outside the copper vessel, and then you begin to add firewood; the vessel becomes hot, and what is inside it cooks and boils from the fire lit outside the vessel. And if someone neglects and does not add firewood; then the heat will begin to subside and seem to go out. So grace is the heavenly fire within you. If you pray, you will give over your thoughts to love for Christ; it’s as if you add wood, and your thoughts become fire and are immersed in the *love* of God. Although the Spirit moves away and seems to be outside of you; however, he both dwells inside you and appears outside of you. If someone neglects, although he devotes himself little, either to worldly affairs or to absent-mindedness; then sin comes again and takes on the soul and begins to oppress a person. The soul remembers the former peace, and begins to grieve and suffer more often. 8. Again the mind turns to God, again the former peace begins to approach it, again it begins to seek God more strongly, and says: “I beg you, Lord!” Gradually, a fire is added, igniting and calming the soul, just as the oud little by little extracts fish from the depths. And if this had not happened, the soul would have tasted bitterness and death; then how could she distinguish bitter from sweet, death from life, and give thanks to the life-giving Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever! Amen. Conversation 41. Very deep are the recesses of the soul, gradually increasing in grace and vices 1. The precious vessel of the soul resides in great depths, as it is said nowhere: the abyss and the heart of That One are tested (Sir.42:18). After a person deviated from the commandment and was subjected to the condemnation of wrath, sin took him into its subjection, and itself, like a certain abyss of bitterness, both subtle and deep, entering inside, took possession of the pastures of the soul to its deepest recesses. Thus, we liken both the soul and the sin mixed with it to a great tree, which has many branches and roots in the depths of the earth. So the sin that entered the soul, having taken possession of its pastures to its deepest recesses, turned into habit and prejudice, from infancy it grows in everyone, is brought up and teaches him bad things. 2. Therefore, when the action of Divine grace overshadows the soul, according to the measure of each person’s faith, the soul also receives help from above; then grace bestows upon her only partly. And don’t think that the whole soul is illuminated in anyone; within it there remains still great pasture for vice, and man needs great labor and effort, consistent with the grace operating in him. Therefore, Divine grace, which in an instant can purify a person and make him perfect, begins to visit the soul gradually in order to test human will, whether it maintains complete love for God, not in any way making friends with the evil one, but completely surrendering itself to grace. Thus, the soul, which over time and many years turns out to be well-skilled, and does not in any way upset or offend grace, in its very gradualness finds help for itself. And grace itself takes possession of the pasture in the soul, and as the soul turns out to be well-skilled and in agreement with grace for many years, it takes root in its deepest compositions and thoughts, until the whole soul is embraced by the heavenly grace that already reigns in this vessel. 3. If anyone does not observe great humility; then he surrenders to Satan, and is naked from the Divine grace given to him, and then his conceit is revealed, because he is naked and poor. Therefore, one who is enriched by God’s grace must remain in great humility and contrition of heart, consider himself poor and having nothing, think: “what I have for myself, everything that is someone else’s, another gave me, and when he wants, he will take it from me.” He who humbles himself before God and people in this way can preserve the grace given to him, as it is said: “Humble yourself and he will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Being God's chosen one, let him condemn himself, and being faithful, let him consider himself unworthy. Such souls please God and are quickened by Christ. To him be glory and power forever! Amen. Conversation 42. It is not the external, but the internal that leads a person to perfection, or harms him, that is, either the Spirit of grace or the spirit of wickedness 1. If a large city, after the destruction of its walls, is taken by enemies and devastated; then vastness does not benefit him. Why, given its size, it needs to have strong walls so that enemies do not enter it. Thus, souls, adorned with knowledge, understanding and the sharpest mind, are likened to large cities. But the question is: are they strengthened by the power of the Spirit, so that their enemies do not enter and devastate them? For the wise men of this world, Aristotle, or Plato, or Socrates, with their thorough knowledge, were likened to great cities, but were devastated by their enemies; because the Spirit of God was not in them. 2. And unlearned people, having become partakers of grace, are like small cities strengthened by the power of the cross. They are deprived of grace and perish for two reasons: either because they cannot patiently endure the sorrows that have befallen them, or because, having enjoyed sinful pleasures, they indulge in them. They cannot complete their journey without temptation. But just as during childbirth, both the beggar and the queen feel the same torment; and similarly, the land of the rich and the poor, unless it is properly cultivated, cannot bear good fruits: so in spiritual work, the wise and the rich reign by grace only through patience, sorrow and much labor; because this is how the life of Christians should be. Just as honey, being sweet, does not take into itself anything bitter or poisonous: so Christians, no matter what happens to them, good or bad, remain good, as the Lord says: “you will be” blessed, “like your heavenly Father” (Luke 6:36). But what is harmful and defiles a person happens within him: “for out of the heart come evil thoughts” (Matthew 15:19), as the Lord says. For what is inside a person defiles him. 3. Therefore, within, in the soul, the spirit of wickedness creeps and walks, this rational mover, that is, the veil of darkness, the old man, which all who resort to God must put off, in order to be clothed with him in the heavenly and new man, that is, in Christ. Therefore, nothing external can harm a person, but only the living and active spirit of darkness that dwells in the heart; and therefore, everyone must struggle in his thoughts so that Christ may shine in his heart. Glory to him forever! Amen. Conversation 43. About the success of a Christian man, whose entire strength depends on the heart, which is described here in different terms 1. How many lamps and burning candles are lit by fire; and all candles and lamps are kindled and shine with what is one and the same by nature: so Christians are kindled and shine with the same nature by the Divine fire of the Son of God; and they have burning candles in their hearts, and while still on earth, they shine before Him, like Himself. For it is said: “For this reason Thy God anointed Thee with the oil of gladness” (Ps. 44:8). That is why He was called Christ, so that we, having been anointed with the same oil with which He was anointed, would become anointed, and be, so to speak, one with Him in essence and one body, as it is also said: “We are holy and sanctified by the One” (Heb. 2:11). 2. Therefore, Christians are in part like lamps that have oil in them, that is, the fruits of righteousness. If the lamp in them is not lit by the lamp of the Divine, then they are nothing. The Lord was a burning lamp, according to the Spirit of Divinity, which essentially abided in Him and enflamed His heart according to humanity. Like a rotten bag filled with pearls, Christians, who are obliged by the outer man to be humble and despised, have a pearl of great value within themselves, in the inner man. Others are like watered tombs: on the outside they are painted and decorated, but inside they are full of dead bones, a great stench and unclean spirits, dead before God and covered with all shame, uncleanness and darkness of the enemy. 3. The Apostle says that a child, while still small, “is under lords and overseers” (Gal.4:1) of evil spirits. But these spirits do not want the baby to grow; otherwise, having become a perfect husband, he will begin to delve into his household affairs and seek dominance. A Christian must always have remembrance of God; for it is written: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deut. 6:5), that is, not only when you enter a house of prayer, love the Lord; but, while on the road, and talking, and eating food, have remembrance of God, and love and commitment to Him. For He says: Where your mind is, there is your treasure (Matthew 6:21). Whatever a person’s heart is attached to and whatever his desire leads him to, that becomes God for him. If the heart always desires God, then God is the Lord of its heart. Even the one who has renounced the world, has become a non-covetous, homeless, fasting person, is still attached to himself, or to worldly things, or to home, or to parental love. And what is his heart attached to, and what is his mind captivated by? that is his god. And it turns out that he left the world through a wide door, and enters and enters the world through a narrow door. Just as brushwood thrown into the fire cannot resist the power of the fire, but immediately burns up: so the demons, when they want to attack a person who has been granted the gifts of the Spirit, are burned and destroyed by Divine fiery power, if only the person himself was always clinging to the Lord, and placed his trust and hope in Him. And if the demons are strong as solid mountains; then they are burned with prayer, like wax with fire. But meanwhile the soul faces a great struggle and battle with them. There are rivers of serpents and mouths of lions, and fire that scorches the soul. Just as someone who has perfected himself in evil, being intoxicated with the spirit of delusion, kills, commits adultery, or does not know satiety in bad deeds: so Christians, baptized by the Holy Spirit, are not skilled in evil. But those who have grace and are still attached to sin remain under fear and follow a terrible path. 4. Just as merchants sailing by sea, although they find a fair wind and a calm sea, but until they enter the pier, they are always under fear that an opposing wind will suddenly arise, the sea will become agitated, and the ship will be in danger: so Christians, although they feel within themselves that the favorable wind of the Holy Spirit is breathing, are still under fear that a wind of opposing force will not find and blow, and did not create any rebellion and unrest in their souls. Therefore, great diligence is required to enter the haven of rest, into perfect peace, into eternal life and eternal pleasure, into the city of Saints, into heavenly Jerusalem, “into the Church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:23). And whoever has not yet passed these degrees has many reasons to fear, lest the evil force, during this passage, cause him some kind of fall. 5. A woman who has conceived in her womb carries her baby within herself in darkness, so to speak, and in an unclean place. And if it finally happens that the baby comes out of the womb at the proper time; she sees a new creature for heaven, earth and sun, such as she has never seen; and immediately friends and relatives with a cheerful face take the baby into their arms. And if from any disorder the baby happens to die in the womb; then it is necessary for the doctors already determined to resort to sharp instruments; - and then the baby passes from death to death, from darkness to darkness. Apply the same to the spiritual. Those who have received the seed of the Divine have it within themselves invisibly, and because of the sin living in them, they hide it in dark and terrible places. Therefore, if they protect themselves and keep the seed; then at the appropriate time they will give birth to it openly, and finally, after their release from the body, the angels and all the heavenly faces with cheerful faces will receive them. And if he who has taken upon himself the armor of Christ in order to fight courageously relaxes; then he will soon surrender to his enemies and, with his body resolved, from the darkness that now holds him, he will go into another, more terrible darkness and into destruction. 6. Imagine a garden in which there are fruitful trees and other fragrant plants; the entire garden is beautifully landscaped and decorated and, for security, instead of a fence, it is surrounded by a small wall; By chance, a fast river also flows here. If the water hits the wall, even slightly; then he will harm its foundation, find a passage for himself, little by little completely erode the foundation, and entering the garden, break and uproot all the plants, destroy all work, and make the garden barren. This is what happens with the human heart. He has wonderful thoughts, but streams of sin constantly approach his heart, ready to overthrow him and draw him to their side. And if the mind, even if somewhat, is frivolous and indulges in unclean thoughts; then the spirits of flattery found their pasture there, broke in and destroyed all the beauty, turned good thoughts into nothing, and led the soul to desolation. 7. Just as the eye is small in comparison with all other members, and the very apple, for all its smallness, is the most important vessel, because suddenly (immediately, simultaneously. - Ed.) it sees the sky, stars, sun, moon, cities and other creatures, and all suddenly visible objects are equally depicted and depicted in the small apple of the eye: so the mind is the same in the heart. The heart itself is a small vessel; but there are serpents there, there are lions, there are poisonous beasts, there are all the treasures of vice, there are rough and obstinate paths, there are abysses; but there is also God, there are Angels, there is life and the kingdom, there is light and the Apostles, there are treasures of grace, there is everything. For just as there is a darkness spread throughout the entire universe, and man does not see man: so, from the time of the crime, the darkness of this age lies over all creation, over all human nature; why do people, covered with this darkness, lead their lives in the night, in terrible places. And just as in another house there is a lot of smoke, so sin with its evil thoughts and countless demons creep into the thoughts of the heart and sit there. 8. As in the world, when war is declared, smart people and nobles do not go there, but, fearing death, stay at home, but newly born, poor, common people are called to war; and it happens that they gain victory over the enemies, drive them away from the borders, and for this they receive rewards and crowns from the king, achieve honors and dignity, and those great people remain behind them: this also happens in the spiritual. The ignorant, hearing the word for the first time, with a truth-loving thought put it into practice, and receive spiritual grace from God, while the wise and those who delve into the word to the subtleties avoid battle and do not succeed, but remain behind those who participated in the battle and won. 9. But just as strong winds blowing set all creation in motion under heaven and make a great noise, so the power of the enemy moves and carries away thoughts, shakes the depths of the heart, inclining it to its will, and in serving it dispels thoughts. Just as tax collectors, sitting in narrow passages, stop and torture those passing by, so demons watch and detain souls; and if the souls are not completely purified, then, when they leave the body, they do not receive permission to enter the heavenly abodes and appear before their Master, but are carried down by air demons. But those who are in the flesh, with labor and great effort, can still acquire grace from above from the Lord; and they, together with those who have achieved repose for a virtuous life, will go to the Lord, as He himself gave the promise: “Where I am, my servant will also be” (John 12:26), and endless centuries will reign with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever! Amen. Conversation 44. About what change and what renewal Christ makes in a Christian person, who healed spiritual passions and ailments 1. Whoever comes to God and really wants to be a follower of Christ must come with the goal of changing, changing his previous state and behavior, showing himself to be a better and new person, who has not retained anything characteristic of the old man. For it is said: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). Our Lord Jesus Christ came for this purpose, to change, transform and renew nature, and to create this soul, overthrown by the passions as a result of the crime, again, dissolving it with His own Divine Spirit. He came to make those who believe in Him with a new mind, a new soul, new eyes, new hearing, a new spiritual tongue, in a word, new people, or new wineskins, anointing them with the light of His knowledge in order to pour into them new wine, that is, His Spirit. For he says that new wine must be put into new wineskins (Matthew 9:17). 2. Just as the enemy, having taken the man who had submitted to him, made him new to himself, overlaid him with harmful passions, anointed him with the spirit of sin, poured into him the wine of all lawlessness and bad teaching: so the Lord, having delivered the man from the enemy, made him new, anointing him with His Spirit, poured into him the wine of life, the new teaching of the Spirit. Who transformed the nutritional value of five loaves into the nutritional value of many loaves, gave a voice to a donkey, dumb by nature, turned a harlot to chastity, caused the fire, which by nature burns, to water those thrown into the oven, and for Daniel tamed the nature of wild animals, lions; He can transform a soul, desolate and wild from sin, into His goodness, meekness and peace, with the holy and good Spirit of promise. 3. Just as a shepherd can cure a mangy sheep and protect it from wolves: so the true Shepherd Christ alone could, having come, a sheep that had died and was covered with scabs, heal a person from sinful uncleanness and leprosy, and return it to Himself. For the former priests, Levites and teachers could not heal the soul with the offerings of gifts and sacrifices, and the sprinkling of blood; they were even unable to heal themselves; because they themselves were burdened with infirmity: “it is impossible,” as it is said, “to forgive sins from the blood of young men and goats” (Heb. 10:4). The Lord, showing the weakness of the doctors of that time, said: “You always speak this parable to Me: Doctor, heal yourself” (Luke 4:23), expressing this: “I am not like them, unable to heal themselves; I am a true physician and a good shepherd; I laid down My life for the sheep, I can heal every mental illness and weakness; I am the blameless sheep, once sacrificed, and I can heal those who come to Me.” True healing is given to the soul by the one Lord; for it is said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29), that is, the sins of the soul that believed in Him and loved Him with all its heart. 4. Therefore, a good shepherd heals a sheep covered with scabs, but a sheep cannot heal a sheep. And if the verbal sheep - man - is not healed; then he will not enter the heavenly Church of the Lord. This is what the Law says in this way and manner. For this the Spirit makes clear when He declares the leper and the one who has a physical defect. It is said: let no one who is leper or who has a physical defect enter the church of the Lord (Lev. 21:17–23). But the leper is commanded to go to the priest and beg him to come to his house of tabernacle and lay his hands on the leprosy, in the place indicated by the touch of the leprosy, and heal (Lev.13). Likewise, Christ, the true Bishop of future blessings, condescending to souls leprous by sinful leprosy, enters their bodily tabernacle, heals and heals passions; and then the soul can enter the heavenly Church of the Saints, true Israel. For every soul bearing the sinful leprosy of passions, if it does not approach the true Bishop, and is not yet healed by Him, will not enter the camp of the Saints, the heavenly Church. As immaculate and pure, this Church requires immaculate and pure souls. For it is said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, that they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). 5. A soul that truly believes in Christ must pass from its present vicious state into another, good state, and change its present humiliated nature into another, divine nature, and become a new nature, with the assisting power of the Holy Spirit; and then it can become useful for the kingdom of heaven. This can only be achieved by us who believe, truly love Him, and fulfill all His holy commandments. If under Elisha a tree, naturally light on water, being thrown into the water, wore out iron, naturally heavy; then how much more will the Lord here send His light, easy-to-move, good and heavenly Spirit, and with Him the soul mired in the waters of wickedness will lighten, inspire, carry to the heavenly heights, transform and change its own nature. 6. Just as in the visible world no one can swim and cross the sea by himself unless he has a light and easily moved ship, which is made of wood and can be carried across the waters; because he who walks on the sea will drown and perish: so it is impossible for the soul to cross by itself, overcome and swim across the bitter sea of ​​sin, the impenetrable abyss of evil forces and dark passions, if it does not receive into itself the mobile, heavenly, light-winged Spirit of Christ, which tramples and passes over all wickedness. Through Him she will be able to enter rightfully and directly into the heavenly haven of rest, into the city of the kingdom. But just as those sailing on a ship do not draw and drink from the sea, they do not borrow clothing and food from it, but bring this to the ship from outside: so Christian souls, not from this world, but from above, from heaven, receive heavenly food and spiritual vestments, and thereby living on the ship of the good and life-giving Spirit, they bypass the opposing evil forces of principles and authorities. And just as all the ships on which people can sail the bitter sea are built from one woody substance, so all Christian souls, strengthened by the one Divinity of heavenly light, the various gifts of the one Spirit, are carried through the whole sea of ​​wickedness. 7. But just as a ship needs a helmsman for good sailing, it also needs a moderate and pleasant wind: so the Lord is in all this in a faithful soul. He gives the soul strength to sail through the fierce waves of wickedness, during terrible bad weather and stormy gusts of the winds of sin. He Himself tames the excitement, as He knows, with strength, speed and skill. And without the heavenly helmsman - Christ, it is impossible for anyone to overcome the evil sea of ​​dark forces and the rising waves of bitter temptations. For it is said: “they ascend to the heavens and descend to the abysses” (Ps. 106:26). All the art of steering a ship, conducting battles, and withstanding temptations is known to the One who walked on the fierce waves. For it is said: “Having himself been tempted, he can help those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). 8. Therefore, our souls must pass from the present state to another state, and change into the Divine nature, from the old to become new, that is, from the worthless and unfaithful - good, honest and faithful; and thus, come to prosperity, becoming useful for the kingdom of heaven. And blessed Paul, about his transformation and how he was caught by the Lord, writes the following: “I persecute even if I comprehend, and I am comprehended by Christ” (Phil. 3:12). How is he caught by God? Just as a rebel, having captured someone, takes someone to himself, and then is himself captured by the true king: so Paul, when the rebellious spirit of sin was active in him, persecuted and plundered the Church : but since he did this out of ignorance, not out of resistance to God, but as if struggling for the truth, he did not despise him, but the Heavenly and true King caught him, indescribably licking him, making him worthy to hear His voice and, striking him in the face like a slave, granted him freedom. You see the Sovereign goodness and how the Lord can change souls clinging to vice and hardened in one moment of time and impart to them His goodness and peace. 9. Everything is possible for God, just as it was with the thief; in a moment of time he was changed by faith and brought into paradise. For this purpose, the Lord came to change our souls, to recreate and make them, according to what is written, partakers of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and to put into our soul the soul of heaven, that is, the Divine Spirit, guiding us to all virtue, so that we could live eternal life. Therefore, with all our hearts we must believe His inscrutable promises; for He who promised is false. We must love the Lord, try with all our might to excel in all virtues, tirelessly and unceasingly ask that we may fully and completely accept the promise of His Spirit, so that our souls may be quickened while we are still in the flesh. For if the soul in this still world does not accept into itself the shrine of the Spirit through much faith and prayer, and does not become a participant in the Divine nature, being dissolved by grace, with the assistance of which it can immaculately and purely fulfill every commandment, then it is unfit for the kingdom of heaven. Whatever good thing anyone has acquired here, that same thing will be life for him on that day, by the grace of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 45. About the fact that not some kind of art, not the wealth of this world, but the coming of Christ alone can heal a person. This same conversation shows the very great affinity of man with God. 1. He who has chosen a solitary life must consider everything that happens in this world to be alien and foreign to himself. For whoever truly follows the cross of Christ must, having renounced everything, even his soul, have a mind nailed to the love of Christ, that is, prefer the Lord to parents, brothers, wife, children, relatives, friends, property. For the Lord expressed this, saying: everyone who does not leave father, or mother, or brothers, or wife, or child, or sit down, and does not follow Me, “is worthy to bear Me” (Matthew 10:37). In nothing else, as we have heard, do people find salvation and peace. How many kings from Adam’s family appeared, who took possession of the whole earth, and thought a lot about their royal dominion? And no one, with such contentment, could recognize the damage that the crime of the first man caused in the soul and darkened it; why does she not recognize the change that has taken place in her, namely, that her initially pure mind, while remaining in its rank, contemplated its Master, and now, for its fall, it is clothed with shame, and due to the blinding of the eyes of the heart, it does not see the glory that our father Adam saw before his disobedience. 2. There were various sages in the world: some of them showed their superiority in wisdom, others surprised with exercises in sophistry, others showed strength in orbit, others were grammarians and poets, and wrote according to the accepted rules of history. But there were also various artists who practiced worldly arts: some of them, sculpting fish and birds and images of people from wood, tried to show their superiority in this; others undertook to make likenesses of idols and something else out of copper; others erected huge and beautiful buildings; others, digging in the ground, extract from it perishable silver and gold, or precious stones; others, having physical beauty and exalting themselves with the beauty of their faces, were even more ensnared by Satan and fell into sin. And all these mentioned artists, possessed by the serpent that settled inside them, and not realizing the sin living in them, became captives and slaves of the evil power, and received no benefit from their knowledge and art. 3. The world, full of all kinds of variety, is likened to a rich man who owns magnificent and huge houses, abounds in silver and gold, various acquisitions and all kinds of servants, but is suddenly overwhelmed by illnesses and infirmities; his entire family stands before him, and despite all his wealth, cannot save him from his illness. Why, no worldly diligence, no brothers, no wealth, no other things listed above, does not remove a soul immersed in sin and unable to see clearly from sin; and the coming of Christ alone can cleanse soul and body. So, putting aside all worldly cares, let us surrender ourselves to the Lord, crying out to Him day and night. This visible world and the peace tasted in it, to the extent that they are apparently beneficial to the body, to the same extent they irritate the passions of the soul and increase its suffering. 4. One wise man wanted to use all his diligence in an intense search, trying to test everyone turning in this world, in the hope that he would receive benefit from someone. He came to kings, to rulers, to princes, and did not find there any saving medicine that he could apply to the soul; I handled them for a long time and didn’t use anything. Then he went to the worldly sages and vitii: and he left them in the same way, without receiving any gain. I went to painters, to those who extracted gold and silver from the earth, to all sorts of artists; and could not find any medicine for his ulcers. Finally, having moved away from them, he sought out God, who heals passions and mental illnesses; How soon he looked at himself and thought about it, and it turned out that his mind was spinning around the same things from which he apparently moved away, having hated them. 5. Like any other rich woman in the world, who has a lot of money and a magnificent house, remains without protection; many come, harm her, devastate her home; and not tolerating resentment, she goes looking for a strong husband, capable and educated for everything, and when, after many efforts, she finds such a man, she is glad to him, and has him instead of a strong wall: so the soul, by crime, is very much oppressed by the resistive force, brought to great desolation, widowed for the crime of the commandment, and left alone by the heavenly Man, it has become the playground of all the resistive forces. They drove her out of her mind, suppressing her heavenly understanding; why, she doesn’t see what her enemies did to her, but she thinks that she was like that at first. Then, by hearing, she learned about her loneliness, and groaning about her desolation before God’s love for mankind, she found life and salvation. What is this? The fact that she returned to her kinship. For there is no other such closeness and reciprocity as the soul has with God, and God has with the soul. God created different kinds of birds: - some to nest on land, and here they found food and peace; and others to nest on the water and spend their lives there. He also created two worlds; one is a grief for the ministering spirits, and there he commanded them to reside; the other - down, under this air, for people. He created the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the waters, fruitful trees, and all kinds of animals. But the Lord does not rest in any of these creatures. Every creature is under his power; however, he did not establish the throne in them, did not establish communication with them; He took good care of one person, entering into communication with him and resting in him. Do you see in this the affinity of God with man, and man with God? Therefore, the sensible and prudent soul, having gone through all creatures, finds rest for itself nowhere except in the one Lord. And the Lord did not favor anyone but one person. 6. Will you lift your eyes to the sun; you will find that the circle of the sun is in the sky, the light and its rays descend to the earth, and all the power of light and its splendor tends to the earth. So the Lord sits at the right hand of the Father, above all beginning and power, but His eye is fixed on the hearts of people who are on earth, in order to lift those who expect help from Him to where He Himself resides. For he says: “Where I am, my servant will also be” (John 12:26). And Paul also said: “Rise up and set” on Your right hand “in those who are in heaven” (Eph. 2:6). But dumb animals are much more intelligent than us; because each of them is united with its own breed: wild with wild, and sheep also with its own kind. But you do not return to your heavenly affinity, that is, to the Lord, but with your thoughts you agree and are inclined to thoughts of malice, becoming an assistant to sin, fighting against yourself for one thing with it, and thus, betraying yourself as food for the enemy, just as a bird caught by an eagle is devoured, or a sheep is devoured by a wolf, or as a child dies, stretching out its hand to a snake and being wounded. by her. These likenesses, as it were, represent a spiritual matter in their faces. 7. Just as a rich maiden arranged to marry, no matter what gifts she receives before marriage, whether clothes, clothes, or precious utensils, does not rest until the time of marriage comes and the marriage union is consummated: so the soul, which has prepared itself as a bride for the heavenly Bridegroom, accepts the pledge of the Spirit, gifts or healings, or knowledge, or revelation; but he does not calm down until he achieves perfect communication, that is, love, which, being unchanging and unfailing, makes those who desire it dispassionate and unshakable. Or, like a baby dressed in pearls and expensive clothes, when he is hungry, he regards everything that is on him as nothing, but despises it, but turns all his attention to the nourishing nipples in order to taste the milk: so reason about God’s spiritual gifts. Glory to God forever! Amen. Conversation 46. About the difference between the word of God and the word of the world, between the children of God and the children of this world 1. The word of God is God, and the word of the world is peace. But there is a great difference and distance between the word of God and the word of the world, between the children of God and the children of the world. For every offspring is like its parents. Therefore, if the generation of the Spirit wishes to devote itself to the word of the world, earthly things and the glory of this age; then it dies and perishes, unable to find the true peace of life; because his resting place is where he was born. He is suppressed, as the Lord says (Matthew 13:22), and becomes unfruitful for the word of God, obsessed with worldly worries and bound by earthly ties. And equally, one possessed by carnal will, that is, a worldly person, if he wishes to listen to God’s word, is suppressed and becomes, as it were, somehow dumb. Those who are accustomed to the seductions of vice, when they hear about God, as if disturbed by an unpleasant conversation, are upset in their minds. 2. But Paul also says: “A natural man does not receive even the Spirit, for he has foolishness” (1 Cor. 2:14). And the Prophet said: the word of God became to them like spewed food (Jer. 51:34) 4. You see that it is impossible to live otherwise than according to the law by which everyone is born. But we should pay attention to this from the other side. If a carnal person decides to begin to change himself, first he dies and becomes barren for his former evil life. But like someone possessed by a disease, for example. with a fever, although his body lies on the bed and is not able to correct any earthly matter, however, the mind does not remain calm, distracted by concerns about work, it seeks a doctor, sending its friends to him: thus the soul, which by transgression of the commandment has subjected itself to the weakness of the passions and has become powerless, when it comes to the Lord and believes in Him, receives intercession from Him, and having renounced its former, very bad life, although it still lies weakened old infirmity, and does not have the strength to actually accomplish any work in life, however, it is obliged, and can, have strong care for life, beg the Lord, seek the true Doctor. 3. And unjustly others, deceived by false teaching, claim that a person is decisively dead and cannot do anything good at all. Although the baby is unable to do anything, or cannot walk to his mother on his own legs, he, looking for his mother, moves, screams, cries. And his mother takes pity on him; she is glad that the child is looking for her with effort and screams. And because the baby cannot go to her; then the mother herself, overcome by love for the baby, after a long search for him, comes up to him and with great tenderness takes, caresses and feeds him. The man-loving God does the same with the soul that comes and seeks Him. But much more, prompted by His characteristic love and His own goodness, He cleaves to the understanding of the soul, and, according to the Apostolic word, becomes one Spirit with it (1 Cor. 6:7). For when the soul clings to the Lord, and the Lord, having mercy and loving it, comes and cleaves to it, and its understanding incessantly already abides in the grace of the Lord, then the soul and the Lord become one spirit, one dissolution, one mind. The body of the soul remains damaged on earth, and its mind lives entirely in heavenly Jerusalem, ascending to the third heaven, clinging to the Lord, and serving Him there. 4. And He Himself, who sits in the heavenly city on the throne of the Majesty on high, abides entirely with his soul in his body; because He placed her image on the mountain, in the heavenly city of Saints, Jerusalem, and He placed His own image of the ineffable light of His Divinity in her body. He serves her in the city of the body, and she serves Him in the city of heaven. The soul became His heir in heaven, and He accepted it as an inheritance on earth. For the Lord becomes the heritage of the soul, and the soul the heritage of the Lord. The thought and mind of even darkened sinners can be very far from the body, they have the power in an instant to cover large spaces, move to distant countries, and often the body is cast down on the earth, and the thought on the other side remains with the beloved, or with the beloved, and sees itself as if living there. And if the soul of a sinner is so subtle and swift-winged, and there is no obstacle to its mind being in distant places, much less the soul from which the veil of darkness has been removed by the power of the Holy Spirit, when its intelligent eyes are illuminated by heavenly light, and it is completely freed from the passions of dishonor, and has become pure by grace, - wholly in heaven serves the Lord in spirit, and wholly serves Him in body, and is expanded so much in thought that it happens everywhere, and wherever he wants, and whenever he wants, he serves Christ. 5. This is what the Apostle says: that you may be able to understand with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and understand the love of Christ that surpasses understanding, so that you may be filled to all the fulfillment of God (Eph. 3:8-19). Consider the unspeakable secrets of the soul, from which the Lord will remove the darkness that lies on it, and reveal it, and He Himself will reveal Himself to it. How it expands and spreads the thoughts of her mind in breadth, and in length, and in depth, and in height of all visible and invisible creation! So, truly the soul is a great, Godly and wonderful thing. When creating her, God created her in such a way that no vice was put into her nature; on the contrary, he created her in the image of the virtue of the Spirit, put into her the laws of virtues, prudence, knowledge, prudence, faith, love and other virtues, in the image of the Spirit. 6. Even now, in knowledge, prudence, love, faith, she finds and the Lord appears to her. He put into her understanding, thoughts, will, a sovereign mind, he also reigned in her other great sophistication, made her agile, light-winged, tireless; gave her the ability to come and go in an instant, and to serve Him with her thoughts when the Spirit wants. In a word, he created her in such a way that she could become His bride and accomplice, so that He could be in unity with her, and she could be with Him in one spirit, as it is said: “Be joined to the Lord; you are one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). Glory to him forever and ever! Amen. Conversation 47. Allegorical interpretation of what was under the law 1. The glory that Moses had on his face was a type of true glory. Just as there the Jews could not look at the face of Moses: so now, when Christians receive this glory of light into the souls, the darkness, not tolerating the radiance of this light, gives in to flight, blinded. But the Jews, by circumcision, made it known that they were God's people. Here the “people” of God are “chosen” (Titus 2:14) receive the sign of circumcision inside their hearts: because the heavenly sword cuts off the excesses of the mind, that is, the unclean circumcision of sin. They have a baptism that sanctifies the flesh; we have the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. For this is what John preached: “He who you baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). 2. There was an outer and inner tabernacle: “in the first I will take out the priestess who enters into the service, and perform the service: in the second, the same summer, one bishop with blood, showing this to the Holy Spirit, for the way was not revealed to the saints” (Heb. 9:6-8). And here those who have been deemed worthy enter into the tabernacle not made with hands, “where Christ was seen as our forerunner” (Heb. 6:20). The Law ordered the priest to take two doves: slaughter one, sprinkle the living one with blood and let it fly in freedom. This action was the image and shadow of the truth. For Christ was slain, and His blood, which sprinkled us, made us winged; because she gave us the wings of the Holy Spirit to soar freely in the air of the Divine. 3. The Jews were given a law written on tablets of stone; but we have been given spiritual laws, written on the tables of flesh of the heart. For it is said: “When I give My laws, I will write them in their hearts and on their minds” (Jer. 31:33). And then everything was abolishable and temporary; Now, however, everything really takes place in the inner man; because the covenant is within, and in one word: “even as I received it,” all this consisted in images, “and it was written for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11). God predicted the future for Abraham: “For your seed will be abject in a land that is not theirs, and they will embitter me and enslave me for four hundred years” (Gen. 15:13). And this was also an image of the canopy. The people were resettled, enslaved by the Egyptians and embittered by clay and plinths. Pharaoh appointed taskmasters and examiners over the Israelites, so that when necessary they would do their work. When the children of Israel groaned in their labors before God; He visited them through Moses and struck the Egyptians with many plagues in the month of flowers, when, after the harshness of winter had passed, as soon as a pleasant spring appeared, He drove them out of Egypt. 4. God commanded Moses to take a blameless lamb, slay it and anoint the thresholds and doors with its blood so that the destroyer of the Egyptian firstborn would not touch them; because the angel sent from afar saw the sign of blood, and withdrew, but entered the houses of those who did not have the sign, and killed every firstborn. Moreover, he commanded that leaven be removed from every house, and he commanded that the slain lamb be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The Israelites had to eat it with their loins girded, boots on their feet and staffs in their hands. And thus, it was commanded to “bear with all care” the Lord’s Passover in the evening and not to break the bones of the Lamb 5 . 5. He brought them out with an abundance of silver and gold, commanding each one to borrow vessels of gold and silver from his Egyptian neighbor. And they left Egypt when the Egyptians were burying their firstborn. Some had joy over deliverance from heavy slavery: others cried and lamented about the death of their children. Why, Moses says: this is the night in which God promised to deliver us. Yet this is the mystery of the soul delivered by the coming of Christ. For the word “Israel” is interpreted by the mind that sees God, and it is freed from the slavery of darkness, from the Egyptian spirits. 6. Because the man in disobedience died a terrible spiritual death and took an oath upon an oath: “The land will grow for you thorns and thistles” (Gen. 3:18); and again: till the earth, and he will not give you his fruit: then on the earth his heart was reborn and thorns and thistles grew. His enemies deceived him by deceiving him and clothed him with shame. His light is stolen, and he is clothed in darkness. They killed his soul, scattered and divided his thoughts, pulled his mind from on high, and the man - Israel became a slave of the true Pharaoh, and he installed over the man the overseers of affairs and examiners - evil spirits who force a person, willy-nilly, to do his evil deeds, to make clay and plinths. Those who removed man from the heavenly way of thinking reduced him to evil, material, earthly and mortal deeds, to vain words, thoughts and reasoning; because the soul, having fallen from its height, met a misanthropic kingdom and cruel princes who forced it to create sinful cities of vice for them. 7. If the soul sighs and cries out to God; then he will send down to her the spiritual Moses, who will deliver her from Egyptian slavery. But first let him cry and groan; and then he will see the beginning of deliverance. And she receives deliverance in the month of new flowers, during spring, when the spiritual field can produce beautiful flowering shoots of truth; after the passing of the cruel winter of darkened ignorance and great blindness - the consequences of shameful deeds and sins. But then God commands to remove all old kvass from every house, to reject, as much as possible, the deeds and wisdom of the old corrupt person, evil thoughts and unclean thinking. 8. One must slay and sacrifice a lamb and anoint the doors with its blood; because Christ, the true, good and blameless lamb, was slain, and the thresholds of the heart were anointed with His blood, so that the blood of Christ shed on the cross would bring life and deliverance to the soul, and to the Egyptians, that is, the demons, to mourning and death. For indeed, the blood of the spotless Lamb is their mourning, but joy and gladness to their souls. Then, after the anointing, God commands that in the evening the lamb and unleavened bread with bitter herbs should be brought down, with the loins girded, boots on and staffs in hands. For if the soul is not first fully, if possible, prepared with good works, then it is not allowed to taste the Lamb. But if the lamb is sweet and unleavened bread is tasty, then the potions are bitter and harsh; because with much sorrow and grief the soul eats the Lamb and good unleavened bread, grieving because of the sin that dwells in it. 9. And it is commanded that the lamb be eaten in the evening, and the evening time is the middle between light and darkness. So the soul, before this deliverance, is in the midst of light and darkness; because with it then the power of God does not allow darkness to enter the soul and consume it. And so Moses said: This is the night of God's promise; so Christ, when the book was given to Him in the synagogue, called this, according to what is written, “the pleasant summer of the Lord” and the day of deliverance (Luke 4:18). There is the night of retribution, here the day of deliverance, and rightly so; because everything there was an image and vision of truth, and mysteriously, in prototypes, prescribed the true salvation of the soul, which was imprisoned in darkness, bound and hidden in the pit of the underworld, shut with brass gates, and could not be freed without deliverance through Christ. 10. So, he drives the soul out of Egypt and from the Egyptian work, having beaten the firstborn of the Egyptians during the exodus; because some part of the power of the true pharaoh is already falling. The Egyptians groan in tears, saddened by the rescue of the captive. God commands us to borrow gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians, and take them and leave Egypt; because the Soul, coming out of darkness, takes with it silver and gold vessels, that is, its own good thoughts, kindled by the sevenfold, and God allows them to be used in His service and rests in them: and before, the demons who were neighbors of the soul scattered its thoughts, possessed them, squandered them. Blessed is the soul freed from darkness, and woe to the soul that does not sigh and cry out to the One who is able to deliver it from these grievous and cruel enforcers! 11. The children of Israel, having celebrated the Passover, set off on their journey. The soul prospers by receiving the life of the Holy Spirit, tasting the Lamb, being anointed with His blood and eating the true bread - the living word. The pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud precede the Israelites, protecting them: the Holy Spirit strengthens Christians, supporting and guiding the soul in feeling. Pharaoh and the Egyptians, having learned about the flight of the people, that the Israelites had lost their jobs, and after the firstborn were killed, they dared to pursue them. Pharaoh immediately harnesses his chariots, and with all the people hastens to destroy them; and when he was ready to invade their midst, a cloud stood in the middle, holding back and darkening some, while illuminating and protecting others. And so that retelling the story does not prolong my words, you yourself find spiritual applications in everything. 12. As soon as the soul flees from the Egyptians, the power of God comes and helps, guiding it to the truth. The spiritual pharaoh, the king of sinful darkness, learns that the soul is retreating from him, fleeing from his kingdom, stealing away the thoughts that have long obsessed him - this is his property, but the cruel one assumes and hopes that the soul will return to him again. From the beating of the firstborn and the theft of thoughts, concluding that the soul completely escapes his dominion, he rushes out with great impudence, fearing that if his soul escapes, then there will not be a single executor of his will and deed; therefore, he pursues the soul with sorrows, temptations and invisible battles. Here it is tempted, here it is tested, here the love of the soul for Him who brought it out of Egypt becomes clear; because she is given over to trials and temptations of all kinds. 13. The soul perceives that the power of the enemy is ready to attack it and kill it, but does not have the strength to do so; because the Lord stands between her and the Egyptian spirits. She also sees in front of her a sea of ​​grief, grief and despair, but she is unable to either go back, seeing ready enemies, or stretch forward; because the fear of death and the surrounding terrible and various sorrows make you see death before you. Therefore, the soul does not hope for itself, having a death sentence within itself, due to the swarm of evil ones that surrounded it. And when God sees that the soul is falling from the fear of death, and that the enemy is ready to devour it; then he gives her a little help, condescending to the soul and testing it to see whether it is firm in faith, whether it has love for Him. For God has determined that this should be the path that leads into life—with sorrow, with hardship, with many trials, with the most bitter temptations. And if here the soul still makes this journey in immeasurable sorrow, having death before its eyes, then with a strong hand and a high muscle, with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, it dissolves the power of darkness, passes through terrible places, crosses the sea of ​​darkness and all-consuming fire. 14. Such spiritual mysteries actually take place in a person who tries to enter into the promise of life, is delivered from the kingdom of death, has received a pledge from God and has participated in the Holy Spirit. Then, the soul, having been saved from its enemies, having crossed the bitter sea by the power of God and seeing how the enemies whom it had previously served perish before its eyes, rejoices with unspeakable joy, and glorified, is consoled by God, and rests in the Lord. Then the Spirit, Whom she has received into herself, sings a new song to God with the tympanum, that is, the body, and with the harp, that is, the soul, on her verbal strings - the subtlest thoughts, the tinkling of God's grace, and sends praises to the Life-Giver Christ. For like the breath passing through a pipe, it emits a voice: so the Holy Spirit in the pure heart of saints and spirit-bearing people sings, hymns and prays to God: “Glory to Him who has saved the soul from the work of Pharaoh, who has made it His throne and home and church, and a pure bride, and who brings it into the kingdom of eternal life while it is still in this world!” 15. Under the law, dumb animals were sacrificed; and if they were not slain, then the offerings were not favorable. And now, if sin is not tempered; that offering is unpleasant to God and is not true. The people came to Marah, where there was a spring giving water that was bitter and undrinkable. Why, God commands the perplexed Moses to throw a tree into bitter water; and as soon as the tree was thrown in, the water was sweetened, and having lost its bitterness, it became sweet and drinkable for the people of God. So the soul that drinks the wine of the serpent becomes bitter, becoming like the bitter nature of the serpent and becoming a sinner. Therefore, God puts the tree of life into the most bitter fountain of the heart; and the soul delights, putting aside its bitterness and being merged with the Spirit of Christ; and thus, having become useful, it is used to serve its Master, because it becomes a flesh-bearing spirit. Glory to Him who changes our bitterness into sweetness and kindness of spirit! Woe to him in whom the tree of life is not placed! He cannot acquire any good change for himself. 16. The rod of Moses appeared in two images: to the enemies it appeared as a biting and killing serpent, and to the Israelites as a club on which they leaned. So the true tree of the cross, that is, Christ, is death to the enemies, the spirits of evil, but to our souls it is a club, a reliable support and life in which the soul rests. In everything that was before there were images and shadows of these true things. For the Old Testament service was both a vision and an image of the present service. And circumcision, and the tabernacle, and the ark, and the frame, and manna, and the priesthood, and incense, and washings, and in general everything that was in the Israelites and in the Law of Moses, or in the Prophets, was for the sake of this soul, created in the image of God and falling into the yoke of slavery, rushing into the kingdom of bitter darkness. 17. God wanted to enter into communication with her, he prepared her for Himself as a royal bride, he cleanses her from filth, and, washing her from blackness and shame, makes her bright, revives her from deadness, heals her from contrition, and, having stopped her enmity, pacifies her. Being a creature [creation], she is prepared to be the bride of the Son of the King. God accepts her, gradually changing her with His own power until she grows into His own age, expands and elevates her to boundless and immeasurable growth, until she becomes an immaculate and worthy bride of His. First He gives birth to her in Himself, and Himself nurtures her until she receives the perfect measure of love for Him; because He Himself, being the perfect Bridegroom, accepts her perfect bride into the holy, mysterious and pure communion of marriage, and then she reigns with Him for endless ages. Amen. Conversation 48. About perfect faith in God 1. The Lord, intending to lead His disciples to perfect faith, said in the Gospel: he who is unfaithful is unfaithful in many ways and in many ways, “but he who is faithful in many ways and in many ways is faithful” (Luke 16:10). What does small mean? And what does a lot mean? The little things are the essence of the promises of this age, everything that the Lord promised to supply those who believe in Him, for example: food, clothing, and other things that contribute to bodily peace, or health, and the like, and which He commanded not to worry about at all, trusting in Him; because the Lord provides in everything for those who resort to Him. Many things are the gifts of the eternal and incorruptible age, which He promised to give to those who believe in Him, who constantly care about them and ask Him for them; because he commanded them this way: you, he says, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). He commanded that each of us be tested in this small and temporary way, whether he believes in God, who promised to provide this, if only we do not worry about that, but become concerned about the future, eternal. 2. Then it is clear that a person believes in the incorruptible, and really seeks eternal blessings, if he maintains a sound faith in the reasoning of what is said. For each of those who submit to the word of truth must either test and judge himself, or submit to the judgment and testing of spiritual people, whether he believed and devoted himself to God, whether in reality it is exactly in accordance with His word, or, due to the conceit of his justification and his faith, he considers only himself to be a believer. Everyone is tested and convicted to see whether he is faithful in small things, I mean, in temporary things. How does this happen? Listen. Will you call yourself a believer that you will be worthy of the heavenly kingdom, that, having been born again, you have become the son of God and a joint heir of Christ, that you will reign with Christ for entire centuries and bliss in the indescribable light, boundless and innumerable centuries, like God himself? Without a doubt you will say: “yes; For this reason, having withdrawn from the world, I gave myself up to the Lord.” 3. So, test yourself to see if you are preoccupied with earthly cares, great concern for bodily food and clothing, other needs and peace, and whether you are not seeking and providing for yourself with your own strength, in which you are ordered not to worry about yourself at all. For if you believe that you will receive something immortal, eternal, ever abiding and abundant; then about the transitory and earthly things that God gives to ungodly people, and to animals, and to birds, will you not all the more believe that the Lord will provide you with these things, since He commanded not to worry about these things at all, saying: do not worry about what you will eat, or drink, or what to wear; “The heathen are seeking all these” (Matthew 6:31-32). If you still have concern about this, and have not completely entrusted yourself to His word, then know that until now you have not been confident in receiving eternal blessings, that is, the kingdom of heaven, and you consider only yourself to be a believer, turning out to be unfaithful even in small and perishable things. And one more thing: just as the body is more valuable than clothing, so the soul is more valuable than the body. Therefore, do you believe that your soul receives from Christ the healing of eternal and incurable ulcers by people - shameful passions, that the Lord came here for this purpose, so that faithful souls could be healed from inhealable passions, and cleanse the filth of sinful leprosy to Him, the only true Doctor and Healer? 4. You will say: “I certainly believe; For I stand firm in this, and this is my confidence.” So, having tested yourself, find out: do not carnal sufferings sometimes lead you to earthly doctors, as if Christ, in whom you believed, could not heal you? Look how you deceive yourself and consider yourself a believer, without yet believing as you really should. And if you believed that the eternal and incurable ulcers of the immortal soul and sinful diseases are healed by Christ; then he would believe that He is able to heal temporary bodily infirmities and illnesses, and would resort to Him alone, despising medical aids and services. For He who created the soul also created the body; and He who heals the immortal soul can also heal the body from temporary suffering and illness. 5. But, of course, you will tell me the following: “God gave the body earthly herbs and medicinal substances for healing, and prepared medical aids for bodily infirmities, ordering that the body taken from the earth be healed with various earthly products.” And I agree that this is true. But be careful and find out to whom this was given, and about whom God had special regard, according to His great and infinite love for mankind and goodness! Man, having departed from the commandment given to him, having been subjected to the condemnation of wrath, expelled from heavenly pleasure into this world, as if into captivity and dishonor, or into some mine, having submitted to the power of darkness, having become an infidel through the deception of the passions, finally fell into suffering and illness of the flesh, although before he knew neither suffering nor illness. It is clear that everyone born from him fell under the same suffering. 6. So, in this God revealed His consideration for the weak and unfaithful; out of His great goodness He did not want the sinful human race to completely perish. To comfort and heal the body, to satisfy its needs, he gave medical remedies to worldly people and everyone outside; He allowed them to use these means; because they are not yet able to completely entrust themselves to God. And you, a monk, who came to Christ, who desired to be the son of God and to be born again of the Spirit, who received higher and greater promises than the first dispassionate man - the favor of the Lord's coming, and who became alien to the world, must acquire some new and extraordinary faith, understanding, and life before all worldly people. Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forever! Amen. Conversation 49. There is no sufficient reason for a person to refuse the pleasures of this world if he does not take part in the bliss of another world 1. If someone for the sake of the Lord, leaving his own, renouncing this world, renouncing worldly pleasures, property, father and mother, crucifying himself, becomes a wanderer, a beggar and having nothing, but instead of worldly peace does not find Divine peace in himself, instead of temporary pleasure does not feel spiritual delight in his soul, instead of perishable clothes does not put on the robe of Divine light according to the inner man, instead of this former and carnal communication, he will not know with certainty in his soul communication with the heavenly, instead of the visible joy of this world, he will not have within himself the joy of the spirit and the consolation of heavenly grace, and will not receive into his soul, according to what is written, Divine saturation, “someday appearing” to him “the glory of the Lord” (Ps. 16:15), in a word, instead of this temporary pleasure, he will not now acquire in his soul what he longed for. incorruptible delight: then he became like salt, he is pitiful more than all people, and is deprived of this, and did not enjoy the Divine, did not recognize the Divine mysteries through the action of the Spirit in his inner man. 2. Man becomes alien to the world for this purpose, so that his soul, according to the Apostle, may move into another world and age with his thoughts; for he says: “Our life is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20), and also: “We walk on earth, but do not fight according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:3). Therefore, one who has renounced this world must firmly believe that even now, with the assistance of the Spirit, he must move with his thoughts to another age, and there to live, have fun and enjoy spiritual blessings and, according to the inner man, be born of the Spirit, as the Lord said: “Whoever believes in Me will pass from death to life” (John 5:24). For there is another death besides the visible one, and another life besides the visible one. Scripture says that “he who feeds abundantly, while alive, dies” (1 Tim. 5:6), and: “let the dead bury their dead” (Luke 9:60), “besides the dead they will praise You, O Lord, but we will bless You while living” (Ps. 113:25–26). 3. As if the sun rises above the earth, then all its rays are on the earth; and when it is in the west, then, going to its home, it gathers back all its rays: so the soul, not regenerated from above by the Spirit, is all on earth with its thoughts, and its thoughts extend to the ends of the earth; but how quickly she is privileged to receive heavenly birth and communication from the Spirit, having gathered all her thoughts into one and keeping them to herself, she enters the Lord, into the unmade abode in heaven, and all her thoughts, entering the Divine air, become heavenly, pure and holy; because the soul, freed from the dark prison of the evil prince - the spirit of the world, acquires pure and Divine thoughts; since God was pleased to create man as a partaker of the Divine nature. 4. Therefore, if you withdraw from everything worldly and diligently continue in your prayer; then you will rather consider this work to be filled with peace, and you will admit that small sorrow and toil are full of the greatest joy and consolation. Even if both your body and soul, throughout your entire life, were hourly exhausted for so many benefits; what would this mean? O ineffable God's compassion! God then gives Himself to believers, in a short time man becomes the heir of God, God dwells in the body of man, and the Lord has His beautiful abode - man! Just as God created heaven and earth for man to inhabit, so He created the body and soul of man in His dwelling, in order to dwell and rest in his body as in His house, having as a beautiful bride a beloved soul created in His image. “For I have betrothed you,” says the Apostle, “to present a pure virgin to one man to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2); and again: “To whose house we are” (Heb. 3:6). Just as a husband carefully collects all sorts of blessings into his house, so the Lord collects and places in His house – soul and body – the heavenly wealth of the spirit. Neither the wise with their wisdom, nor the wise with their reason could comprehend the subtlety of the soul, or say about the soul what it is; only with the assistance of the Holy Spirit is the concept and accurate knowledge of the soul revealed and acquired. But at the same time, consider, reason and understand how this happens, and listen: He is God, and she is not God; He is the Lord, and she is a slave; He is the Creator, and she is the creature; He is the Creator and she is the creature; there is nothing in common in His and her nature, but only out of His infinite, ineffable and unthinkable love, and out of His compassion, He deigned to dwell in this creation, in this rational creature, in this worthy, chosen work of His, “in a hedgehog,” says the Scripture, “that we may be the firstfruits of His creation” (James 1:18), that we may be His wisdom and fellowship, that we may be His own abode, His own pure bride. 5. Because such are the blessings prepared for us, such are the promises given, and such was the favor of the Lord towards us; then let us not be careless and let us not compel our children to hasten to eternal life and devote ourselves entirely to pleasing the Lord. Therefore, let us beg the Lord, that by His Divine power He will deliver us from the dark prison of shameful passions, and, having avenged His own image and His creation, restore its lightness, making the soul healthy and pure; and thus we will be worthy of the communion of the Spirit, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Conversation 50. God works miracles in His Saints 1. Who closed the gates of heaven? Elijah, or God, who was in him and commanded the rain? I think that the Ruler of heaven himself sat then in the soul of Elijah, and God’s word with his tongue forbade the rain to fall on the earth; and when he spoke again, the gates of heaven opened and the rain came down. Likewise, Moses laid down the rod, and it became a serpent; and again he spoke the word, and he became a rod. He took the ashes from the oven, scattered them, and scabs became. He commanded again, and the skrips and toads appeared. But could human nature do this? Moses spoke to the sea, and it was divided; said to the river, and it turned into blood. It is obvious that heavenly power dwelt in his mind, and through Moses it performed these signs. 2. How could David fight such a giant without weapons? And when David threw a stone at a foreigner, God’s hand directed the stone with David’s hand, and God’s power itself, having achieved victory, struck the enemy; for David, being weak in body, could not do this. Joshua, approaching Jericho, lay around the city for seven days and could not do anything with his own strength; but when God commanded, the walls fell of their own accord. And when he entered the promised land, the Lord said to him: go to battle. But Jesus answered: As the Lord lives, I will not go without You. And who commanded the sun to stand for the other two hours during the battle? Is it just his nature, or the power that dwells in him? And Moses, when he fought with Amalek, how quickly he raised his hands to heaven to God, trampled Amalek; and as soon as he gave up, Amalek was overcome. 3. And you, hearing about this, do not let your mind wander into the distance. But because this was the image and meaning of real things; then apply it to yourself. When you also raise the hands of your mind and thoughts to heaven, and wish to cleave to the Lord; then Satan will be brought down by your thoughts. And how the walls of Jericho were destroyed by the power of God; so now the walls of vice that block the path of your mind, the cities of Satan and your enemies, will be destroyed by God’s power. So in the lawful canopy of God, the power of God continually abided in the righteous, working obvious miracles, and God’s grace dwelt within them. The Spirit also acted in the Prophets, and served in their souls to prophesy and prophesy, and when there was a need, to utter great things to the world. For the Prophets did not always speak, but when the Spirit who was in them wanted it; however, the strength always remained in them. 4. If even in the canopy of the law the Holy Spirit was poured out to such an extent: then how much more is it poured out in the new covenant, according to the cross, after the coming of Christ, where the outpouring of the Spirit and the intoxication of the Spirit took place. For it is said: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28). And this also means what the Lord himself said: “I am with you to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). “Everyone who seeks finds.” And as it is said: “Even if you have done evil, you know how to give good things to your children: how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:10–13), according to the Apostle’s word, “with power and with great knowledge” (1 Thess. 1:5). Therefore, this is acquired in moderation, with difficulty, with great effort, with patience and with love for Him, when, according to what has been said, the feelings of the soul are trained “in the judgment of good and evil” (Heb. 5:14), that is, in the judgment of tricks, slander, various attacks and traps of malice, and like this, in the judgment of various talents and various aids, according to action and the power of the Spirit. For whoever recognizes in himself a sinful scab, which defiles the inner man with passions, but does not recognize in himself the help from the Holy Spirit of truth, strengthening his weakness and renewing his soul with heartfelt joy, he remains without the ability to discern, having no knowledge of the manifold economy of God’s grace and God’s peace. On the other hand, the one whom the Lord helps, and who already has spiritual joy and heavenly gifts, if he thinks of himself that he is no longer subject to sin, he is deceived, falling into deception, not discerning the subtlety of vice and not understanding that the growth of infancy and perfection in Christ 6 happens gradually; because, with the help given by the Holy and Divine Spirit, growing faith comes to prosperity, and all the supports of evil thoughts begin to gradually tend towards complete destruction. 5. Therefore, each of us is obliged to enter into the study of whether he found a treasure in this meager vessel, whether he was clothed in the purple of the Spirit, whether he saw the King, and whether he was laid to rest, becoming close to Him, or whether he still serves in the outermost churches? For the soul has many members, and its depth is great, and the sin that has entered into it has already taken possession of all its parts and pastures of the heart. Then, when a person seeks grace, it comes to him and takes possession of, perhaps, two parts of the soul. But the inexperienced, consoled by grace, thinks that the coming grace has taken possession of all the components of the soul, and sin has been eradicated. But most of the soul is in the power of sin, while one part is under grace. And man is deceived and does not know it. 6. Having a lot to write about this sincere love of yours, with this little you, as sensible men, we give reason so that, having put into action and exploring the power of words, you become even more meaningful about the Lord, and the simplicity of your heart is increased by His grace and the power of truth, and with all the security of pursuing your salvation, having gotten rid of all inquisitiveness and from all the tricks of the enemy, you are deemed worthy to be without stumbling and without condemnation on the day of judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory and power with the Father and His life-giving Spirit, now and always and to the endless ages of ages! Amen. This should be understood in a sense not detached, but relative. John of Damascus (see “An Exact Statement of the Orthodox Faith,” book 2, chapter 3) says: “An angel is an incorporeal being... An angel is called incorporeal and immaterial in comparison with us. For everything, in comparison with God, the only incomparable one, turns out to be crude and material. The Divinity alone is, in the strict sense, immaterial and incorporeal.” From here begins the addition, printed by Floss from the Greek manuscript kept in the Berlin Library under No. 16. Here ends the supplement, translated from Floss's edition. In the original there is an erroneous indication: Is. 28:13 according to Theodotion’s translation In the edition of Pritius this word is read – a=po tou Kuríou; and Cotelier (Monum. Eccl. Gr. Tom. II, pag 534) replaces this expression with the words - a=po tou a=rníou. the end of the conversation was translated according to the ed. Floss.