XI.

Ioasaph said unto him, "All your words are fair and wonderful, and, while you spakest, I believed them and still believe them; and I hate all idolatry with all my heart. And indeed, even before your coming hither, my soul was, in uncertain fashion, doubtful of it. But now I hate it with a perfect hatred, since I have learned from your lips the vanity thereof, and the folly of those who worship idols; and I yearn to become the servant of the true God, if haply he will not refuse me, that am unworthy by reason of my sins, and I trust that he will forgive me everything, because he is a lover of men, and compassionate, as you tellest me, and will count me worthy to become his servant. So I am ready anon to receive baptism, and to observe all your sayings. But what must I do after baptism? And is this alone sufficient for salvation, to believe and be baptized, or must one add other services thereto?"

Barlaam answered him, "Hear what you must do after baptism. Thou must abstain from all sin, and every evil affection, and build upon the foundation of the Catholick Faith the practice of the virtues; for faith without works is dead, as also are works without faith. For, says the Apostle, 'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.' Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, love of money, railing, love of pleasure, drunkenness, revelling, arrogance, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, sanctification of soul and body, lowliness of heart and contrition, almsgiving, forgiveness of injuries, loving-kindness, watchings, perfect repentance of all past offences, tears of compunction, sorrow for our own sins and those of our neighbours, and the like. These, even as steps and ladders that support one another and are clinched together, conduct the soul to heaven. Lo, to these we are commanded to cleave after baptism, and to abstain from their contraries.

"But if, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, we again lay hold on dead works, and, like a dog, return to our vomit, it shall happen unto us according to the word of the Lord; 'for,' says he, 'when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man' (to wit, by the grace of baptism) 'he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none.' But enduring not for long to wander homeless and hearthless, he says, 'I will return to my house whence I came out.' And, when he comes, he finds it swept and garnished, but empty and unoccupied, not having received the operation of grace, nor having filled itself with the riches of the virtues. Then goeth he, and takes to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.' For baptism burieth in the water and completely blotteth out the hand-writing of all former sins, and is to us for the future a sure fortress and tower of defence, and a strong weapon against the marshalled host of the enemy; but it takes not away free will, nor alloweth the forgiving of sins after baptism, or immersion in the font a second time. For it is one baptism that we confess, and need is that we keep ourselves with all watchfulness that so we fall not into defilement a second time, but hold fast to the commandments of the Lord. For when he said to the Apostles, 'Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' he did not stop there, but added, 'teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.'

"Now he commanded men to be poor in spirit, and such he calls blessed and worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Again he chargeth us to mourn in the present life, that we may obtain comfort hereafter, and to be meek, and to be ever hungering and thirsting after righteousness: to be merciful, and ready to distribute, pitiful and compassionate, pure in heart, abstaining from all defilement of flesh and spirit, peacemakers with our neighbours and with our own souls, by bringing the worse into subjection to the better, and thus by a just decision making peace in that continual warfare betwixt the twain; also to endure all persecution and tribulation and reviling, inflicted upon us for righteousness' sake in defence of his name, that we may obtain everlasting felicity in the glorious distribution of his rewards. Ay, and in this world he exhorteth us to let our 'light so shine before men, that they may see,' he says, 'your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'

"For the law of Moses, formerly given to the Israelites, says, 'Thou shalt not kill; you shalt not commit adultery; you shalt not steal; you shalt not bear false witness:' but Christ says 'Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire:' and, 'if you bring your gift to the altar, and there rememberest that your brother has aught against you, leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way and first be reconciled to your brother.' And he also says, 'Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her in his heart.' And hereby he calls the defilement and consent of the affection adultery. Furthermore, where the law forbade a man to forswear himself, Christ commanded him to swear not at all beyond Yea and Nay. There we read, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth': here, 'Whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloke also. And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asks time, and from him that would borrow of you turn not you away. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.' He therefore that gave life and body will assuredly give food and raiment: he that feedeth the fowls of the air and arrayeth with such beauty the lilies of the field. 'But, seek ye first,' says Christ, 'the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Strait and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it. Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son and daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that takes not up his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.' Lo these and the like of these be the things which the Saviour commanded his Apostles to teach the Faithful: and all these things we are bound to observe, if we desire to attain to perfection and receive the incorruptible crowns of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give at that day unto all them that have loved his appearing."

Ioasaph said unto the elder, "Well then, as the strictness of these doctrines demandeth such chaste conversation, if, after baptism, I chance to fail in one or two of these commandments, shall I therefore utterly miss the goal, and shall all my hope be vain?"

Barlaam answered, "Deem not so. God, the Word, made man for the salvation of our race, aware of the exceeding frailty and misery of our nature, has not even here suffered our sickness to be without remedy. But, like a skilful leech, he has mixed for our unsteady and sin-loving heart the potion of repentance, prescribing this for the remission of sins. For after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, and have been sanctified by water and the Spirit, and cleansed without effort from all sin and all defilement, if we should fortune to fall into any transgression, there is, it is true, no second regeneration made within us by the spirit through baptism in the water of the font, and wholly re-creating us (that gift is given once for all); but, by means of painful repentance, hot tears, toils and sweats, there is a purifying and pardoning of our offences through the tender mercy of our God. For the fount of tears is also called baptism, according to the grace of the Master, but it needeth labour and time; and many has it saved after many a fall; because there is no sin too great for the clemency of God, if we be quick to repent, and purge the shame of our offences, and death overtake us not, and depart us not from this life still defiled; for in the grave there is no confession nor repentance. But as long as we are 'among the living, while the foundation of our true faith continueth unshattered, even if somewhat of the outer roof-work or inner building be disabled, it is allowed to renew by repentance the part rotted by sins. It is impossible to count the multitude of the mercies of God, or measure the greatness of his compassion: whereas sins and offences, of whatever kind, are subject to measure and may be numbered. So our offences, being subject to measure and number, cannot overcome the immeasurable compassion, and innumerable mercies of God.

"Wherefore we are commanded not to despair for our trespasses, but to acknowledge the goodness of God, and condemn the sins whereof forgiveness is offered us by reason of the loving-kindness of Christ, who for our sins shed his precious blood. In many places of Scripture we are taught the power of repentance, and especially by the precepts and parables of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it says, 'From that time began Jesus to preach and to say, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."' Moreover he setteth before us, in a parable, a certain son that had received his father's substance, and taken his journey into a far country, and there spent all in riotous living. Then, when there arose a famine in that land, he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that land of iniquity, who sent him into his fields to feed swine,--thus doth he designate the most coarse and loathsome sin. When, after much labour, he had come to the utmost misery, and might not even fill his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, at last he came to perceive his shameful plight, and, bemoaning himself, said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose, and came to his father. But, when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and embraced him, and kissed him tenderly, and, restoring him to his former rank, made a feast of joyaunce because his son was found again, and killed the fatted calf. Lo, this parable, that Jesus spoke to us, concerneth such as turn again from sin, and fall at his feet in repentance. Again, he representeth a certain good shepherd that had an hundred sheep, and, when one was lost, left the ninety and nine, and went forth to seek that which was gone astray, until he found it: and he laid it on his shoulders, and folded it with those that had not gone astray, and called together his friends and neighbours to a banquet, because that it was found. 'Likewise,' says the Saviour, 'joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.'

"And, in sooth, even the chief of the disciples, Peter, the Rock of the Faith, in the very season of the Saviour's Passion, failing for a little while in his stewardship, that he might understand the worthlessness and misery of human frailty, fell under the guilt of denial. Then he straightway remembered the Lord's words, and went out and wept bitterly, and with those hot tears made good his defeat, and transferred the victory to his own side. Like a skilful man of war, though fallen, he was not undone, nor did he despair, but, springing to his feet, he brought up, as a reserve, bitter tears from the agony of his soul; and straightway, when the enemy saw that sight, like a man whose eyes are scorched with a fierce flame, he leaped off and fled afar, howling horribly. So the chief became chief again, as he had before been chosen teacher of the whole world, being now become its pattern of penitence. And after his holy resurrection Christ made good this three-fold denial with the three-fold question, 'Peter, lovest you me?', the Apostle answering, 'Yea, Lord, you knowest that I love you.'

"So from all these and many other examples beyond count we learn the virtue of tears and repentance. Only the manner thereof must be noted it must arise from a heart that abominateth sin and weepeth, as says the prophet David, 'I am weary of my groaning: every night will I wash my bed and water my couch with my tears.' Again the cleansing of sins will be wrought by the blood of Christ, in the greatness of his compassion and the multitude of the mercies of that God who says, 'Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow,' and so forth.

"Thus therefore it is, and thus we believe. But after receiving the knowledge of the truth and winning regeneration and adoption as sons, and tasting of the divine mysteries, we must strive hard to keep our feet lest we fall. For to fall becomes not the athlete, since many have fallen and been unable to rise. Some, opening a door to sinful lusts, and clinging obstinately to them, have no more had strength to hasten back to repentance; and others, being untimely snatched by death, and having not made speed enough to wash them from the pollution of their sin, have been damned. And for this cause it is parlous to fall into any kind of sinful affection whatsoever. But if any man fall, he must at once leap up, and stand again to fight the good fight: and, as often as there comes a fall, so often must there at once ensue this rising and standing, unto the end. For, 'Turn ye unto me, and I will turn unto you,' says the Lord God."

XI

Λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰωάσαφ: Πάντα σου τὰ ῥήματα καλὰ καὶ θαυμαστά εἰσι, κἀγὼ ἐπίστευσα καὶ πιστεύω, πᾶσαν μὲν εἰδωλολατρείαν ἀπὸ καρδίας μισήσας: καί, πρὸ τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν γάρ σε πρός με, πλαγίως πως καὶ διστάζων πρὸς ταύτην διέκειτό μου ἡ ψυχή: νυνὶ δὲ τέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσησα, μαθὼν παρὰ σοῦ τὴν ματαιότητα τούτων καὶ τὴν ἀφροσύνην τῶν αὐτοῖς λατρευόντων. Ποθῶ δὲ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος γενέσθαι, εἴπερ οὐκ ἀπώσεταί με τὸν ἀνάξιον διὰ τὰς ἐμὰς ἀνομίας, ἀλλὰ συγχωρήσει μοι πάντα, φιλάνθρωπος ὢν καὶ εὔσπλαγχνος, καθὰ διδάσκεις, καὶ ἀξιώσει με δοῦλον αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι. ἤδη οὖν ἑτοίμως ἔχω καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα δέξασθαι, καὶ πάντα ὅσα εἴπῃς μοι φυλάξαι. τί δὲ χρή με ποιεῖν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα; καὶ εἰ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο μόνον πρὸς σωτηρίαν, τὸ πιστεῦσαι καὶ βαπτισθῆναι, ἢ καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ δεῖ προστιθέναι;

Καί φησι πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Βαρλαάμ: Ἄκουσον τί δεῖ ποιεῖν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα: πάσης μὲν ἁμαρτίας καὶ παντὸς πάθους ἀπέχεσθαι, ἐποικοδομεῖν δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῆς ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως τὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐργασίαν, ἐπειδὴ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἔργα πίστεως δίχα. φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἀπόστολος: Ἐν πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε, καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε: φανερὰ δέ ἐστι τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκὸς ἅτινά ἐστι, μοιχεῖαι, πορνεῖαι, ἀκαθαρσίαι, ἀσέλγειαι, εἰδωλολατρείαι, φαρμακεῖαι, ἔχθραι, ἔρις, ζῆλοι, θυμοί, ἐρίθειαι, διχοστασίαι, αἱρέσεις, φθόνοι, φόνοι, φιλαργυρίαι, λοιδορίαι, φιληδονίαι, μέθαι, κῶμοι, ὑπερηφανίαι, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια τούτοις: ἃ προλέγω ὑμῖν, καθὼς καὶ προεῖπον, ὅτι οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντες βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν: ὁ δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πραότης, ἐγκράτεια, ἁγιασμὸς ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος, ταπείνωσις καρδίας καὶ συντριβή, ἐλεημοσύνη, ἀμνησικακία, φιλανθρωπία, ἀγρυπνία, μετάνοια ἀκριβὴς πάντων τῶν προγεγονότων σφαλμάτων, δάκρυον κατανύξεως, πένθος ὑπέρ τε τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ τῶν τοῦ πλησίον, καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια, ἅτινα, ὥσπερ τινὲς βαθμίδες καὶ κλίμακες ἀλλήλων ἐχόμεναι καὶ ὑπ' ἀλλήλων συγκροτούμεναι, εἰς οὐρανὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναφέρουσιν. ἰδοὺ τούτων ἐντετάλμεθα, μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα, ἀντέχεσθαι, τῶν δ' ἐναντίων ἀπέχεσθαι.

Εἰ δὲ μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας, τῶν προτέρων αὖθις ἐπιληψόμεθα νεκρῶν ἔργων, καὶ ὡς κύων ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἔμετον ἐπιστρέψομεν, συμβήσεται ἡμῖν τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρημένον. Ὅταν γάρ, φησί, τὸ ἀκάθαρτον Πνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (τῇ χάριτι δηλαδὴ τοῦ βαπτίσματος), διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπων, ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει: μὴ φέρον δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ ἄοικον καὶ ἀνέστιον περιπλανᾶσθαι, λέγει: Ἐπιστρέψω εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου, ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον. καί, ἐλθόν, εὑρίσκει σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον, κενὸν δὲ καὶ σχολάζοντα, μὴ ὑποδεξάμενον τὴν ἐργασίαν τῆς χάριτος, μηδὲ πληρώσαντα ἑαυτὸν τῷ πλούτῳ τῶν ἀρετῶν. τότε πορεύεται καὶ λαμβάνει μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἕτερα ἑπτὰ Πνεύματα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ: καὶ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ: καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. τὸ γὰρ βάπτισμα τῶν μὲν προημαρτημένων πάντων τὰ χειρόγραφα, τῷ ὕδατι ἐνθάπτον, παντελεῖ ἀφανισμῷ παραδίδωσι, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς τεῖχος ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀσφαλὲς καὶ προπύργιον καὶ ὅπλον κραταιὸν εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ παράταξιν: οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀναιρεῖ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον, οὔτε τῶν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα ἁμαρτανομένων ἔχει συγχώρησιν, οὔτε δευτέρας κολυμβήθρας κατάδυσιν. ἓν γὰρ ὁμολογοῦμεν βάπτισμα: καὶ χρὴ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρεῖν ἑαυτούς, μὴ δευτέροις ἐμπεσεῖν μολυσμοῖς, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐπιλαβέσθαι τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπὼν γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀποστόλους, Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, οὐ μέχρι τούτου ἔστη: ἀλλὰ προσέθετο, Διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν.

Ἐνετείλατο δὲ πτωχοὺς μὲν εἶναι τῷ πνεύματι, οὓς μακαρίζει καὶ τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀξίους ἀποκαλεῖ. εἶτα πενθεῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι ὑποτίθεται βίῳ, ἵνα τῆς μελλούσης παρακλήσεως ἀξιωθῶμεν, πραεῖς τε εἶναι καὶ ἀεὶ πεινῶντας καὶ διψῶντας τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ἐλεήμονάς τε καὶ εὐμεταδότους, οἰκτίρμονας καὶ συμπαθεῖς, καθαροὺς τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἀπεχομένους ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος, εἰρηνοποιοὺς πρός τε τοὺς πλησίον καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχήν, ὑποτάξαντας δηλονότι τὸ χεῖρον τῷ κρείττονι καὶ τὸν μεταξὺ αὐτῶν διηνεκῆ πόλεμον ὀρθῇ κρίσει εἰρηνοποιήσαντας, ὑπομένειν τε πάντα διωγμὸν καὶ πᾶσαν θλῖψιν καὶ ὀνειδισμόν, ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἡμῖν ἐπαγόμενον, ἵνα τῆς αἰωνίου χαρᾶς ἐν τῇ λαμπρᾷ τῶν δώρων διανομῇ ἀξιωθῶμεν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ οὕτως παρακελεύεται λάμπειν τὸ φῶς ἡμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσι, φησί, τὰ καλὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Μωσέως νόμος, ὁ πάλαι δοθεὶς τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις, Οὐ φονεύσεις, λέγει, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις: ὁ δὲ Χριστός φησιν, ὅτι Πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ εἰκῆ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ, Μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός: καὶ ὅτι, Ἐὰν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ, ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἀπελθὼν πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου: καὶ ὅτι Πᾶς ὁ ἐμβλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ: τὸν μολυσμὸν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὴν τοῦ πάθους συγκατάθεσιν μοιχείαν καλέσας. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τὴν ἐπιορκίαν κωλύοντος, ὁ Χριστὸς οὐδὲ ὅλως ὀμνύειν, πλὴν τοῦ Ναὶ καὶ τοῦ Οὔ, ἐνετείλατο. ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ἐκεῖ: ἐνταῦθα δέ: Ὅστις σε ῥαπίσει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ, φησί, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην: καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον: καὶ ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετ' αὐτοῦ δύο: τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανείσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς: ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς καὶ διωκόντων, ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθούς, καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους. μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε: ἄφετε, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν. μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι: θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν, οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν: ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν. μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε: οἶδε γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων: ὃς οὖν τὴν ψυχὴν δοὺς καὶ τὸ σῶμα, δώσει πάντως καὶ τροφὴν καὶ ἔνδυμα, ὁ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τρέφων καὶ τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ τοιαύτῃ κοσμῶν ὡραιότητι. ζητεῖτε δέ, φησί, πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. μὴ μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον: ἡ γὰρ αὔριον τὰ ἑαυτῆς μεριμνήσει πάντα ὅσα ἂν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. εἰσέλθετε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης, ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι' αὐτῆς: στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν. οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι, Κύριε, Κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. ὁ φιλῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος, καὶ ὁ φιλῶν υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος: καὶ ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος. ἰδοὺ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια ἐνετείλατο ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις διδάσκειν τοὺς πιστούς: καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ὀφείλομεν φυλάττειν, εἴπερ ποθοῦμεν τῆς τελειότητος ἐπιτυχεῖν καὶ τῶν ἀφθάρτων στεφάνων ἀξιωθῆναι τῆς δικαιοσύνης, οὓς ἀποδώσει Κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ δίκαιος κριτὴς πᾶσι τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.

Λέγει ὁ Ἰωάσαφ πρὸς τὸν γέροντα: Ταύτης οὖν τῆς ἀκριβείας τῶν δογμάτων χρῃζούσης καὶ τὴν ἀκραιφνῆ ταύτην πολιτείαν, ἐὰν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα συμβῇ με ἑνὸς ἢ δύο τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων διαμαρτεῖν, ἆρα διαμαρτάνων ἔσομαι ὅλου τοῦ σκοποῦ, καὶ ματαία ἔσται πᾶσα ἡ ἐλπίς;

Ὁ δὲ Βαρλαὰμ ἔφη: Μὴ οὕτως ὑπολάμβανε ταῦτα. ὁ γὰρ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν ἐνανθρωπήσας Θεὸς Λόγος, εἰδὼς τὴν πολλὴν ἀσθένειαν καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει ἀφῆκεν ἡμᾶς ἀνιάτρευτα νοσεῖν: ἀλλ' ὡς πάνσοφος ἰατρὸς τῇ ὀλισθηρᾷ ἡμῶν καὶ φιλαμαρτήμονι γνώμῃ συνέμιξε τὸ φάρμακον τῆς μετανοίας, κηρύξας ταύτην εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. μετὰ γὰρ τὸ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ἁγιασθῆναι δι' ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, πάσης τε ἁμαρτίας καὶ παντὸς ῥύπου ἀμογητὶ καθαρθῆναι, ἐὰν συμβῇ ἔν τισι παραπτώμασιν ἡμᾶς ἁμαρτημάτων ἐμπεσεῖν, οὐκ ἔστι μὲν διὰ βαπτίσματος δευτέρα ἀναγέννησις ἐν ὕδατι τῆς κολυμβήθρας διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐγγινομένη καὶ τελείως ἡμᾶς ἀναχωνεύουσα. τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ δώρημα ἅπαξ δέδοται: ἀλλὰ διὰ μετανοίας ἐμπόνου καὶ θερμῶν δακρύων, κόπων τε καὶ ἱδρώτων, γίνεται καθαρισμὸς καὶ συγχώρησις τῶν πταισμάτων διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. βάπτισμα γὰρ ἐκλήθη καὶ ἡ τῶν δακρύων πηγή, κατὰ χάριν τοῦ Δεσπότου, ἀλλὰ πόνου καὶ χρόνου δεόμενον: καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν πολλῶν διεσώσατο πταισμάτων: καθότι οὐκ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία νικῶσα τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, εἴπερ φθάσομεν μετανοῆσαι καὶ δάκρυσι πταισμάτων αἶσχος ἀπονίψασθαι, καὶ μὴ προλαβὼν ὁ θάνατος ῥερυπωμένους ἡμᾶς ἐκβαλεῖ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν: οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐξομολόγησις, οὐδὲ μετάνοια: ἕως δὲ ἐν τοῖς ζῶσιν ὦμεν, τοῦ θεμελίου τῆς ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως ἀρραγοῦς διαμένοντος, κἄν τι τῆς δοκώσεως ἢ τῆς ἐνδομήσεως παραλυθῇ, ἔξεστι τὸ σαθρωθὲν τοῖς πταίσμασι τῇ μετανοίᾳ αὖθις ἀνακαινίσαι. πλῆθος γὰρ οἰκτιρμῶν Θεοῦ ἀριθμῆσαι καὶ μέγεθος ἐλέους αὐτοῦ μετρῆσαι ἀδύνατον: ἁμαρτήματα δὲ οἷά περ ἂν ὦσι καὶ πταίσματα μέτρῳ ὑπόκεινται καὶ ἀριθμητὰ εἶναι συμβαίνει. τὰ οὖν μέτρῳ καὶ ἀριθμῷ ὑποκείμενα πταίσματα ἡμῶν τὸ ἀμέτρητον ἔλεος καὶ τοὺς ἀναριθμήτους οἰκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ νικῆσαι οὐ δύναται.

