The Conferences — CONFERENCE 15.

BY ST. JOHN CASSIAN

BY ST. JOHN CASSIAN

THE SECOND CONFERENCE OF ABBOT NESTEROS: ON DIVINE GIFTS.

THE SECOND CONFERENCE OF ABBOT NESTEROS. ON DIVINE GIFTS.

Discourse of Abbot Nesteros on the threefold system of gifts.

Discourse of Abbot Nesteros on the threefold system of gifts.

After the evening service, we sat down together on the mats as usual, ready for the promised teaching. When we had kept silence for a little while out of reverence for the Elder, he broke the respectful silence with these words. Our previous discussion had brought us to an explanation of the system of spiritual gifts, which we have learned from the tradition of the Elders is threefold. The first type exists for the sake of healing, when the grace of miraculous signs accompanies certain chosen and righteous people because of the merits of their holiness, just as it is clear that the apostles and many of the saints performed signs and wonders according to the authority of the Lord who says: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give. The second type occurs when, for the edification of the church or because of the faith of those who bring their sick or of those who are to be cured, the power of healing proceeds even from sinners and people unworthy of it. Of these the Savior says in the gospel: Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name cast out devils, and in Your name done many mighty works? And then I will confess to them, I never knew you: Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. On the other hand, if the faith of those who bring them or of the sick is lacking, it prevents those who have been given the gifts of healing from exercising their healing powers. About this Luke the Evangelist says: And Jesus could not there do any mighty work because of their unbelief. This is why the Lord Himself says: Many lepers were in Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. The third method of healing is imitated through the deceit and scheming of devils, so that when a man who is enslaved to obvious sins is regarded as a saint and servant of God because of admiration for his miracles, people may be persuaded to imitate his sins, and thus an opening being made for objections, the holiness of religion may be brought into disgrace, or else so that he who believes he possesses the gift of healing may be puffed up by pride of heart and so fall more grievously. This is why devils, invoking the names of those who, as they know, have no merits of holiness or any spiritual fruits, pretend that by their merits they are disturbed and made to flee from the bodies they have possessed. About this it says in Deuteronomy: If there rise up in the midst of you a prophet, or one who says that he has seen a dream, and declare a sign and a wonder, and that which he has spoken comes to pass, and he say to you: Let us go and follow after other gods whom you know not, and let us serve them: you shall not hear the words of that prophet or of that dreamer, for the Lord your God is tempting you that it may appear whether you love Him or not, with all your heart and with all your soul. And in the gospel it says: There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so that, if it were possible, even the elect should be led astray.

After evening service we sat down together on the mats as usual ready for the promised narration: and when we had kept silence for some little time out of reverence for the Elder, he anticipated the silence of our respect by such words as these. The previous order of our discourse had brought us to the exposition of the system of spiritual gifts, which we have learned from the tradition of the Elders is a threefold one. The first indeed is for the sake of healing, when the grace of signs accompanies certain elect and righteous men on account of the merits of their holiness, as it is clear that the apostles and many of the saints wrought signs and wonders in accordance with the authority of the Lord Who says: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8 The second when for the edification of the church or on account of the faith of those who bring their sick, or of those who are to be cured, the virtue of health proceeds even from sinners and men unworthy of it. Of whom the Saviour says in the gospel: Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name cast out devils, and in Your name done many mighty works? And then I will confess to them, I never knew you: Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23 And on the other hand, if the faith of those who bring them or of the sick is wanting, it prevents those on whom the gifts of healing are conferred from exercising their powers of healing. On which subject Luke the Evangelist says: And Jesus could not there do any mighty work because of their unbelief. Mark 6:5-6 Whence also the Lord Himself says: Many lepers were in Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. Luke 4:27 The third method of healing is copied by the deceit and contrivance of devils, that, when a man who is enslaved to evident sins is out of admiration for his miracles regarded as a saint and a servant of God, men may be persuaded to copy his sins and thus an opening being made for cavilling, the sanctity of religion may be brought into disgrace, or else that he, who believes that he possesses the gift of healing, may be puffed up by pride of heart and so fall more grievously. Hence it is that invoking the names of those, who, as they know, have no merits of holiness or any spiritual fruits, they pretend that by their merits they are disturbed and made to flee from the bodies they have possessed. Of which it says in Deuteronomy: If there rise up in the midst of you a prophet, or one who says that he has seen a dream, and declare a sign and a wonder, and that which he has spoken comes to pass, and he say to you: Let us go and follow after other gods whom you know not, and let us serve them: you shall not hear the words of that prophet or of that dreamer, for the Lord your God is tempting you that it may appear whether you love Him or not, with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 And in the gospel it says: There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so that, if it were possible, even the elect should be led astray. Matthew 24:24

Here is what we should admire in the saints.

Wherein one ought to admire the saints.

Therefore we should never admire those who display these powers for the powers themselves, but rather we should look at whether they are perfect in driving out all sins and correcting their behavior. For this ability is granted to each person not because of someone else's faith or for various other reasons, but because of his own diligence, through the working of God's grace. This is the practical knowledge that the Apostle calls by another name—that is, love—and the Apostle's authority places it above all tongues of men and angels, above complete assurance of faith that can even move mountains, above all knowledge and prophecy, above giving away all one's possessions, and finally even above the glory of martyrdom itself. For after he listed all kinds of gifts and said, "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the gift of healing, to another the working of miracles," and so on, when he was about to speak about love, notice how in just a few words he placed it above all gifts: "And yet," he says, "I show you a still more excellent way." This clearly demonstrates that the height of perfection and blessedness does not consist in performing those wonderful works but in the purity of love. And this is not without good reason. For all those things will pass away and be destroyed, but love will remain forever. And so we have never found that our fathers performed those works and signs. In fact, even when they did possess them by the grace of the Holy Spirit, they would never use them unless perhaps extreme and unavoidable necessity compelled them to do so.

Wherefore we never ought to admire those who affect these things, for these powers, but rather to look whether they are perfect in driving out all sins, and amending their ways, for this is granted to each man not for the faith of some other, or for a variety of reasons, but for his own earnestness, by the action of God 's grace. For this is practical knowledge which is termed by another name by the Apostle; viz., love, and is by the authority of the Apostle preferred to all tongues of men and of angels, and to full assurance of faith which can even remove mountains, and to all knowledge, and prophecy, and to the distribution of all one's goods, and finally to the glory of martyrdom itself. For when he had enumerated all kinds of gifts and had said: To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the gift of healing, to another the working of miracles, etc.: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 when he was going to speak about love notice how in a few words he put it before all gifts: And yet, he says, I show unto you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31 By which it is clearly shown that the height of perfection and blessedness does not consist in the performance of those wonderful works but in the purity of love. And this not without good reason. For all those things are to pass away and be destroyed, but love is to abide forever. And so we have never found that those works and signs were affected by our fathers: nay, rather when they did possess them by the grace of the Holy Spirit they would never use them, unless perhaps extreme and unavoidable necessity drove them to do so.

A dead man brought back to life by Abbot Macarius.

Of a dead man raised to life by Abbot Macarius.

We also remember that a dead man was raised to life by Abbot Macarius, who was the first to settle in the desert of Scete. A certain heretic who followed the error of Eunomius was trying to destroy the simplicity of the Catholic faith through clever arguments, and had already deceived many people. Some Catholics, deeply troubled by this disaster, asked the blessed Macarius to free the simple people of all Egypt from the danger of unbelief, so he came for this purpose. When the heretic approached him with his skill in argument and wanted to draw him into the complicated reasoning of Aristotle, the blessed Macarius stopped his talk with apostolic brevity, saying: "The kingdom of God is not in word but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). "Let us go to the tombs and call upon the name of the Lord over the first dead person we find. Let us, as it is written, show our faith by our works" (James 2:14), "so that by his testimony the clear proofs of right faith may be shown, and we may prove the obvious truth not by empty discussion but by the power of miracles and by judgment which cannot be deceived." When the heretic heard this, he was overwhelmed with shame before the people present and pretended at that moment to agree to the proposed terms, promising he would come the next day. But when everyone gathered the following day with great eagerness at the appointed place, hoping to see the spectacle, he was terrified by the awareness of his lack of faith and fled, escaping from all Egypt. The blessed Macarius waited with the people until the ninth hour, and when he saw that the heretic had avoided him because of his guilty conscience, he took the people who had been misled by him and went to the tombs as planned. In Egypt, the flooding of the river Nile has established this custom: since the whole region is covered for much of the year by the regular flood like a great sea, making travel possible only by boat, the bodies of the dead are embalmed and stored in cells built up high. The damp soil from constant moisture prevents them from burying bodies in the ground, because the excessive flooding forces any buried bodies back to the surface. When the blessed Macarius had positioned himself by a very ancient corpse, he said, "O man, if that heretic and son of perdition had come here with me, and while he was standing by I had cried out and invoked the name of Christ my God, tell these people who were almost deceived by his fraud whether you would have risen." Then the man arose and answered yes. Abbot Macarius then asked him what he had been when he was alive, in what era he had lived, and whether he had known the name of Christ then. He replied that he had lived under very ancient kings and stated that in those days he had never heard the name of Christ. Abbot Macarius said to him again, "Sleep in peace with the others in your proper place, to be awakened again by Christ at the end." All this power and grace that was in him would perhaps have always remained hidden, except that the need of the entire endangered province, his complete devotion to Christ, and his genuine love forced him to perform this miracle. It was certainly not a display for glory but love of Christ and concern for all the people that compelled him to do it, just as the passage in the book of Kings shows us that the blessed Elijah also acted when he asked that fire descend from heaven on the sacrifice placed on the altar, doing this to protect the faith of the whole people, which was endangered by the deceptions of the false prophets.

As also we remember that a dead man was raised to life by Abbot Macarius who was the first to find a home in the desert of Scete. For when a certain heretic who followed the error of Eunomius was trying by dialectic subtlety to destroy the simplicity of the Catholic faith, and had already deceived a large number of men, the blessed Macarius was asked by some Catholics, who were terribly disturbed by the horror of such an upset, to set free the simple folk of all Egypt from the peril of infidelity, and came for this purpose. And when the heretic had approached him with his dialectic art, and wanted to drag him away in his ignorance to the thorns of Aristotle, the blessed Macarius put a stop to his chatter with apostolic brevity, saying: the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 Let us go therefore to the tombs, and let us invoke the name of the Lord over the first dead man we find, and let us, as it is written, show our faith by our works, James 2:14 that by His testimony the manifest proofs of a right faith may be shown, and we may prove the clear truth not by an empty discussion of words but by the power of miracles and that judgment which cannot be deceived. And when he heard this the heretic was overwhelmed with shame before the people who were present, and pretended for the moment that he consented to the terms proposed, and promised that he would come on the morrow, but the next day when they were all in expectation who had come together with greater eagerness to the appointed place, owing to their desire for the spectacle, he was terrified by the consciousness of his want of faith, and fled away, and at once escaped out of all Egypt. And when the blessed Macarius had waited together with the people till the ninth hour, and saw that he had owing to his guilty conscience avoided him, he took the people, who had been perverted by him and went to the tombs determined upon. Now in Egypt the overflow of the river Nile has introduced this custom that, since the whole breadth of that country is covered for no small part of the year by the regular flood of waters like a great sea so that there is no means of getting about except by a passage in boats, the bodies of the dead are embalmed and stored away in cells an good height up. For the soil of that land being damp from the continual moisture prevents them from burying them. For if it receives any bodies buried in it, it is forced by the excessive inundations to cast them forth on its surface. When then the blessed Macarius had taken up his position by a most ancient corpse, he said O man, if that heretic and son of perdition had come hither with me, and, while he was standing by, I had exclaimed and invoked the name of Christ my God, say in the presence of these who were almost perverted by his fraud, whether you would have arisen. Then he arose and replied with words of assent. And then Abbot Macarius asked him what he had formerly been when he enjoyed life here, or in what age of men he had lived, or if he had then known the name of Christ, and he replied that he had lived under kings of most ancient date, and declared that in those days he had never heard the name of Christ. To whom once more Abbot Macarius: Sleep, said he, in peace with the others in your own order, to be roused again by Christ in the end. All this power then and grace of his which was in him would perhaps have always been hidden, unless the needs of the whole province which was endangered, and his entire devotion to Christ, and unfeigned love, had forced him to perform this miracle. And certainly it was not the ostentation of glory but the love of Christ and the good of all the people that wrung from him the performance of it. As the passage in the book of Kings shows us that the blessed Elijah also did, who asked that fire might descend from heaven on the sacrifices laid on the pyre, for this reason that he might set free the faith of the whole people which was endangered by the tricks of the false prophets.

