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that the abandoned might be saved; and another is for testing, as in the case of Job and Joseph, so that one might be revealed as a pillar of courage, and the other of self-control; and another for fatherly instruction, as in the case of the Apostle, so that in his humility he might preserve the abundance of grace; and another by way of turning away, as in the case of the Jews, so that being chastised they might be bent toward repentance. But all these ways are salutary and are full of divine goodness and wisdom.

4.97 (ƒζ') Only the precise keepers of the commandments and true initiates of the divine judgments do not abandon friends who are tempted by God's permission. But those who despise the commandments and are uninitiated in the divine judgments, when a friend prospers, they enjoy it with him; but when he is tempted and suffers hardship, they abandon him; and there are times when they even stand with his adversaries.

4.98 (ƒη') The friends of Christ genuinely love all, but they are not loved by all. But the friends of the world neither love all nor are they loved by all. And the friends of Christ maintain the continuity of love until the end; but the friends of the world, until they clash with one another over the things of the world.

4.99 (ƒθ') A faithful friend is a strong shelter, because both to the prospering friend he is a good counselor and a like-minded co-worker; and to the one suffering hardship, a most genuine helper and a most compassionate defender.

4.100 (ρ') Many have said many things about love, but seeking it, you will find it only among the disciples of Christ, since they alone had true Love itself as the teacher of love, about which they said: If I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am profited nothing. Therefore, the one who has acquired love, has acquired God himself, since God is love.

To Him be the glory unto the ages. Amen.

ASCETICAL DISCOURSE

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by way of question and answer.

1 (a'). [A] Brother asked [the] Elder, saying: "I ask you, Father, to tell me, what was the purpose of the Lord's

incarnation?" And the Elder, answering, said: "I am amazed at you, Brother, that although hearing the Symbol of the Faith every day,

you ask me about this. Nevertheless, I tell you that the purpose of the Lord's incarnation was our salvation."

And the Brother said: "How do you say, Father?" And the Elder answered:

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ἐγκαταλελειμμένοι σωθῶσιν· ἡ δὲ πρὸς δοκιμήν, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ καὶ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, ἵνα ὁ μὲν ἀνδρείας, ὁ δὲ σωφροσύνης στῆλαι ἀναφανῶσιν· ἡ δὲ πρὸς παίδευσιν πατρικήν, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, ἵνα ταπεινοφρονῶν τὴν ὑπερβολὴν φυλάξῃ τῆς χάριτος· ἡ δὲ κατὰ ἀποστροφήν, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἵνα κολαζόμενοι πρὸς μετάνοιαν κατακαμφθῶσι. Σωτήριοι δὲ οἱ πάντες τρόποι ὑπάρχουσι καὶ τῆς θείας ἀγαθότητος καὶ σοφίας ἀνάμεστοι.

4.97 (ƒζ') Μόνοι οἱ ἀκριβεῖς τῶν ἐντολῶν φύλακες καὶ γνήσιοι τῶν θείων κριμάτων μύσται τοὺς κατὰ συγχώρησιν Θεοῦ πειραζομένους οὐκ ἐγκαταλιμπάνουσι φίλους. Οἱ δὲ τῶν ἐντολῶν καταφρονηταὶ καὶ τῶν θείων κριμάτων ἀμύητοι, ὅταν μὲν ὁ φίλος εὐημερῇ, συναπολαύουσιν αὐτῷ· ἐπὰν δὲ πειραζόμενος κακοπαθῇ, καταλιμπάνουσιν αὐτόν· ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ἵστανται.

4.98 (ƒη') Οἱ μὲν τοῦ Χριστοῦ φίλοι πάντας ἀγαπῶσι γνησίως, οὐχ ὑπὸ πάντων δὲ ἀγαπῶνται· Οἱ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου φίλοι οὐδὲ πάντας ἀγαπῶσι οὐδὲ ὑπὸ πάντων ἀγαπῶνται. Καὶ οἱ μὲν Χριστοῦ μέχρι τέλους τὴν συνέχειαν τῆς ἀγάπης διατηροῦσιν· οἱ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου, μέχρις οὗ ἀλλήλοις διὰ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου προσκρούσωσι.

4.99 (ƒθ') Φίλος πιστός, σκέπη κραταιά, ἐπειδὴ καὶ εὐημεροῦντι τῷ φίλῳ σύμβουλός ἐστι ἀγαθὸς καὶ συνεργὸς σύμψυχος· καὶ κακοπαθοῦντι, ἀντιλήπτωρ γνησιώτατος καὶ ὑπέρμαχος συμπαθέστατος.

4.100 (ρ') Πολλοὶ μὲν πολλὰ περὶ ἀγάπης εἰρήκασιν, ἐν μόνοις δὲ τοῖς Χριστοῦ μαθηταῖς ταύτην ζητήσας εὑρήσεις, ἐπεὶ καὶ μόνοι αὐτὴν εἶχον τὴν ἀληθινὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀγάπης διδάσκαλον, περὶ ἧς ἔλεγον· Ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι. Ὁ οὖν κτησάμενος τὴν ἀγάπην, αὐτὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἐκτήσατο, ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν.

Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΟΣ

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κατὰ πεῦσιν καὶ ἀπόκρισιν.

1 (α'). [Ὁ] Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε [τὸν] Γέροντα λέγων· "Παρακαλῶ σε, Πάτερ, εἰπεῖν μοι, τίς ὁ σκοπὸς ἦν τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου

ἐνανθρωπήσεως;" Καὶ ὁ Γέρων ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε· "Θαυμάζω σε, Ἀδελφέ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ἡμέραν τοῦ Συμβόλου ἀκούων τῆς πίστεως,

περὶ τούτου με ἐρωτᾷς. Πλὴν λέγω σοι, ὅτι ὁ σκοπὸς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἡ ἡμετέρα ἦν σωτηρία».

Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Πῶς λέγεις, Πάτερ;" Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων·