267

Imitating this widow, I also to God and to you, beloved, these small and humble, and from a humble and poor mind and tongue, thoughts and words brought forth like mites, concerning which you commanded, have offered; beseeching your blessed and holy soul: first, to no longer seek a written record of what is said by me, for two reasons: one, that I have not yet acquired the pure and abiding fear of God, nor a firm possession of virtue and a stable and unshakable foundation of true righteousness, the things that especially witness to the certainty of words; and another, that I am still tossed about by a great surge of passions like a wild sea, and am far from the divine harbor of dispassion, and having an uncertain end of my life, I do not wish, in addition to my deeds, to also have my written word as an accuser. Then, for the sake of obedience, if it is necessary, having accepted them, commend me through your prayers to Christ, the great and only God and Savior of our souls; to whom be the glory and the power, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages. Amen.

OF ABBA MAXIMUS

THEOLOGICAL CHAPTERS p...722 THAT IS, SELECTIONS FROM VARIOUS BOOKS, BOTH OUR OWN AND FROM OUTSIDE. Grant grace, O Christ, to my labors.

OF SAINT EPHRAIM,

How one must read, or pay attention to one who is reading. When you converse with the divine Books, do not be simply hastening to skim through

superficially and going through what is written as a side-task; but if it be necessary many times, both twice and thrice to go over the same thing for accuracy, do not refuse. But moreover, when you are about to read, or to pay attention to another reading, first pray to God, saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, open the ears and the eyes of my heart, to hear your words and to understand, and to do your will. I am a sojourner on the earth, do not hide your commandments from me. Uncover my eyes, and I will understand the wonderful things from your law.”

DISCOURSE 1.

Concerning a life of virtue and vice. Of SolomonWe have no sign of virtue to show; but in our wickedness

we have been consumed.

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Ταύτην κἀγώ μιμούμενος τήν χήραν Θεῷ τε καί ὑμῖν, ἠγαπημένοι, τά μικρά ταῦτα καί εὐτελῆ, καί ἐξ εὐτελοῦς καί πτωχῆς διανοίας καί γλώσσης προνηνεγμένα νοήματά τε καί ῥήματα ὥσπερ λεπτά, περί ὧν ἐκελεύσατε, προσενήνοχα· παρακαλῶν τήν εὐλογημένην ὑμῶν καί ἁγίαν ψυχήν· πρῶτον μέν, μηδενός ἔτι τῶν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ λεγομένων ἔγγραφον ζητῆσαι σημείωσιν, δυοῖν ἕνεκεν· ἑνός μέν, ὅτι μηδέπω τόν φόβον ἐκτησάμην τοῦ Θεοῦ τόν ἁγνόν καί διαμένοντα, οὐδ᾿ ἀρετῆς ἕξιν στερέμνιον καί δικαιοσύνης ἀληθοῦς πῆξιν σταθεράν καί ἀσάλευτον, τά μαρτυροῦντα μάλιστα τοῖς λόγοις τό βέβαιον· ἑτέρου δέ, ὅτι πολλῷ κλύδωνι παθῶν ἔτι δίκην θαλάσσης ἀγρίας περιδονούμενος, καί πολύ τοῦ θείου ἀπαθείας ἀπέχων λιμένος, καί ἄδηλον ἔχων τοῦ βίου τό πέρας, οὐ βούλομαι πρός τοῖς ἔργοις καί τόν ἐν γράμμσι λόγον ἔχειν κατήγορον. Ἔπειτα δέ τῆς εὐπειθείας χάριν, εἰ δέον ἐστίν, ἀποδεξάμενοι, Χριστῷ με δι' εὐχῶν παράθεσθε, τῷ μεγάλῳ καί μόνῳ Θεῷ καί Σωτῆρι τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῆν· ᾧ ἡ δόξα καί τό κράτος, σύν τῷ Πατρί καί τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τούς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

ΑΒΒΑ ΜΑΞΙΜΟΥ

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΑ ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ Σελ...722 ΗΤΟΙ ΕΚΛΟΓΑΙ ΕΚ ∆ΙΑΦΟΡΩΝ ΒΙΒΛΙΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΤΕ ΚΑΘ᾿ ΗΜΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΘΥΡΑΘΕΝ. Χάριν παράσχου, Χριστέ, τοῖς ἐμοῖς πόνοις.

ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΕΦΡΑΙΜ,

Πῶς χρή ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν. Ὅταν ταῖς θείαις Βίβλοις προσομιλεῖς, μή ἁπλῶς ἔσο κατεσπουδασμένος ἐπιτρέχων

ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς καί διιών παρέργως τά γεγραμμένα· ἀλλά κἄν δέοι πολλάκις, καί δίς καί τρίς τά αὐτό ἐπελθεῖν εἰς ἀκρίβειαν, μή παραιτήσῃ. Πλήν ἀλλά καί μέλλων ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν ἑτέρῳ, δεήθητι πρότερον τοῦ Θεοῦ, «Κύριε, λέγων Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, διάνοιξον τά ὦτα καί τούς ὀφθαλμούς τῆς καρδίας μου, τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν λόγων σου καί συνεῖναι, καί τό θέλημά σου ποιῆσαι. Πάροικος ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν τῇ γῇ, μή ἀποκρύψῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τάς ἐντολάς σου. Ἀποκάλυψον τούς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καί κατανοήσω τά θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου.»

ΛΟΓΟΣ Α´.

Περί βίου ἀρετῆς καί κακίας. ΣολομῶντοςἈρετῆς μέν σημεῖον οὐδέν ἔχομεν δεῖξαι· ἐν δέ τῇ κακίᾳ ἡμῶν

κατεδαπανήθημεν.