Byzantine Fathers of the V-VIII centuries

Part 2

5. In the Fall of the Primordial One, mankind falls away from God, is deprived of grace-filled communion and support, "remains in its own nature," becomes weak and powerless. And therefore he falls under the power of the devil. Man cannot free himself from this power by his own efforts. For liberation, God Himself descends to earth. Christ came first of all to fight Satan for the soul of man. This is Origen's motif. The Lord comes to death, descends into hell and "converses with death, and commands that souls be cast out of hell and death and returned to Him" — for revival. "And the evil powers in trembling betray the imprisoned Adam... The dead body conquered and killed the serpent that lives and creeps in the heart... A dead body defeated the living serpent"... This has happened once, but it is repeated again in every soul: and the Lord descends not only into hell, but also into the dark depths of every heart. And there he plucks up the tares of sin and cultivates the desolate soul, tilling it with the wood of the cross. The power of Satan has already been broken, but there are still entrances for him into every soul... For every person there is still a struggle and an argument with the evil forces. In this dispute he has an assistant and protector – Christ, who fights with the enemy for every soul... The purification of the heart and the victory over the devil does not exhaust the redemptive work of Christ. "The Lord came not only to cast out evil spirits, but also to regain His own home and temple, man"... In order to paint again in the human heart the heavenly image and return to the soul the wings of the spirit, "so that you, earthly one, may receive the heavenly soul into yourself"... For this reason God descended from His holy heavens, took on rational human nature and dissolved it with the Divine spirit, "in order to change, renew and transform nature," in order to make us, according to the Apostle, "partakers of the Divine nature"... The Lord came then to give man the Spirit and life in him, "to make those who believe in Him a new mind, a new soul, new eyes, a new hearing, a new spiritual language, in a word: to make them new people or new wineskins, in order to pour into them new wine, His Spirit"... That is why He is called Christ, "that we, too, who are anointed with the same oil with which He was anointed, may be anointed, and may be, so to speak, of one essence and one body with Him." A person is called to this, but this he must achieve in asceticism... It is natural for man to strive, "and it is this striving that God seeks"... He commands that man first understand, then love and strive by will. Thus, the accomplishment of works by the Spirit depends on the will of man. "Therefore if a man of his own free will and of all his own free will does not come to the Lord, and ask Him with full faith, he will not receive healing"... Only in the souls that have believed and turned to Him, Christ "in His image depicts the heavenly man, and from His Spirit, from the hypostasis of His ineffable light, He paints the heavenly image... And if anyone does not strive towards it unceasingly and has not despised everything else, the Lord does not write in him His image with His light"... 6. A person's spiritual path begins with repentance. "If the soul sighs and cries out to God, then He sends down to it the spiritual Moses, who delivers it from Egyptian slavery. But first let him cry out and groan, and then he will see the beginning of deliverance"... This is only the beginning of the feat. And free will must be tested by many sorrows. Thus God predestined "that with many trials, with distress and sorrow, with the most bitter temptations, there should be a path that leads to life"... Christianity is a narrow and not smooth fetter, for the path of a free man. Man's free will can achieve little, but it is always a necessary moment of spiritual growth. Man should not and does not dare to rely on himself and exaggerate his powers, for the perfecting power belongs to God alone. But grace acts only in volitional souls. "And the power of God gives room for freedom, so that the will of man may be revealed"... At all stages of spiritual life, the synergy of volition and grace is revealed, which is why it is so difficult to distinguish between these two moments of spiritual growth: the whole person becomes intense... He always preserves the freedom to "agree with the Spirit," or to neglect His gifts. "This is the sign of Christianity; no matter how much you work, no matter how many righteous deeds you do, remain with the thought that nothing has yet been done by you"... This does not devalue podvig: its whole meaning is in tension, in a complete turning to God—freedom is, as it were, the receiver of grace. "But if anyone does not observe great humility, then he gives himself over to Satan. And he is exposed by the grace of God already given to him, and his self-conceit is revealed, for he is naked and poor." Whoever humbles himself before God and people and considers himself poor can only preserve the grace given to him... And it is a great temptation and danger to feel oneself successful, to consider oneself to have entered a safe harbor; suddenly the waves rise again, and man sees himself again in the middle of the sea, where there is only water and sky, and death is ready. Only humility can save you from it. Only the frivolous think that if grace is already partially active in them, that there is no sin in them anymore, that they have already conquered... Spiritual life is an organic process, similar to physical growth and maturation. And it has its own steps, they are determined by the measure of podvig, and grace does not act immediately, but gradually. "And do not think that the whole soul has been illumined: there is still a great pasture of vice within it, and great labor and effort are still required, in accordance with the grace acting on the soul. Grace can purify a person and make him perfect in an instant, but it visits the soul in part"... In any case, a person grows little by little, "and not as some say: put off and put on"... That is why constant tension is required. 7. Spiritual life begins with the feat of faith. Faith turns into hope. And it distracts attention from the visible world — nothing can attract the believing soul, "and it departs and reposes in another age, and dwells in thought in the heavenly world of the Godhead"... This is an indispensable condition for spiritual perfection: if one does not devote himself entirely to the search for the love of Christ and does not concentrate all his efforts on this one goal, it is impossible for him to acquire the Spirit. And most of all inner renunciation is needed: "the most important weapon for a fighter and ascetic is to hate himself, to renounce his soul, to be angry with it, to reproach it, to resist his habitual desires, to argue with thoughts, to fight with himself"... This inner struggle is again only the beginning—the purification of the soul is only the preparation of the upper room for the Lord. This is only the negative side of the feat. The whole meaning and limit of podvig is in the acquisition of the Spirit, in the indwelling of the Lord. "And the soul in which the Lord finds rest needs many adornments." The path of podvig is the path of struggle. The struggle takes place primarily in the realm of the mind: the soul is always permeated from the outside with thoughts, good or evil, coming from God or from demons. And above all, thought is in struggle and battle. The task of mental warfare is to block the access to evil thoughts. This is possible not through simple resistance, but through the opposition of good thoughts, and above all, through the cultivation in oneself of a certain dispassion or indifference to sinful excitations ("apathy"). This is dying for the carnal life: thoughts still burst into the soul, disturb it, but do not deceive it, and therefore do not take root in it — the carnal man dies and becomes barren for the former evil life. First, discernment of spirits is required. Secondly, a kind of indifference, a volitional insensitivity to temptations, "so as not to obey vice and not to indulge in it in thoughts" (cf. the later ascetic teaching on the "attachment" and development of "thoughts"). For sin begins in the heart and only manifests itself in actions. Restraint in actions does not mean calming the heart,.. True liberation is possible only through strengthening in goodness, through love for the one heavenly Bridegroom of human souls... And it is only in this striving that the renunciation of the world is fully justified: "there is no sufficient reason for a man to renounce the pleasures of this world, if he does not take part in the bliss of the other world"... Only then does the spiritual path undoubtedly open before him. Only firmness and constancy depend on a person in podvig, and then only on the condition of complete devotion to God and striving for Him. A person only prepares himself for the reception of grace. To do this, he must concentrate, collect his thoughts, always strive for one thing. And the gathering of the mind is possible only through the unity of love, toward the one God. The higher law is the spiritual law of love, "for it is impossible to be saved except through one's neighbor," through all-embracing love strengthened by grace. The entire feat of a Christian is inspired by the pathos of love. This is love for God, "divine love for the heavenly King, Christ," "ardent aspiration" for heavenly beauty. And it is quenched in mysterious union or communion, in a mysterious marriage with Christ. This does not distract from love for one's neighbor. For in God and in Christ the soul sees a loving and merciful Lord, extending His love to all, embracing all in it. Therefore, this spiritual love cannot but include love for one's neighbor; Except through benevolence, mercy and pity, it is impossible. Christians must strive, but they must not condemn anyone at all, "neither the open harlot, nor sinners, nor disorderly people"... "For this is the purity of the heart, that when you see sinners or the weak, you should have compassion and mercy towards them"... And such love attracts God's favor and is transformed into a mysterious and God-like love, in which all worldly love is extinguished and the very nature of the soul, its sinful rigidity, is refined.

Part 3

8. To the extent of podvig, grace transforms and renews a person, like a kind of "Divine ogon". "As many lamps and burning candles are kindled by fire, and all lamps are kindled and shine with one and identical fire by nature, so Christians are kindled and shine with one and the same Divine fire of the Son of God. And they have burning candles in their hearts, and already on earth they shine before Him like Himself"... This fire is the "love of the Spirit"... The mysticism of the "Discourses" is first of all the mysticism of light and fire. "Immaterial and Divine fire illuminates and tempts souls. This fire was active in the Apostles when they cried out with tongues of fire. This fire shone over Paul with a voice and enlightened his mind, but darkened his sense of sight. For it was not without the flesh that he saw the power of this light. Moses saw this fire in the bush. This fire in the form of a chariot caught Elijah from the earth... Both angels and ministering spirits partake of the brightness of this fire... This fire drives out demons, destroys sin. He is the power of resurrection, the reality of immortality, the enlightenment of holy souls, the affirmation of intellectual powers"... These are not only symbols and metaphors: the appearance of God and grace in fire and light is a kind of mysterious "flesh-making" of the Godhead (cf. later by St. Symeon the New Theologian). "The boundless, unapproachable and uncreated God, in His boundless and incomprehensible goodness, made Himself flesh (έσωματоπоίησε) and, so to speak, diminished Himself in unapproachable glory, so that it might be possible for Him to enter into union with His visible creations — I mean the souls of the saints and angels — and so that they might be partakers of the life of the Godhead... Transfiguring Himself according to His condescension and love for mankind, He makes Himself flesh and unites, and receives the holy and pleasing, faithful souls, and, according to the words of Paul, becomes one Spirit with them, the soul, so to speak, into the soul and hypostasis into hypostasis — so that the soul, worthy of God and pleasing to Him, may live in renewal and feel immortal life, and become a partaker of incorruptible glory... And when He wills, He is fire..., and when He wills, He is ineffable and unspeakable peace... For whatever He wills is convenient for Him." This is the Manifestation of God, the appearance of the Lord in the unapproachable glory of light, and not just a vision or contemplation... The limit or goal of human rebirth or rebirth is to "change the present humiliated nature into another, divine nature." This is the deification of man, theosis. Man becomes the son of God, becomes "greater than himself," ascends and ascends above the measure of the first Adam, for he not only returns to the original purity, but becomes "deified." And yet he remains at an immeasurable distance from God by nature: "He is God, and the soul is not God. He is the Lord, and she is a slave. He is the Creator, and she is a creature. He is the Creator, and she is the creature. And there is nothing in common in His and in her nature. And only out of His infinite, ineffable and thoughtless love, and out of His kindness, does He deign to dwell in this creature, in this rational creature"... This grace-filled transformation of man has its own steps. Grace, as it were, flares up in the soul, and at first dries up both evil and natural desires in it, burns up the tares of sin, and from this heavenly fire the demons melt like wax. Then grace inflames the soul itself, and it burns, as if permeated through and through and illumined by heavenly fire. "Sometimes this fire flares up and ignites more strongly, and sometimes it seems to weaken and burn more quietly. At one time this light is kindled and shines more, at another it diminishes and fades. And the lamp of the soul, always burning and shining, now becomes clearer and more kindled by God's love, then emits its radiance sparingly, and the light inherent in man weakens." This is connected with the feat of man, and the heavenly fire flares up in him when he is devoted to the Lord, and trusts and hopes in Him. The soul calms down, rests in God — the Spirit is peace and rest for it. "Those who are vouchsafed to become children of God and to be born again of the Holy Spirit are sometimes rejoiced, as at a royal supper, and rejoice with joy and gladness inexpressible. Sometimes they are like a bride in Divine peace resting in communion with Her Bridegroom. Sometimes, while still in the body, like the angels of God, they feel the same wings and lightness in themselves. Sometimes they are as if in the rapture of drink, rejoicing and intoxicated by the Spirit, in the intoxication of the Divine mysteries. But sometimes it is as if they weep and lament for the human race, and, praying for the whole Adam, shed tears and weep, inflamed with spiritual love for humanity. Sometimes the Spirit kindles them with such joy and love, that, if it were possible, they would contain every man in their hearts, good and evil. Sometimes, in humility, they humble themselves so much before every person that they consider them the last and least of all. Sometimes the Spirit contains them invariably in unutterable joy... Sometimes a person becomes like one of the ordinary." But whoever is not born of the royal Spirit is not adopted by God, he has not received "the sign and the seal of the Lord," and has no hope. For by his seal the Lord will know and know his own, on the last day. And if the soul in this world does not receive the holiness of the Spirit, and does not dissolve grace, it is unfit for the heavenly Kingdom. After all, it will be the life that the soul has acquired good here... 9. In the heart, grace is revealed as peace and joy. In the mind it is revealed as wisdom, and by the power of the Spirit man becomes wise, and the innermost mysteries are revealed to him. And first of all, it is only in the spiritual light that the nature of his own soul is revealed to man, and he sees the "image of the soul" as he sees the sun with his eyes, and this image is angelic... This self-knowledge gives perspicacity. And a spiritual person knows everything about everyone, but no one can judge or know about him... In this clairvoyance the right to spiritual guidance is substantiated. The gaze of the spiritual clairvoyant penetrates into the heavenly world. He becomes "a prophet of heavenly mysteries," and under the guidance of the Spirit "ascends to heaven and enjoys the miracles there with undoubted confidence in his soul." There are different stages and types of these spiritual contemplations. "There is a sensation, there is a vision, and there is illumination." And he who has illumination is higher than he who has sensation. His mind is illuminated. And this means that he has gained a certain advantage over the one who has sensation, because he has recognized in himself a certain certainty of visions. But there is another revelation ("apocalypse"), when the great and God's mysteries are revealed to the soul... There are visions, and then a person sees something in the distance. And contemplations open up somewhere inside, in the depths of the heart, and then a certain inner, deepest and hidden light flashes up there, before the eyes, which are the inner of the sensual eyes. And in the divine light, the spiritual man sees and discerns with these inner eyes his "true Friend, the sweetest and most much-desired Bridegroom, the Lord"... In this contemplation there is a kind of indisputability and evidence, for the whole soul is illumined and calmed by the ineffable world. And just as God is love, joy, and peace, so the new spiritual man is likened to him by grace. "The gates are opened before him, and he enters into many mansions, and as he enters, the gates are opened again, from a hundred mansions to a new hundred. And he is enriched; and to the extent that he is enriched, to the same extent new miracles are shown to him. As a son and heir is entrusted to him that which cannot be uttered by man, cannot be spoken with the mouth and tongue"... Then the mind is enraptured in ecstasy — the tongue becomes numb, the soul is captivated by something miraculous. In such hours the soul completely renounces the world, becomes barbarian and mad to the world, "because of the abounding love and sweetness and because of the hidden mysteries." "And at such an hour a man prays and says: Oh, that my soul would depart with the prayer." The soul is completely liberated and becomes pure. It is as if it "dissolves" with God... The Lord cloths successful ascetics in "life-giving garments of light." They belong to the body of Christ, to the "body of light," and not to the "body of darkness," like fallen and sinful souls. In them blows and breathes the life-giving wind of the Divine Spirit, penetrating and blowing the essence of the soul, and thoughts, and all bodily members. And Christ Himself invisibly reigns in such souls. The Lord has prepared the soul of man for His bride, "and He accepts it, gradually changes it by His own power, until it grows into His own image, and then it will reign with Him for endless ages"... But no one reaches this limit in this life, here on earth, except in rare and transient moments of rapture, ecstasy. But these are only moments, minutes. Here and now the "perfect measure" of grace is not yet given. The charismatic transformation of man will reach its fullness only on the day of resurrection, when the inner, hidden glory of the Spirit will shine forth in the bodies as well. They will be glorified by that "ineffable light, which is already hidden in them." The naked bodies of the righteous will be clothed and covered with the Spirit, and will be caught up into heaven, so that then the body itself may "reign with the soul." The spiritual resurrection of the soul seems to precede the future resurrection of the body. "That heavenly fire of the Divinity, which Christians already now, in this age, receive within themselves, in the heart, where it acts — this fire, when the body is destroyed, will act outwardly, and will again unite the members, will accomplish the resurrection of destroyed bodies... Heavenly fire will reproduce and renew, and resurrect decayed bodies"... In a sense, the future fate is determined by the person himself: "what the soul has now gathered into its inner treasury will then be revealed, will appear outside, in the body"... Therefore, the acquisition of the Spirit is the acquisition of the Resurrection, the entry into the resurrection, for the power of the Resurrection is the life-giving Spirit, which gives life in this life not only to the soul, but also to the body... In the resurrection the Holy Spirit will appear as a kind of radiant robe or garment for the body, a garment of life and glory and repose. And the power of light will penetrate into the entire bodily composition, "and all things will be made luminous, all will be immersed and changed into light and fire, but they will not be resolved and will not be made fire, so that the former nature will no longer remain." The prototype of this resurrection is already manifested in the Transfiguration of Tabor. "As the body of the Lord, when he ascended the mountain, was glorified and transformed into divine glory and infinite light, so the bodies of the saints are glorified and made resplendent. For just as the inward glory of Christ was spread out and shone on the body of Christ, so in the same way in the saints within, the power of Christ will be poured out outwardly on their bodies on that day... As many lamps are lit by one fire, so it is necessary for the holy bodies, these members of Christ, to become one and the same, Christ Himself"... This will be spring for our body, "the first month of Xanthic". And it will bring joy to all creation...

III. Monuments of the IV-VI centuries

Part 1

1. The world of the Egyptian feat is best introduced by the "Lavsaik". This book was compiled by Palladius, bishop of Helenopolis, in Bithynia. Palladius was a native of Galatia; born around 363, in the 80s he became a monk in Jerusalem, but soon moved to Egypt. He lived first in Alexandria, then in the Nitrian desert and in Cellae, under the guidance of Evagrius. After his death (399) he returned to Palestine and was soon elevated to the episcopal cathedra. It is possible that it was dedicated by Chrysostom. In any case, Palladius was friendly with him, and later (wrote his life. After the Council of the Oak, he went to Rome to appeal in defense of Chrysostom. Because of this, he fell into disgrace and not only lost his cathedra, but was also imprisoned. in Galatia). Here, in the year 420, he published his book on the Egyptian ascetics, known under the name of "Lausaica" (from the name of Lavs, the cubicularium of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, for whom it was written). Palladius wrote for edification. From memory, he tells about the ascetics whom he personally knew and met; he reports others from the words of faithful people. He unfolds in vivid and vivid images the picture of the Egyptian feat, but does not keep silent about the falls. Palladius writes simply, evenly, a little abruptly. There is everyday truth in his stories. But he was not only a writer of everyday life. In faces, he depicts the ascetic ideal, the ideal of "impassivity". A disciple of Evagrius in monasticism, Palladius was close to Rufinus and Melania. This explains why Blessed Jerome accused him of "Origenism." Moreover, Palladius was with Chrysostom and against Theophilus. The second book on Egyptian monasticism, the History of the Monks, is of a different character. Written in Greek, probably by the Alexandrian archdeacon Timothy (see Socrates), it was translated at the same time, or rather processed into Latin by Rufinus, and it was in the Latin text that it was best known (it was first published in Greek at the end of the nineteenth century). It is more of a novella than a story or hagiography. The story is told in the form of a description of a journey along the Nile. It is possible that this is a literary device, in imitation of Hellenistic novels. However, this does not detract from the reliability of the reported facts. The abundance of fairy-tale motifs is much more harmful. Already in the 4th century, the collection and writing down of the "sayings" of the Egyptian elders began (see already in Evagrius, "the sayings of the holy monks" in his "Practice"). The initial collections are subject to further processing. Such collections are known in different editions and under different names. They were commonly referred to as "Apoffegmas." The history of these collections is still difficult to trace. Two types of collections can be distinguished: "alphabetical", according to the names of the elders, and systematic, "by chapters". It is a record of oral traditions and memories. And in general, the source is quite reliable (only the names of the elders are not very reliable, the "sayings" very often become volatile or wandering). Most importantly, in these collections one can feel the warmth of direct observations and impressions. There is no tendency in the selection of sayings. Different and often contradictory views are conveyed. The dark sides of monastic life are not hidden. A lot of everyday details. Much later, John Moschos, a Palestinian monk who also visited Egypt for a long time, compiled his "Spiritual Meadow" (or Limonar), a collection of stories and sayings of ascetics from various countries. Personal impressions here merge with memories and oral tradition... 2. There were few writers among the Egyptian ascetics of the fourth century. And against the general background, the image of Evagrius stands out sharply. In Egypt, Evagrius was a stranger. A native of Pontus (born about 346), he was close to the great Cappadocians in his youth. Basil ordained him a reader, Gregory the Theologian a deacon, and took him with him to Constantinople, where Evagrius distinguished himself as a preacher. He appeared in the Egyptian desert about the year 382, after a short stay in Jerusalem; and appears as a repentant sinner seeking healing from his temptations and temptations. For seventeen years he lived here, first on Mount Nitria, then in the Cells. He was closest to both Macarius, Egyptian and Alexandrian. He died in 399... Evagrius wrote a great deal, usually in the form of "chapters" or "sayings," often almost aphorisms. The works of Evagrius immediately became very widespread, both in the East and in the West – in Latin, Evagrius was translated by Rufinus and Gennadius. Especially important are his books: "The Monk, or on the Active Life" and "Gnostic" (this book has survived only in Syriac translation; it was first published quite recently). In addition, it is necessary to call it "Antirrheticus" (or "On the Eight Fundamental Vices") and six hundred sayings on "Gnostic Questions". Evagrius is the author of the famous 8th letter in the collection of letters of Basil the Great. Some of the works of Evagrius have been preserved under the name of Nilus of Sinai, in collections of his works (see below). At the Fifth Ecumenical Council, Evagrius was condemned as an Origenist, together with Didymus. However, his influence is also strongly felt in later ascetic writers, especially in Maximus the Confessor (cf. the works of Evagrius in the Russian "Philokalia"). Following Origen, Evagrius distinguishes three stages in the spiritual life: active, "natural" or contemplative life; and the limit of spiritual ascent is theology", i.e. the knowledge of the Holy Trinity (or "gnosis"). "The Kingdom of God is the knowledge of the Most Holy Trinity, which extends according to the state of the mind and fulfills it with an infinitely blessed life"... This is the highest "state" of the soul, or rather its "standing" (κατάστασις), the highest peace and silence, above all reflection and contemplation, above discussion and intuition, real estate and immobility of the mind, "one and identical vision, and in it there are no ascents and descents." It is vision or knowledge without images, above images (ύπέρ τά είδη). This is pure prayer. It is better to say, pure prayerfulness of the soul. And it is not available for acquisition. It is given as a gift, from above, as charisma. The soul can receive this gift, for it is created in the image of God — it is in this ability to cognize the Holy Trinity that Evagrius sees the God-likeness of the spirit, not in its immateriality. But he accepts it as a gift. In prayerful rapture and ecstasy, in "ecstasy", the soul is suddenly illumined by a single Trinitarian light. And there are no more teachers and students here, everyone is already gods ("theosis")... A long and steep path of podvig leads to this spiritual limit. It has two stages: action and contemplation, (πράξις and θεωρία). "action" begins with faith and ends with "dispassion" and love. The whole meaning of "action" is to overcome and extinguish passions. In other words, in the calming of the soul, in the subordination of its disorderly "movements" to the laws of nature. Passion is the "movement" or wandering of the mind (κίνησις). Dispassion (or "apathy") is standing. Passion is distraction or absent-mindedness, subjection to external impressions. And impassibility is independence and steadfastness. "Not that soul has impassibility which is not captivated by things, but that which, even at the remembrance of them, remains undisturbed"... Impassibility is equanimity, unamusement. And it cannot be said of a dispassionate husband: he endures. The one who suffers, who is still passionate, "suffering" or passive, endures... "Movements" will be born in the lower parts of the soul. And from there rise "thoughts" or thoughts (λоγισμоί). They are prompted and inspired by the demons that always surround a person. Evagrius speaks a lot about the struggle of thoughts and about demonic attachments. Most dangerous of all is the demon of pride and the thought of vanity. Most difficult of all is the demon of despondency, the "noonday demon," which torments with monotony and tries to entertain the soul. The soul is healed through the fulfillment of the commandments and through humility, through fasting, almsgiving and prayer... "The mind will not see the place of God in itself, if it does not rise above all thoughts about material and created things. But he will not become higher if he does not put off the passions that bind him to sensual objects and dissolve his thoughts about them. He puts off passions by virtues, and thoughts by the power of spiritual contemplation"... The limit and flowering of active life is impassibility, and from impassibility will be born love (άγάπη). Love is the beginning of the Gnostic ascent, the beginning of the "natural" life... Impassibility is not insensibility, or insensibility, or indifference, as it seemed to the suspicious Jerome. Impassibility is the independence of the soul, independence or freedom from external and sensory impressions. But not passivity. Only all the energy turns inward... Impassibility is revealed in love. And love is first of all the desire to know God. Love and gnosis are inseparably fused (cf. already in Origen)... Gnosis has its own sequence, a sequence of "contemplations". The soul is freed from sensory impressions. But another and higher world opens up to it, the world in its "natural" foundations and depths. "Natural" contemplation of the world is first of all knowledge of God's providence, of providence and judgment (πρόνоια and κρίσις). In other words, it is the vision and knowledge of the world as it was willed and created by God. And from the contemplation of visible things the mind ascends to the contemplation of the invisible, in order to attain "theology" on the heights... In this "spiritual cognition" the soul itself is transformed and transformed. And even the body is transformed, becomes "spiritual", already impassible. The whole person is transformed or renewed, dies and is resurrected, becomes new. Evagrius calls this the "lesser resurrection." And this is a prelude to the great and universal resurrection, which in the elect and the successful begins even now. Evagrius' direct dependence on the Alexandrians is quite obvious. His religious ideal is the same as that of Origen and even of Clement: the ideal of the Gnostic, the contemplative and hermit's ideal. Dependence on Origen is felt in the language itself, in the choice of words and definitions... In his books, Evagrius describes the entire path of spiritual life, from beginning to end. And he talks a lot not only about the ideal, but specifically about the ascetic struggle. In him for the first time we find a scheme of eight basic vices, which is reproduced after him by later authors... The historical place of Evagrius is determined by its influence. He preserved and revived for later generations the Alexandrian traditions of the 3rd century.

Part 2

3. The Monk Nilus, the author of numerous letters and edifying epistles, is mistakenly called the Monk of Sinai. In any case, those "Tales of the Massacre of the Monks on Mount Sinai", from which biographical information about Nilus is borrowed first of all (cf. in Basil's Minology under January 14), do not belong to the author of the letters. The author of the letters lived in the vicinity of Ancyra, was the founder and abbot of a coenobitic monastery. In his youth he studied in Constantinople under Chrysostom, whose memory he reverently revered (cf. frequent references in letters). He entered the monastery no later than 390 and lived until the middle of the 5th century. First of all, the vastness and diversity of his correspondence (1062 letters) is striking. Already at the Seventh Ecumenical Council, reference is made to a collection of his letters (in four parts). Not all of them are letters in the proper sense of the word. Others are too short, but rather fragments, often separate sayings. Neither chronological nor systematic order is maintained in the collection. The letters of the Monk Nilus testify to his influence and authority. He was a "spiritual father," a leader of monks and laymen. Bishops and even the emperor turned to him for advice and guidance. It is unlikely that he was a priest. In any case, he directly and sharply says that the priesthood is harmful for monks, returning them to the world and worldly vanity... In his letters, the Monk Nilus touches upon a wide variety of topics, sometimes dogmatic (against the Arians, about the resurrection, against Apollinarius), more often egzegetic (cf. excerpts from his commentary on the Song of Songs by Procopius of Gaza). He interprets the Scriptures morally allegorically: "In the sensual we learn the mental." And much in the Scriptures is said in such a way that we may seek the meaning of all this, and discover "the hidden meaning in the writings." This is especially true of the Old Testament. "The writings of Moses require great speculation or understanding and deep research." However, this does not mean that one can neglect the literal or "historical" meaning of the biblical stories. Only it is impossible to stop there, and one must go further, "since we are a microcosm." It is curious that St. Nilus advises monks to read the New Testament, and not the Old, since the Old Testament books do not evoke sufficient contrition and tenderness in the heart. Nilus has a negative attitude towards reading external writers: why collect "this rubbish, this dust, this dirty heap of Hellenic books" – "superstition and wretchedness"... Most of all in his letters, the Monk Nilus speaks about the paths of spiritual life. He discusses the same topics in his long messages and "words". Most important of all is his "Discourse on Prayer", set forth in 153 "chapters" (according to the number of great fish caught in the Sea of Tiberias, John 21:11). It is also necessary to mention the "Ascetic Word", the word "On Voluntary Poverty" or Non-Acquisitiveness... It is very likely that the name of Nilus was later inscribed on some of the works of Evagrius. The Monk Nilus wrote in the era of monastic decline. In his works, a denunciatory motif sounds sharply... "The life of monastics, formerly desired and very famous, now arouses disgust. All cities and villages are overflowing with false monks who wander around without purpose or meaning... And will there now be a new Jeremiah to fully and worthily describe our situation"... Nilus first of all reminds us of the meaning and unconditionality of monastic renunciation. It is a way out of urban or "political" life. This is the evangelical carelessness, in the hope of God's mercy and generosity, a refusal and forgetfulness of worldly cares... Monasticism is wisdom, philosophy (cf. already in Chrysostom, On the Priesthood), is the only true and authentic philosophy. And wisdom is not only in thought, but also in life. One must be not only "disciples" but also "imitators" of Christ. "For wisdom is the correction of morals, with the true knowledge of the Eternal"... The life of this world is all in passions, in trouble and care. The goal of podvig is impassibility. In other words, immutability, immutability, firmness, steadfastness, and constancy. And in this is deification, the assimilation of Divine immutability and eternity. In this is the realization of the image of God, "the imprint of the original Face"... Impassibility is possible only through renunciation. Nothing in the world should remain attractive. "The Lord has freed us from all care for earthly things, and commanded us to seek only the heavenly kingdom"... This is non-acquisitiveness, not just poverty, but complete lack of possession, and even unwillingness to have anything. "For it is not we ourselves who think about what is necessary for our life. God builds all things"... Renunciation of earthly life and its interests is not abhorrence of the body. The baseness of the body is in its mortality, and not in its materiality. And the thirst to be freed from the bonds of the flesh is filled with the hope of resurrection, in his own body, but immortal and incorruptible, animated by the Holy Spirit. In any case, the root and sting of sin is not in the body, but in the will or in the heart—"sin begins and ends again in the human will." Hence the healing and purifying power of repentance. God accepts not only purity, truth, valor and podvig, but also tears, the "sowing of tears", the incense of weeping, and sorrowful thoughts, and the kiss of a harlot, a contrite and humble heart. In other words, the will or love of good, no less than the good deeds or virtue itself. Repentance is "a sign of the future and the last sign of the resurrection, from here already foreseen by intelligent eyes." And those who are downcast are already with the righteous. For the most important thing is the inner will and the turn of the will... "Thou hast taken up the cross, follow Christ, leaving everything, father, the ship, the nets and instruments of all art, and with them all kinship and memory. For Christ, with whom you were united, desires to be loved more than all this. With Him you died, with Him you were buried in the blessed tomb of impassibility"... This is a commandment not only for monks. This is a common baptismal vow. But even more important is the "freedom of the heart," which transgresses all measure of commandments and vows, which nevertheless bind them together by a kind of slavery of duty, which outgrows the category of duty, in insatiable love, "in the longed-for and insatiable love of wisdom"... Perfection is not accessible to everyone, and it is given from God, as a gift. But the love of perfection is not only accessible, but also obligatory... Complete lack is not for everyone. But alienation from the worldly is a universal rule. In any case, no excess is allowed, and life should be spent in work... The meaning of monasticism is not so much in podvig and self-mortification, as in prayer. And it is necessary to renounce precisely for the sake of prayer... There are two prayers: active and contemplative. The prayer of words, and the mind follows them with tenderness, and the supreme prayer of the perfect, when the heart silently opens, like a written book, and expresses its will in voiceless images, "a kind of rapture of the mind, its complete renunciation of the sensual, when with the ineffable sighs of the Spirit it draws near to God." And this is the goal or limit of prayer, the "limit of impassibility", όρоς τής άπαθείας... But this is a gift, and you cannot arbitrarily seek it. "If you have not yet received the gift of prayer, or psalmody, then wait tirelessly, and you will receive"... Prayer should begin with weeping and contrition. But even in weeping it is not appropriate to be excessive, lest the remedy for the passions itself turn into a passion. For God is not only angry or severe, but above all merciful and is love. "But many, shedding tears for their sins, have forgotten the purpose of their tears, and have gone mad, and have lost their temper." This is a false and dangerous frenzy... In prayer, silence and oblivion are needed—the mind must become deaf and dumb. It's not easy; and the demons, during prayer, first of all try to arouse the memory, at least of something necessary in order to distract the mind. Most of all sorrow and rancor are in the way... It is not necessary to pray for the fulfillment of one's desires, for this would mean to unwisely compel God's will. But there is always a true prayer: Thy will be done! For the will of God is the Most Good... One can ask only for truth and the kingdom, i.e. virtue and knowledge. And not only for himself, but also for every fellow tribesman, imitating the angels in the universality of petitions (cf. even more sharply in Chrysostom)... Prayer is a conversation with God. That is why it needs dispassion, deafness, and insensitivity to worldly stimuli. But dispassion alone is not enough. The mind can stop at bare mental representations, enter into reflection on the laws of things, even if they are mental, but still multiple, and therefore scatter thought. And then he does not yet see the perfect abode of God... In pure prayer there is no place for imagination. "In prayer, do not clothe the Divinity in any image, and do not allow your mind to take on any form. But approach the Immaterial and you will attain unity"... Images are deceptive, for God is above the image and limitation, and is comprehended in ugly knowledge... "Wishing to behold the face of the Heavenly Father, do not in any way seek to see an image or form for you during prayer. Do not desire to see angels, or powers, or Christ sensually, lest you fall into complete insanity, mistaking the wolf for a shepherd and bowing down to hostile demons. The beginning of error is the vanity of the mind. Moved by vanity, the mind attempts to describe (embrace) the Divinity in some way and outlines"... Prayer is always podvig, the path leads to the heights of ugly contemplation through struggle and sorrow; but prayer is crowned with joy, which is more than any joy, and only joy from above is the true measure of true prayer... In prayer there is a "miraculous reciprocity" of freedom and gift... It should be added that true prayer is possible only in humility, i.e. in love for one and all. Here renunciation reaches its fullness — the success of others must become as desirable and joyful as one's own, and in each one must constantly see oneself. "Blessed is the monk who reveres each person as a god after God," and himself the last of all... Prayer is a conversation with God. And the meaning of prayer is that God descends and speaks in souls... Hallowed be Thy name! Thy kingdom come! This means: "Let the Holy Spirit and Thy Only-begotten Son come"... (Cf. Gregory of Nyssa)... The pinnacle of prayer is in the Epiphany, and in the Trinitarian Theophany... "If you are a theologian, you will pray truly; and if you pray truly, you are a theologian"... In the time of St. Nilus, as before, "to theologize" meant precisely to comprehend God in His Trinity. 4. Close to the Monk Nilus in his works is Mark the Ascetic, or the Hermit. In any case, this is not the Mark of the Cells mentioned in the Lausaica. Mark, the author of ascetic words and books, asceticized in Galatia, near Ancyra (like the Monk Nilus). We know very little about his life, and only from his works. At first he lived in the coenobia, was the abbot and "spiritual father", later he went into the wilderness and asceticized as a hermit. This was in the first half of the fifth century — Mark wrote against the Nestorians as against a new heresy... Quite a lot of works are known under the name of Mark – they are referred to by Abba Dorotheus, many times by Isaac the Syrian, then by Damascene, and later by Photius in some detail... Mark wrote most of all on moral topics, such as "On Those Who Think to Be Justified by Works", "On Repentance", "Answer to Doubters about Holy Baptism", "On Abstinence", "On Fasting", "On the Spiritual Law", etc. Marcus formulated his views in polemics with the Messalians, and in the enthusiasm of the dispute he too sharply emphasized the inviolability of human freedom. In general, he is very reminiscent of Chrysostom. Comparatively recently found and published Mark's sermon against the Nestorians (written before the Council of Ephesus, probably at the end of 430). He theologizes like a moderate Antiochian; but accepts and defends the formula of St. Cyril about "union according to hypostasis". It is curious that he does not touch on the question of the name "Mother of God" here. According to Mark, the goal and limit of podvig is in deification. "The Word was made flesh, that the flesh also might become the Word." The Lord became like us, "that we also might be like Him in every virtue"... Redemption is first of all deliverance from death, "the desolation of hell and death." Mark always speaks of the inheritance of death rather than of sin, and denies the "necessity of natural succession" in sin. Sin is always for Him a free act of will, or "volition." By the power of the first Fall, the race of Adam becomes mortal and corruptible – this is its sinfulness, this is the original sin. By mortality Mark means not only the instability of psychophysical union and bodily mortality, but also the decay of volition itself. In any case, salvation is revealed only in Christ, and for everyone only through baptism, through baptismal renewal by the Spirit. "Do not seek the perfection of freedom in the virtues of men, for there is no perfection in them, for this perfection is hidden in the cross of Christ." That is why incorruptibility must be assimilated and consolidated by free podvig and growth in goodness. New sins again throw man into the realm of death, and by personal sins man again draws himself into the necessity of death. again subjects himself to its tribute and condemnation, becomes mortal and perishable. For it quenches in itself the renewing power of the Spirit. He alienates himself from the baptismal grace of resurrection and incorruption... "Holy Baptism is perfect and gives us perfection, but it does not make him who does not fulfill the commandments perfect." For grace works to the measure of the fulfillment of the commandments. The "autocracy" of a person is never enforced. A person even after baptism, where he loves, there of his own free will remains. And the grace given to him is revealed in him "according to the fulfillment of the commandments and mental hope"... In podvig, the most important thing is "volition" or the inner disposition of the heart and will, which "justifies" the internal, and not the external podvig... A feat of thought or intellect... In other words, it is a prayerful feat, through which the image of God is restored in a person, by the power of grace... "The order of Christians is more internal." And all the doing of the commandments is concentrated in prayer, i.e. in turning to God, and in "mental hope". The goal and limit of podvig is knowledge (gnosis) and remembrance of God, — "hell is ignorance" and destruction is forgetfulness. Knowledge is possible only through purification and concentration of the mind, so it is not only necessary to "shut up the senses" and not to be distracted by external impressions, but one should not recall with excessive attention previous sins or inclinations, so as not to pollute one's imagination... The soul is always disturbed by thoughts and the addition of temptations, but this is not sin and impurity. Sin is in inner attention or interest in tempting images, in "the union of the mind with them (συγκατάθεσις), "the addition of thought (πρоσβоλή) is neither sin nor unrighteousness, but a testimony to the sovereignty of our will." Sin in consenting to sin... That is why purity of thought is required, its independence from (external) impressions... In prayerful gathering, the mind is purified and renewed by the Holy Spirit, "it receives into itself the outline of the God-like image, is clothed in the ineffable intellectual beauty of the Lord's likeness, and is vouchsafed the riches of spiritual wisdom"... The heart is cleansed of all images, the mind becomes "formless". And then he enters "the invisible and immaterial place of knowledge," the "land of knowledge." This is the Sabbath of Saturdays, "the spiritual rest of the rational soul, which, distracted by the mind even from all that is divine, hidden in created things, in the rapture of love is wholly clothed in the one God; and through mysterious theology the mind becomes completely inseparable from God"... This is the limit of dispassion and ecstasy... And the same ideal as Evagrius and Nilus.

Part 3

5. St. Isidore Pelusiot can also be counted among the ascetic writers, although he was more of a moralist than a teacher of spiritual life in the narrow sense of the word. A native of Egypt, in his spiritual style he was closer to the Antiochians. He revered Chrysostom very much, was on his side against Theophilus and Cyril. Isidore was not a direct disciple of Chrysostom and did not go to Constantinople to study with him. But in many ways he was really close to him in spirit. In his youth, Isidore withdrew to a monastery near Pelusium, where he was afterwards abbot and presbyter. His influence spread very far, and his authority was very great. This is evidenced by his letters. About 2,000 of them have been published. Probably, this is not all. Very early a collection of letters of Isidore was compiled, in the monastery of the "vigilant" in Constantinople; already Irenaeus of Tyre referred to this collection in his "Tragedy". In Isidore's letters, the independence and boldness of judgment are striking. In the Nestorian controversy he took a completely independent place. He immediately rejected Nestorius, but he was also dissatisfied with Cyril's actions. And he reminded him: "Partiality is blind, but disgust is blind." The issue should be discussed calmly and impartially. The Monk Isidore was not sure that this was the case in Ephesus. This calmness and impartiality was the hallmark of Isidore. In his letters, he touches on a wide variety of topics. First of all, exegetical. In his interpretation of the Scriptures, he resembles Chrysostom. He does not reject the allegorical method, more than once he uses it himself, but persistently warns against extremes and passions. You need to start with a direct and literal meaning, and you need to explain the texts in connection with speech and thought. Both Testaments are consonant with each other, but the New Testament should not be read into the Old. These are different stages of Revelation. The law and the prophets are smaller than the Gospel. The Old Testament is carnal and figurative. Only in the Gospel is the fullness of truth and the law of the Spirit. And therefore it is in vain to look for Christ in the Old Testament. This means instilling distrust in the Holy Scriptures by the forcible use of texts. "And not all things are said about Him, and it is not true that it is not said at all"... Isidore also often touches on dogmatic topics. He was not an original thinker, but his thought is always strict and distinct; And he skillfully finds the right words for her. Most of them are letters on moral topics. He answers questions on private occasions. And always simple and clear. He talks a lot about inner struggle and repentance... The image of the Monk Isidore is very bright. He was a teacher above all else, and he testified with authority. But it was a free and internal authority, not an external one... Isidore died about the year 449. 6. Blessed Diadochos, bishop of Photica of ancient Epirus, stands apart among the ascetic authors. We know of him only that he was bishop in the middle of the fifth century (cf. his signature under the epistle of the bishops of Epirus to Emperor Leo, 457 or 458). Modern historians do not mention him, and Photius in his "Library" says nothing about his life, noting his "excellent" Word. The works of Diadochos were widely distributed (there are a lot of copies), they were often referred to and excerpts were made for collections and flower beds. The main work of Diadochos is "One Hundred Chapters on Spiritual Perfection". This is a brief and coherent guide to monastic life. The polemical motif is very strong in it, a refutation of Messalianism (cf. Mark the Hermit). Diadochos leads us to an understanding of the inner difficulties and dangers in the monastic life, in prayer (cf. chapters 76-89). Diadochos defines ascetic podvig as the path of love (άγάπη). Faith is a dispassionate thought (or concept) about God. Hope is "the procession of the mind in love for the one who hopes." And love "unites the soul with the perfections of God, testing the Invisible with a certain intellectual sensation"... Love for God is, first of all, a kind of self-denial and humility of oneself before God, a kind of forgetfulness of oneself, a lack of love for oneself for God's sake. And also – a kind of constant withdrawal from oneself, into the love of God. A true ascetic constantly desires that God be glorified in him, but he himself would like to remain at the same time as if "not existing." He does not know and does not feel any dignity behind him... However, this love can only be reached gradually. And the ascent begins from the fear of God. It is fear that purifies the soul, and it is fear that befits those who have not yet been perfected. Already in the process of purification, love flares up and flares up, and expels fear. The fear of God is a kind of "fire of impassibility," and therefore only those who have begun the purifying feat have genuine fear. It is necessary to acquire fear itself, through the renunciation of all worldly cares, through silence and great carelessness... Love is impossible before purification and psychologically. The soul is then still divided, divided by the convictions of conscience, and refrains from contemplating the worldly blessings. Only in a purified soul is that wholeness restored in which love is already contained. Only in serenity or carelessness can the mind feel the Divine goodness and burn with love for the glory and glorification of God. And true love is given from the Holy Spirit, by whose power the soul is purified, pacified and reposed, but not without human freedom. This is not "natural love," but a spiritual gift, not a simple movement of the soul or will. True, in the soul itself, in so far as it comes to self-consciousness, there is a certain love for the world, an attraction to the God of the world. But this attraction cannot be stable and constant, because of the poverty of the soul. It is not enough to acquire impassibility. The "natural seeds" of the soul cannot germinate into spiritual fruit. A certain "Divine action" ("energy") must still flare up in the soul. And spiritual love is "a kind of unceasing ignition of the soul and its adhesion to God by the power of the Holy Spirit"... In spiritual love, the highest spontaneity is attained, and the one who is possessed by such perfect love is already higher than faith, for he already possesses in his heart that which faith seeks and honors. He is already all with God, for he is all in love... Man is created in the image of God. This image is given to him, in his mind and autocracy. But the "image" must be revealed into a "likeness". And this is accomplished in freedom and in the self-giving of love. Likeness to God is realized in podvig; and is realized by the inspiration of grace, but not without the freedom of man... For the seal cannot be imprinted on unsoftened wax... The path of podvig, especially at first, is terrible and uneven. This is the path among temptations, the path of struggle. It is impossible to eliminate temptations at all. And impassibility does not consist in not being wrestled by demons or thoughts, but in remaining invincible. However, complete impassibility in this mortal life is unattainable, except for martyrs; and the fullness will be revealed only when "mortal things will be swallowed up in life" (2 Cor. 5:4), when the soul will no longer know the temporal way of life here... In podvig the most important thing is obedience, "this gate and the entrance of love." For this is a direct antidote to the pride of disobedience, the direct antithesis of disobedience. And then abstinence is necessary, as a healing and tempering of the body. The limit of abstinence is a kind of blindness to this deceitful life. In other words, always "abiding in one's heart" (ένδημία έν τή καρδία). This is "spiritual work" or "spiritual wisdom," attention and sobriety of the mind. And here despondency lies in wait for the soul, this "lazy disease". Only soul-warming remembrance of God and intense prayer heals from it... Blessed Diadochos speaks quite a lot about prayer, and first of all about the Jesus Prayer. This is not only the invocation of the name of Jesus, but a kind of "unceasing work," unceasing remembrance of God. This is the contemplation of the holy and glorious name of Jesus in the depths of the heart. By the power of unceasing remembrance, it takes root here, is imprinted in the soul, like a kind of seal impression. For this, the soul must be purified and calmed — in an agitated or indignant soul there can be no unceasing memory... "And this glorious and much-desired name, which through the memory of the mind dwells for a long time in the warmth of the heart, produces in us the habit of loving His goodness completely, and there are no more obstacles to this. For these are the precious beads that can be acquired by selling all one's possessions, and have unspeakable and unceasing joy in finding them"... The soul is as if embraced by Divine light and fire. And this is the work of the Spirit. Grace itself struggles with the soul and cries out with it: Lord Jesus. And it is not given to man to call Jesus Lord, only by the power of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3)... Blessed Diadochos distinguishes between "theology" and "gnosis". "Theology" is the lowest and earliest stage of spiritual activity. This is contemplation and wisdom, the comprehension of the word of God. But first of all, it is a gift of God, "the first offspring of grace." "In the beginning, grace usually illumines the soul with its light in many sensations; and in the course of his ascetic labors he often unknowingly performs his sacraments in the theologizing soul, in order to place us in joy on the path of Divine contemplation"... This is the illumination or illumination of the soul, its illumination and enlightenment by the "fire of change"; and through this man is likened to the holy angels, who are always in Divine illumination (cf. the imaginary Dionysius). However, theology is not only a gift. A person is required to "test" or study the Scriptures. It is through the Scriptures that illuminating grace works. This is not only an effort of thought, but most important of all is the action of love, which draws one to the enjoyment of the glory of God. And wisdom is the gift of speech, the gift of speaking and preaching about God with authority and power (the gift of the "spiritual word"). This is the gift of spiritual teaching. And this is a special gift, rather a lower gift, for on the higher steps everything is silent in silence, and it is no longer necessary to return from silence to the word. "For experiential knowledge unites man with God, without moving the soul to words; therefore, many of those who are inquisitive in solitude, although they are enlightened by tangible knowledge, do not approach the Divine words"... There is a certain danger in wisdom. It is rather a broad path, "because of the breadth and unlimited contemplation of God." It is, as it were, lighter than the narrow path of prayer. Therefore, it is useful to narrow oneself and force oneself in prayer and psalmody. This tempers the mind, protects it from daydreaming and verbosity. And in any case, prayer is the highest of all, "above all breadth"... Gnosis is prayer, prayer experience, silence and carelessness. This is complete liberation from passions. In the course of spiritual progress, the soul becomes more and more silent, and prays or sings in the heart alone, and not with sonorous words... The gift of tears ("unrelenting tear") should be especially noted. There are tears of sorrow, "tears of confession"; but above are tears of tenderness and joy, "spiritual tears," painless and joyful, "tears of the mind," tears of burning love, when the very thoughts become tear-like, from great tenderness and joy... And spiritual weeping is followed by joy and love for silence. The path of podvig is the path of temptations. However, this should not be understood as if the soul is divided between good and evil, and that "grace" and "sin" somehow coexist in it. This is what the Euchites say. Their mistake is in the incorrect and restrictive understanding of baptismal regeneration. For in baptism Satan is cast out, and grace enters. Demonic temptations continue, and even become stronger; but they smoke the soul with temptations, as it were, from without. The soul does not and cannot be some kind of "common dwelling" for God and for the devil. This is impossible because of the simplicity of the soul. In baptism, grace dwells in the recesses of the mind. "And where can the face of the evil one fit?" Temptations are now implanted through the body: "Evil spirits penetrate into the bodily senses and here take refuge, acting on the souls that are still infants through the easy compliance of the flesh." There remains the duality of willing, and therein lies the possibility of falling. In the first Fall, the human mind seemed to "slip into the duality of knowledge" (i.e., the knowledge of good and evil), and "human memory was divided into a kind of dual thought from Adam's disobedience," so that man always remembers about evil. It is here that the demons come in, trying to entertain and dispel the "memory of the mind" with a variety of daydreaming. But it is not given to them to penetrate into the depths of the soul, "as long as the Holy Spirit abides in us." And the struggle takes place in the realm of the will. "The nature of good is stronger than the habit of evil; for good is, and evil is not, except when it is done." In other words, good is "nature" (φύσις), and evil is only a "state" (έξις), and at the same time a state of will... Diadochos corrects the psychological error of his opponents: they take the split will for the duality of hypostases. Evil takes possession of the believer only to the extent of his spiritual backwardness, when "not all the members of the heart are yet illumined by the light of holy grace." It is true that our heart can also generate evil thoughts from itself, to the extent that we are mindful of the non-good. However, most often it is a demonic attachment, and it only seems to us that they come from the very heart, because we assimilate them or join them. And it should also be noted that most temptations are trials allowed by God for the sake of strengthening the will and as a reminder of weakness ("educational allowance"). Only before baptism does Satan hide himself within the soul, but then grace acts from the outside, attracting and only predisposing the soul to good... The dispute is more about the psychology of sin. How to understand the power of temptations over Christians? What does the possibility of deception and falling mean? Diadochos does not in the least exaggerate the practical effectiveness of baptism. Baptismal grace bears fruit only in podvig and freedom. But the way of sin is from without, through the inclination of the will. Diadochus does not name his opponents, only in the inscriptions of the chapters (of later origin) he mentions the "heretics Euchites". And it can be thought that Diadochos had in mind the views of the author of the "Spiritual Discourses" — rather, even those conclusions that "some brothers" could draw from them in their extreme simplicity (cf. Epiphanius of Cyprus). However, here the dispute is not about the facts of ascetic experience, but only about their interpretation... It must also be added that Diadochos sharply rejects all sensual visions, both fiery images and voices are enemy seductions. In a mortal body it is not given to us to see sensuously either the Lord or anything heavenly. He admits that there may be dreams from God, but even then it is better not to accept them and not to believe in any vision, so as not to make a mistake in discernment by the weakness of the soul. One must seek an invisible and insensible confirmation (here is a new disagreement with the author of the Discourses).

Part 4

7. Of the monuments of the VI century, it is necessary to note the "Instructions" ("didaskalia") of Abba Dorotheus. He began his monastic struggle in the coenobia, founded by Serides on the way from Ascalon to Gaza. Seridus was the abbot, but the true spiritual leader of the brotherhood was the Monk Barsanuphius (died about 540). He lived in strict seclusion and silence (at one time with his friend and disciple John the Clairvoyant, or "prophet") and communicated with the brethren only through the abbot, and in writing. St. Barsanuphius was a charismatic. He had the gift of insight and spiritual power. He did not have a priestly rank, but nevertheless he absolved the sins of those who sought help from him. Records of his answers ("questions" or "letters") have been preserved. An extract from these letters was compiled by Dorotheus, who added here John's answers (also the answers of Abba Zosima, from the vicinity of Caesarea in Palestine). Later, Dorotheus founded his own special monastery, on the way from Gaza to Mayum. And for the brethren he composed his "instructions" and words about asceticism. He died at the beginning of the VII century. His book became an exemplary guide in the coenobia. It was greatly appreciated by the Monk Theodore the Studite. Dorotheus used literary sources and tried to summarize the already established tradition and the accumulated ascetic experience. He dwells little on general questions. His instructions are of a practical, often almost everyday nature. However, he proceeds from a bright charismatic ideal. The primordial was charismatic. In paradise he dwelt in contemplation and in prayer, "in all glory and honor." Sin was a falling away from contemplation, into a "passing state" (είς τήν παράφυσιν). And hence death. This is where Dorotheus begins. The God-Man New Adam delivered him from sin and death. In baptism is the beginning of a new life, the source of freedom for good. However, freedom is realized only in podvig. And in podvig the most important thing is the "cutting off of one's own will," the cutting off of desires—in other words, complete submission and obedience to the chosen spiritual leader. The cutting off of the will is a means to impassibility. There are no reasons to worry about the non-fulfillment of your desires and addictions. And then the very desires go out, the soul calms down. It seems that wishes always come true. Only then does a person see the immaculate path of God when he abandons his will. Otherwise, he does not understand that the ways of God are blameless. However, obedience is not only pedagogy or discipline. You need to obey spiritual elders, i.e. as charismatics. Thus, the very rhythm of social life is determined by the charismatic ideal. The task of the monk is to overcome the passions, to attain inner peace and impassibility. It should be added that in the monastery of Seris Origen was treated negatively (cf. the answers of the Monk Barsanuphius). 8. Of the lesser ascetic writers, we should also mention the elder Isaiah. He wrote 29 words to his disciples, covering all aspects of monastic podvig and life. We learn about the author from Syriac sources, from the so-called "Ecclesiastical History" of Zacharias Scholasticus (cf. "Plyrophoria" by John of Mayum). He was a hermit from Skete, who later moved to Palestine and died in 488 in the vicinity of Gaza. He was an opponent of the Council of Chalcedon, at one time he signed Zeno's Henoticon. But he was not intolerant and was peaceful towards the Synodites. There is nothing clearly Monophysite in his words. Nevertheless, Pat. Sophronius later treated them negatively. Of a different opinion was the Monk Theodore the Studite, who was accused of using the heretical books of Isaiah. The Monk Theodore thought that this was another Isaiah. Strictly speaking, Isaiah was not a Monophysite. His rejection of the Council of Chalcedon meant only one-sided fidelity to the local Alexandrian traditions. In his words, he hardly touches on dogmatic topics (compare, however, the discussion of the "nature" of Adam and the "nature" of Jesus). The main idea of his asceticism is the cutting off of the will. He wrote for (hermits and for celliots. It is difficult to determine the time of life of Hesychius, the Sinai monk who wrote "On Sobriety and Virtue". In any case, this is not Hesychius of Jerusalem, a famous exegete and preacher of the fifth century. The ascetic Hesychius wrote much later, — he refers (albeit deafly) to the Ladder and to the Monk Maximus. Its "chapters" are of great interest as one of the earliest experiments in the systematic exposition of the teaching on the Jesus Prayer. It is in her that he sees the goal of the feat. The healing of the soul consists in its freedom from seductive "thoughts" and opinions, i.e. in its inner freedom, in its "vigilance" and "sobriety" (πρоσоχή and νήψις) In other words, in silence (or silence, ήσυχία). Silence means the complete overcoming of all discussion, freedom from all images, both sensual and mental—the soul must become "ugly"... And this silence is not attainable except through unceasing prayer, not even entertained by a variety of petitions and prayerful words. It should be a "monosyllabic prayer" (εύχή μνоλоγιστός), one simple "invocation of Jesus" ("apiclosis")• It has its own steps. And gradually the soul ascends to contemplation, illumines with light; and through "exaltation in love" he attains visions equal to the angels (seraphim)... In part, Hesychius also resembles Diadochos. It is also necessary to note the works of John of Carpathos. Nothing is known about his life. Even the time of his life remains unclear. From the fact that Photius names him next to Diadochos and Nidus, it would be too hasty to conclude that he was their contemporary. Under the name of John, a number of edifying words are known, set forth in brief "chapters". First of all, "Consolation Chapters to the Monks in India"; then there are moral chapters, "physiological-ascetic", "gnostic", etc. To the VI century belong the conversations of Simeon the Stylite, the new. Of the writers of the VII century, it is necessary to mention the Monk Antiochus of the Lavra, the Monk Sava, the author of the popular "Pandecta", and the Monk Thalassius, a friend of the Monk Maximus, who wrote "On Love", "On Abstinence and Spiritual Life". In these authors we find an exposition of generally accepted views on the meaning and tasks of inner monastic activity.