Concerning the miracle that Abbot Abraham performed on a woman's breasts.

Of the miracle which Abbot Abraham wrought on the breasts of a woman.

Why do I even need to mention the deeds of Abbot Abraham, who was called ἁπλοῦς—that is, "the simple"—because of the simplicity of his life and his innocence? When he had traveled from the desert to Egypt for the harvest during the season of Quinquagesima, a woman tearfully begged him for help, bringing her small child who was already wasting away and half dead from lack of milk. He gave her a cup of water to drink that he had marked with the sign of the cross. When she drank it, her breasts, which until then had been completely dry, immediately and miraculously began to flow with an abundant supply of milk.

Why also need I mention the acts of Abbot Abraham, who was surnamed ἁ πλοῦς, i.e., the simple, from the simplicity of his life and his innocence. This man when he had gone from the desert to Egypt for the harvest in the season of Quinquagesima was pestered with tears and prayers by a woman who brought her little child, already pining away and half dead from lack of milk; he gave her a cup of water to drink signed with the sign of the cross; and when she had drunk it at once most marvellously her breasts that had been till then utterly dry flowed with a copious abundance of milk.

A cure of a lame man performed by the same saint.

Of the cure of a lame man which the same saint wrought.

When the same man was going to a village, he was surrounded by mocking crowds who sneered at him and showed him a man who for many years had been unable to walk because of a contracted knee. The man crawled about due to his long-standing weakness. They tested him and said, "Show us, father Abraham, if you are the servant of God, and restore this man to his former health, so that we may believe that the name of Christ, whom you worship, is not meaningless." Then he immediately called upon the name of Christ, bent down, took hold of the man's withered foot, and pulled it. At once, at his touch, the dried and bent knee was straightened, and the man regained the use of his legs, which he had forgotten how to use during his long years of weakness, and went away rejoicing.

Or when the same man as he went to a village was surrounded by mocking crowds, who sneered at him and showed him a man who was for many years deprived of the power of walking from a contracted knee, and crawled from a weakness of long standing, they tempted him and said, Show us, father Abraham, if you are the servant of God, and restore this man to his former health, that we may believe that the name of Christ, whom you worship, is not vain. Then he at once invoked the name of Christ, and stooped down and laid hold of the man's withered foot and pulled it. And immediately at his touch the dried and bent knee was straightened, and he got back the use of his legs, which he had forgotten how to use in his long years of weakness, and went away rejoicing.

How the merits of each person should not be judged by their miracles.

How the merits of each man should not be judged by his miracles.

These men gave no credit to themselves for their power to work such wonders, because they confessed that these miracles were done not by their own merits but by the Lord's compassion. Using the Apostle's words, they refused the human honor offered to them out of admiration for their miracles: "Men and brethren, why do you marvel at this, or why do you look on us as though by our own power or holiness we had caused this man to walk?" (Acts 3:12). They did not think anyone should be celebrated for God's gifts and wonders, but rather for the fruits of his own good deeds, which come from the effort of his mind and the power of his works. For often, as was said above, men with corrupt minds who are reprobate concerning the truth both cast out devils and perform the greatest miracles in the Lord's name. When the Apostles complained about such people and said, "Master, we saw one casting out devils in Your name, and we forbade him because he follows not with us," Christ replied to them at the time, "Forbid him not, for he that is not against you is for you" (Luke 9:49-50). Still, when these people say at the end, "Lord, Lord, have we not in Your name prophesied, and in Your name cast out devils, and in Your name done many mighty works?" He testifies that He will then answer, "I never knew you: depart from me, you workers of iniquity" (Matthew 7:22-23). Therefore, He actually warns those to whom He Himself has given this glory of miracles and mighty works because of their holiness that they should not be puffed up by them, saying, "Rejoice not because the devils are subject to you, but rejoice rather because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

And so these men gave no credit to themselves for their power of working such wonders, because they confessed that they were done not by their own merits but by the compassion of the Lord and with the words of the Apostle they refused the human honour offered out of admiration for their miracles: Men and brethren, why do you marvel at this, or why do you look on us as though by our own power or holiness we had caused this man to walk. Acts 3:12 Nor did they think that any one should be renowned for the gifts and marvels of God, but rather for the fruits of his own good deeds, which are brought about by the efforts of his mind and the power of his works. For often, as was said above, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth, both cast out devils and perform the greatest miracles in the name of the Lord. Of whom when the Apostles complained and said: Master, we saw one casting out devils in Your name, and we forbade him because he follows not with us, though for the present Christ replied to them Forbid him not, for he that is not against you is for you, Luke 9:49-50 still when they say at the end: Lord, Lord, have we not in Your name prophesied, and in Your name cast out devils, and in Your name done many mighty works? He testifies that then He will answer: I never knew you: depart from me, you workers of iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23 And therefore He actually warns those, to whom He Himself has given this glory of miracles and mighty works because of their holiness, that they be not puffed up by them, saying: Rejoice not because the devils are subject to you, but rejoice rather because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

The superiority of spiritual gifts is found not in performing miracles but in possessing humility.

How the excellence of gifts consists not in miracles but in humility.

Finally, the Author of all miracles and mighty works, when He called His disciples to learn His teaching, clearly showed what those true and specially chosen followers ought chiefly to learn from Him, saying: Come and learn from Me—not chiefly to cast out devils by the power of heaven, not to cleanse lepers, not to give sight to the blind, not to raise the dead. For even though I do these things through some of My servants, human nature cannot insert itself into the praises of God, nor can a minister and servant gain any portion for himself in what belongs to the glory of Deity alone. But learn this from Me, He says, for I am meek and lowly of heart. This is something that all people generally can learn and practice, but the working of miracles and signs is not always necessary, nor good for all, nor granted to all. Therefore humility is the mistress of all virtues, the surest foundation of the heavenly building, and the special and splendid gift of the Savior. For the person who can perform all the miracles that Christ worked without danger of being puffed up is the one who follows the gentle Lord not in the grandeur of His miracles, but in the virtues of patience and humility. But whoever aims at commanding unclean spirits, or bestowing gifts of healing, or showing some wonderful miracle to the people—even though he invokes the name of Christ when showing off—is still far from Christ, because in his pride of heart he does not follow his humble Teacher. For when Christ was returning to the Father, He prepared, so to speak, His will and left this to His disciples: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, so also love one another. And at once He added: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. He does not say: if you do signs and miracles in the same way, but if you have love for one another—and it is certain that only the meek and humble can keep this. Therefore our predecessors never considered those to be good monks or free from the fault of vainglory who professed themselves exorcists among people and proclaimed with boastful ostentation among admiring crowds the grace they had either obtained or claimed. But this is in vain, for whoever trusts in lies feeds the winds, and the same runs after birds that fly away. For without doubt what we find in Proverbs will happen to them: As the winds and clouds and rain are very clear, so are those who boast of a fictitious gift. And so if anyone does any of these things in our presence, he ought to receive commendation from us not from admiration of his miracles, but from the beauty of his life. Nor should we ask whether the devils are subject to him, but whether he possesses those features of love which the Apostle describes.

Finally the Author Himself of all miracles and mighty works, when He called His disciples to learn His teaching, clearly showed what those true and specially chosen followers ought chiefly to learn from Him, saying: Come and learn of Me, not chiefly to cast out devils by the power of heaven, not to cleanse the lepers, not to give sight to the blind, not to raise the dead: for even though I do these things by some of My servants, yet man's estate cannot insert itself into the praises of God, nor can a minister and servant gather hereby any portion for himself there where is the glory of Deity alone. But learn this of Me, He says, for I am meek and lowly of heart. Matthew 11:28-29 For this it is which it is possible for all men generally to learn and practise, but the working of miracles and signs is not always necessary, nor good for all, nor granted to all. Humility therefore is the mistress of all virtues, it is the surest foundation of the heavenly building, it is the special and splendid gift of the Saviour. For he can perform all the miracles which Christ wrought, without danger of being puffed up, who follows the gentle Lord not in the grandeur of His miracles, but in the virtues of patience and humility. But he who aims at commanding unclean spirits, or bestowing gifts of healing, or showing some wonderful miracle to the people, even though when he is showing off he invokes the name of Christ, yet he is far from Christ, because in his pride of heart he does not follow his humble Teacher. For when He was returning to the Father, He prepared, so to speak, His will and left this to His disciples: A new commandment, said He, give I unto you that you love one another; as I have loved you, so also love one another: and at once He subjoined: By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love to one another. John 13:34-35 He says not: if you do signs and miracles in the same way, but if you have love to one another; and this it is certain that none but the meek and humble can keep. Wherefore our predecessors never reckoned those as good monks or free from the fault of vainglory, who professed themselves exorcists among men, and proclaimed with boastful ostentation among admiring crowds the grace which they had either obtained or which they claimed. But in vain, for he who trusts in lies feeds the winds: and the same runs after birds that fly away. Proverbs 10:4 For without doubt that will happen to them which we find in Proverbs: As the winds and clouds and rain are very clear so are these who boast of a fictitious gift. Proverbs 25:14 And so if any one does any of these things in our presence, he ought to meet with commendation from us not from admiration of his miracles, but from the beauty of his life, nor should we ask whether the devils are subject to him, but whether he possesses those features of love which the Apostle describes.

How it is more wonderful to cast out one's faults from oneself than to cast out devils from another person.

How it is more wonderful to have cast out one's faults from one's self than devils from another.

In truth, it is a greater miracle to root out from one's own flesh the urges toward wantonness than to cast out unclean spirits from the bodies of others. It is a greater sign to restrain the fierce passions of anger through the virtue of patience than to command the powers of the air. It is a greater thing to have shut out the consuming pains of gloominess from one's own heart than to have expelled another person's sickness and bodily fever. Finally, it is in many ways a greater virtue and a more splendid achievement to cure the weaknesses of one's own soul than to cure the weaknesses of another person's body. For just as the soul is higher than the flesh, so its salvation is more important. And just as its nature is more precious and excellent, so its destruction is more serious and dangerous.

And in truth it is a greater miracle to root out from one's own flesh the incentives to wantonness than to cast out unclean spirits from the bodies of others, and it is a grander sign to restrain the fierce passions of anger by the virtue of patience than to command the powers of the air, and it is a greater thing to have shut out the devouring pangs of gloominess from one's own heart than to have expelled the sickness of another and the fever of his body. Finally it is in many ways a grander virtue and a more splendid achievement to cure the weaknesses' of one's own soul than those of the body of another. For just as the soul is higher than the flesh, so is its salvation of more importance, and as its nature is more precious and excellent, so is its destruction more grievous and dangerous.

How uprightness of life is of more importance than the working of miracles.

How uprightness of life is of more importance than the working of miracles.

Concerning those healings, it was said to the blessed Apostles: Rejoice not that the devils are subject to you. For this was accomplished not by their own power, but by the might of the name invoked. Therefore they are warned not to claim any blessedness or glory for themselves on this account, since it was done simply by the power and might of God, but only on account of the inward purity of their life and heart, for which they were granted the privilege of having their names written in heaven.

And of those cures it was said to the blessed Apostles: Rejoice not that the devils are subject to you. Luke 10:20 For this was wrought not by their own power, but by the might of the name invoked. And therefore they are warned not to presume to claim for themselves any blessedness or glory on this account as it was done simply by the power and might of God, but only on account of the inward purity of their life and heart, for which it was vouchsafed to them to have their names written in heaven.

A revelation on the trial of perfect chastity.

A revelation on the trial of perfect chastity.

To prove what we have said using both the testimony of the ancients and divine oracles, we should present in his own words and experience what the blessed Paphnutius felt about admiring miracles and the grace of purity—or rather what he learned from an angel's revelation. This man had been famous for many years for his remarkable strictness, so much so that he thought he was completely free from the snares of fleshly desire because he felt himself superior to all the attacks of the demons with whom he had fought openly for a long time. When some holy men came to visit him, he was preparing for them a lentil porridge called Athera, and his hand happened to get burned in the oven by a flame that flared up. When this happened he was deeply troubled and began silently to reflect and ask himself why the fire was not at peace with him when his more serious struggles with demons had ceased. He wondered how that unquenchable fire which examines everyone's merits would pass him by on that dreadful day of judgment and not hold him, if this small earthly fire had not spared him. While he was troubled by thoughts and distress of this kind, he suddenly fell asleep and an angel of the Lord came to him and said: Paphnutius, why are you troubled that earthly fire is not yet at peace with you, while there still remains in your members some disturbance of fleshly impulses that is not completely removed? As long as the roots of this flourish within you, they will not allow that material fire to be at peace with you. And you certainly could not find it harmless unless you discovered through evidence like this that all these internal impulses within you were destroyed. Go, take a naked and very beautiful virgin, and if while you hold her you find that the peace of your heart remains steady and that fleshly heat is still and quiet within you, then the touch of this visible flame will also pass over you gently and without harming you as it did over the three young men in Babylon. The elder was struck by this revelation and did not attempt the dangers of the test divinely shown to him, but questioned his own conscience and examined the purity of his heart. Realizing that his degree of purity was not yet sufficient to outweigh the force of this trial, he said: It is no wonder if when battles with unclean spirits come upon me, I still feel the flames of the fire—which I used to think less important than the savage attacks of demons—still raging against me. For it is a greater virtue and a more excellent grace to extinguish the inward lust of the flesh than to subdue by the sign of the Lord and the power of the might of the Most High the wicked demons that rush upon one from outside, or to drive them from the bodies they have possessed by invoking the Divine name. This concludes Abbot Nesteros's account of the true working of the gifts of grace. He accompanied us to the cell of the elder Joseph, which was nearly six miles from his own, as we were eager for instruction in his teaching.

And to prove this that we have said both by the testimony of the ancients and divine oracles, we had better bring forward in his own words and experience what the blessed Paphnutius felt on the subject of admiration of miracles and the grace of purity, or rather what he learned from the revelation of an angel. For this man had been famous for many years for his signal strictness so that he fancied that he was completely free from the snares of carnal concupiscence because he felt himself superior to all the attacks of the demons with whom he had fought openly and for a long while; and when some holy men had come to him, he was preparing for them a porridge of lentiles which they call Athera, and his hand, as it happened, was burnt in the oven, by a flame that darted up. And when this happened he was much mortified and began silently to consider with himself, and ask why was not the fire at peace with me, when my more serious contests with demons have ceased? Or how will that unquenchable fire which searches out the deserts of all pass me by in that dread day of judgment, and fail to detain me, if this trivial temporal fire from without has not spared me? And as he was troubled by thoughts of this kind and vexation a sudden sleep overcame him and an angel of the Lord came to him and said: Paphnutius, why are you vexed because that earthly fire is not yet at peace with you, while there still remains in your members some disturbance of carnal motions that is not completely removed? For as long as the roots of this flourish within you, they will not suffer that material fire to be at peace with you. And certainly you could not feel it harmless unless you found by such proofs as these that all these internal motions within you were destroyed. Go, take a naked and most beautiful virgin, and if while you hold her you find that the peace of your heart remains steadfast, and that carnal heat is still and quiet within you, then the touch of this visible flame also shall pass over you gently and without harming you as it did over the three children in Babylon. And so the Elder was impressed by this revelation and did not try the dangers of the experiment divinely shown to him, but asked his own conscience and examined the purity of his heart; and, guessing that the weight of purity was not yet sufficient to outweigh the force of this trial, it is no wonder, said he, if when the battles with unclean spirits come upon me, I still feel the flames of the fire, which I used to think of less importance than the savage attacks of demons, still raging against me. Since it is a greater virtue and a grander grace to extinguish the inward lust of the flesh than by the sign of the Lord and the power of the might of the Most High to subdue the wicked demons which rush upon one from without, or to drive them by invoking the Divine name from the bodies which they have possessed. So far Abbot Nesteros, finishing the account of the true working of the gifts of grace accompanied us to the cell of the Elder Joseph which was nearly six miles distant from his, as we were eager for instruction in his doctrine.