Διὸ οὐ προσετάχθημεν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις ἀπογινώσκειν, ἀλλ' ἐπιγινώσκειν τὴν ἀγαθότητα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ καταγινώσκειν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ὧν ἡ ἄφεσις πρόκειται διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν τὸ ἴδιον ἐξέχεεν αἷμα. πολλαχόθεν δὲ τῆς γραφῆς διδασκόμεθα τὴν δύναμιν τῆς μετανοίας, καὶ μάλιστα ἐκ τῶν προσταγμάτων καὶ παραβολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἀπὸ τότε γάρ, φησίν, ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς διδάσκειν καὶ λέγειν: Μετανοεῖτε: ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν παραβολῇ υἱόν τινα εἰσηγεῖται, λαβόντα τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίαν καὶ εἰς χώραν ἀποδημήσαντα μακράν, κἀκεῖ ἐν ἀσωτίᾳ πάντα καταναλώσαντα, εἶτα, λιμοῦ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην γενομένου, ἀπελθόντα καὶ κολληθέντα ἑνὶ τῶν πονηρῶν πολιτῶν τῆς πολυαμαρτήτου χώρας ἐκείνης: ὃς καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτόν, φησίν, εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ βόσκειν χοίρους: τὴν τραχυτάτην καὶ βδελυρὰν ἁμαρτίαν οὕτω καλέσας. πολλὰ οὖν μογήσας, καὶ εἰς ἐσχάτην ἐληλακὼς ταλαιπωρίαν, ὡς μηδὲ τῆς βρομώδους τῶν χοίρων τροφῆς τὴν ἰδίαν ἰσχύειν ἐμπλῆσαι γαστέρα, εἰς συναίσθησιν ὀψέ ποτε ἐλθὼν τῆς τοιαύτης αἰσχύνης, θρηνῶν ἑαυτὸν ἔλεγε: Πόσοι μίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός μου περισσεύονται ἄρτων, ἐγὼ δὲ λιμῷ ἀπόλλυμαι. ἀναστὰς πορεύσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου, καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ: Πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου: ποίησόν με ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ. ὁ δέ, πόρρωθεν ἰδὼν αὐτόν, ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ προσδραμὼν ἐνηγκαλίσατο καὶ συμπαθῶς κατεφίλησε: καὶ τῆς προτέρας ἀξιώσας τιμῆς ἑορτὴν χαρμόσυνον ἐπὶ τῇ αὐτοῦ ἀνευρέσει ἐποιήσατο, θύσας τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν. ἰδοὺ ταύτην τὴν παραβολὴν περὶ τῶν ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν ὑποστρεφόντων καὶ ἐν μετανοίᾳ προσπιπτόντων ἡμῖν ἐξηγήσατο. ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιμένα τινὰ ἀγαθὸν αὖθις δηλοῖ ἑκατὸν ἐσχηκότα πρόβατα καί, τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀπολωλότος, καταλιπόντα τὰ ἐνενηκονταεννέα, εἰς ἐπιζήτησιν τοῦ ἀλωμένου ἐξελθεῖν, ἕως εὑρὼν αὐτό, καὶ τοῖς ὤμοις ἀναλαβών, τοῖς ἀπλανέσι συγκατέμιξε, συγκαλέσας τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτονας εἰς εὐωχίαν ἐν τῇ τούτου εὑρέσει. Οὕτω, φησὶν ὁ Σωτήρ, χαρὰ ἔσται ἐν οὐρανῷ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι, ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενηκονταεννέα δικαίοις, οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσι μετανοίας.

Ἀμέλει καὶ ὁ κορυφαῖος τῶν μαθητῶν Πέτρος, ἡ τῆς πίστεως πέτρα, κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους, πρὸς μικρὸν ἐγκαταλειφθεὶς οἰκονομικῇ τινι ἐγκαταλείψει, ὡς ἂν γνῷ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθενείας τὸ εὐτελὲς καὶ ταλαίπωρον, ἀρνήσεως περιπέπτωκεν ἐγκλήματι: εἶτ' εὐθὺς μνησθεὶς τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου ῥημάτων, ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσε πικρῶς: καὶ τοῖς θερμοῖς ἐκείνοις δάκρυσι τὴν ἧτταν ἀνακαλεσάμενος ἑτεραλκέα τὴν νίκην εἰργάσατο. ἐμπειροπόλεμος γὰρ ὤν, εἰ καὶ πέπτωκεν, οὐκ ἐξελύθη, οὐδ' ἀπέγνω ἑαυτόν: ἀλλ' ἀναπηδήσας προσήγαγε πικρότατα δάκρυα ἀπὸ καρδίας θλιβομένης: καὶ παραυτίκα ὁ πολέμιος θεασάμενος αὐτά, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ φλογὸς σφοδροτάτης τὰς ὄψεις φλεγόμενος, ἀπεπήδησε φεύγων μακρὰν καὶ δεινῶς ὀλολύζων. ὁ δὲ κορυφαῖος κορυφαῖος ἦν αὖθις, ὥσπερ διδάσκαλος τῆς οἰκουμένης χειροτονηθείς, οὕτω δὴ καὶ μετανοίας ὑπογραμμὸς γενόμενος. μετὰ δὲ τὴν θείαν ἀνέγερσιν τρίτον προσειπὼν ὁ Χριστός, Πέτρε, φιλεῖς με; τὸ τρισσὸν τῆς ἀρνήσεως διωρθώσατο, τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἀποκρινομένου: Ναί, Κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε.

Ἐκ πάντων οὖν τούτων καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν καὶ ἀριθμοῦ ὑπερκειμένων παραδειγμάτων μανθάνομεν τὴν δύναμιν τῶν δακρύων καὶ τῆς μετανοίας: μόνον ὁ τρόπος ταύτης ἀξιόλογος, γενέσθω ἐκ διαθέσεως βδελυσσομένης τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, μισούσης τε ταύτην καὶ καταγινωσκούσης, δάκρυσι δὲ κεχρημένης, καθώς φησιν ὁ προφήτης Δαυίδ: Ἐκοπίασα ἐν τῷ στεναγμῷ μου: λούσω καθ' ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου: ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω. καὶ λοιπὸν ὁ καθαρισμὸς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων γενήσεται διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν τῷ μεγέθει τοῦ ἐλέους αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ εἰπόντος ὅτι, Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὕτως ἔχει καὶ οὕτως πιστεύομεν: χρὴ δέ, μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῆς ἀναγεννήσεως καὶ υἱοθεσίας ἀξιωθῆναι καὶ μυστηρίων γεύσασθαι θείων, πάσῃ δυνάμει ἀσφαλίζεσθαι τοῦ μὴ πίπτειν. τὸ γὰρ πίπτειν οὐ πρέπει τῷ ἀθλητῇ, ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ πεσόντες ἀναστῆναι οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν: οἱ μέν, τοῖς πάθεσι θύραν ἀνοίξαντες, καὶ δυσαποσπάστως αὐτοῖς προσμείναντες, οὐκ ἔτι ἴσχυσαν πρὸς μετάνοιαν παλινδρομῆσαι: οἱ δέ, προαναρπασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ μὴ φθάσαντες διὰ μεταγνώσεως ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ ῥύπου τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐκπλῦναι, κατεδικάσθησαν. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπικίνδυνον τὸ πίπτειν ἐν οἱῳδήποτε πάθει: ἐὰν δὲ συμβῇ πεσεῖν, εὐθὺς ἀναπηδῆσαι χρή, καὶ στῆναι πάλιν εἰς τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα: καὶ ὁσάκις ἂν τοῦτο συμβῇ, κἀκεῖνο αὐτίκα ἔστω τὸ τῆς ἐγέρσεως καὶ στάσεως ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς. Ἐπιστράφητε γὰρ πρός με, καὶ ἐπιστραφήσομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεός.