V.5. Inasmuch as they have so believed and so loved (God), so much will they receive the unspeakable recompense of the promises of the Kingdom. Such souls will be able to please God and become heirs of the Kingdom; having a broken heart and being poor in spirit, they always hunger and thirst for righteousness, and in striving for perfect honors (of the highest calling), they, because of their sublime love for God, will be rewarded with higher gifts.

VI. 1. Thus, enough has been said about the goal of hope, towards which those who have chosen the monastic life and loved virginity should strive. Now it is necessary to speak about the assembly and sacred organization of the brethren monasteries, about how those who love the truth should live together with one another, and by what occupations, labors, and podvigs they can achieve the aforesaid goal of piety, so that the zealots (of virtue) full of courage, having already known the path leading to the heavenly City, and having entered it, will diligently walk along it until until they find (this goal).

VI.2. First of all, he who strives for the goal of piety and wishes to follow in the footsteps of the Lord must, having withdrawn from the (worldly) life and the pleasures of the flesh, (wholly) give himself up to the brotherhood, renouncing, according to the Gospel (Luke 14:26), father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, kinship, wealth, fame, and noble birth; entering a monastery, as into the fullness of all blessings, he must also renounce his soul.

VI.3. And is not the renunciation of one's soul anything else than the surrender of oneself entirely to the (monastic) brotherhood and the complete renunciation of one's own desires? Should we not always adorn our souls with the holy and pure thoughts of the commandments, and consider them, which lead to salvation, as our own? Should (a monk) possess anything, except the clothes he wears, in order to always be deprived of (worldly) cares, doing with joy only what he is commanded? Should he not, like a purchased and discreet slave, consider all the brethren, and especially the primates, as masters and rulers (of his own) for Christ's sake?

VI.4. As the Lord Himself said: "Whosoever will be first and greatest among you, let him be the last of all, all servant and all servant" (Mark 9:35; 10:43-44), not chasing after glory, honor or praise, but striving only to serve and live together with the brethren according to what has been said: serving with all diligence, "not with only visible helpfulness", as a man-pleaser, but as a servant of Christ (Ephesians 6:6-7), giving himself over to the strait way and the narrow passage (Matt. 7:14). Being a zealot for the Kingdom (of Heaven), the monk willingly and joyfully takes upon himself the light and good yoke of the Lord (Matt. 11:29-30); He brings himself great salvation, if with long-suffering he remains to the end in this beautiful and spiritually beneficial slavery. Considering all (brethren) as masters, relatives in Christ and heirs of the Kingdom (of Heaven), submitting in all things to everyone, especially to the leaders and those who bear the burdens of concern for virtue, he always considers himself indebted to the service of the brethren with love and simplicity, according to what is said: "With love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13) and "do not owe anyone anything except mutual love" (Rom. 13:13). 8).

VI.5. But you, too, ascetics, the primates of the brotherhoods, who have taken upon yourselves a great task, with the help of humility fight against the skillful intrigues of evil, so that, having power over the brethren subject to you, you will not be exalted and will not fall into the passion of pride, instead of doing great benefit to your soul great damage and harm. Like the merciful fathers, preferring to devote yourselves to the service of the brotherhood rather than to (strive) for dominion (over the brethren), and having bodily and spiritual care for them as for the children of God, you must strive and care for the spiritual benefit of each one, so that, always carefully increasing the spiritual capital of the holy union of brotherhood, you may receive a heavenly reward from God.

VI.6. And outwardly observe the rite of primacy, when necessary – by ordering, commanding or consulting with the most experienced of the brethren, and when necessary – by rebuking, rebuking or exhorting someone (of them) according to the apostolic advice (2 Tim. 4:2), so that under the pretext of humility or meekness and through ignorance there would not be confusion in the monasteries, which would violate the order of the rite of primates and subordinates. Inwardly, in your mind, consider yourselves unworthy slaves of all the brethren, and, as good teachers, to whose care the children of the lords are entrusted, with all the goodwill and fear of God, try to direct each brother to every good work, knowing that for such hard work a great and inalienable reward awaits you from God.

VI.7. And just as (wise) pedagogues often, for the sake of teaching and strengthening morals, do not spare the children who are their masters, and bring them up with the rod, greatly favoring them and caring for them in the hope that they will become prudent and famous people in the world, so you, ascetic primates, punish the ill-mannered and infantile brethren, not with the passion of anger or arrogance, but with the mercy of Christ and for the sake of spiritual benefit, hoping that for those you are raising it will be useful in the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is in this mood that you have care for the infancy of the brethren, exhorting or rebuking, as it has been said, each for his own benefit; show concern only with zeal for God and with the mercy of Christ; punish without being carried away by evil passion or as if avenging yourself, so that, manifesting your perfect work, which you have taken upon yourselves for God's sake, you may be heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.

VI.8. For this is the only way in which the truly angelic life on earth proceeds, when the primates and subordinates are unanimously guided by such a way of thinking; when all the brethren submit to one another with great joy, considering each other masters and "in reverence warning one another" (Romans 12:10). The brethren must live in the news in simplicity and purity of heart, unanimity, peace, straightforwardness, and with all humility. Let no one, exalting himself before another, consider himself better or greater, even if he has succeeded, but, on the contrary, as a disciple of Christ, let him consider himself the worst of all men, since the Lord says: "He who exalts himself shall be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matt. 23:12; Lk. 14:11; 18:14). And again: "Whosoever will be first, let him be the last of all, and the servant of all" (Mk. 9:35; 10:43; Matt. 20:27), since "the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45). And the Apostle says: "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; but we are your servants for Jesus" (2 Corinthians 4:5).

VII.1. As those who wish to be imitators of Christ, we call you to peace with one another, submission and good service to one another. If possible, we must prepare ourselves to die for our neighbor, having as an example and example the Lord, Who cooperates with you in all good things, according to what is said: "To them that love God all things work together for good" (Rom. 8:28), so that through love, simplicity, unpretentiousness, and modesty, the "union of peace" in the one Body and Spirit of Christ may be preserved in the brotherhood (Eph. 4:3-4): when we are said to submit to one another in the fear and love of Christ.

VII.2. