Локомотив духовный

Instead of a foreword from the author Christianity, offering us an example of great perfection, also provides us with all the necessary means. It is a ladder leading to heaven, a path leading to the stomach, a medicine that heals all our infirmities and imperfections. This ladder has already been established and has brought many to heaven; it is not necessary to rebuild it, but to ascend along it. This path has already been tested; it is simple, visible to everyone and true. (9, pp. 160–161) I came to the idea that it would be very useful to compile a collection of scattered sayings and tales, which would include everything. This collection should be a guide book. Why is it necessary to arrange the saying and legend in the course of life. I have not yet lost faith that the plan of life that I built and invented in the issues about the path of salvation was far from reality. I wanted to base this collection on this plan. (17, p. 23) I am writing about my books because I don’t know where everything relating to Christian life could be depicted even more fully. Other writers would have written better, but they were preoccupied with other (questions) subjects, and not those about which you and I are seeking knowledge. (13, p. 20) From such articles... it would be necessary to compile a collection and always have it at hand. It would be a spiritual locomotive. (13. p. 62) The sayings are all edifying; but when they are arranged, they appear to be a pile of sand. It will be good to unite them or combine them, like cement, with some plan... Everything will fall into place. (17, p. 98) It occurred to me that if I made an extract and compiled a small book in which everything essential would be laid out clearly, as in the palm of my hand, and in such a way that it would be easy to read, then such a book would be very useful. (17, p. 42) The life of a Christian is characterized by faith, and therefore Christian moral teaching must be characterized by faith. Just as in life faith and works of faith enter into each other, intertwine and mutually contribute to each other: so in teaching - doctrine and moral teaching should not lose sight of each other. Doctrine has always gone into unnecessary digressions and refinements when it does not adhere to moral goals; and moral teaching took inappropriate directions when it was not illuminated by religious teaching; most importantly, it then did not differ in any way from philosophical moral teaching. The last remark does not hint that speculative moral teaching built on natural principles has no place at all in Christian moral teaching. On the contrary, it is impossible to do without it. (2, pp. 6–7) How else could a person live if not in the way he is built. Having established sound concepts about how a person works, we will receive the surest indication of how he should live. It seems to me that many people do not live as they should because they think that the rules about this worthy life are imposed from outside, and do not come from the very nature of man and are not required by them. If we were sure that this was the case, we would not contradict them and retreat from them. (3, p. 15) Maintain Christianity all as it is and as it is preserved in the Church of Christ, and stand firmly in it, not buying to change or correct anything, constantly improve yourself and according to its example, trying in every possible way to achieve the measure that it indicates to everyone, aiming for its healing, striving where it leads, and untidyly ascending where it leads. (9, p. 162) We accompany our collection with a sincere desire that lovers of spiritual reading will find in it what the compiler wanted to put into it for them. (17, p. 97)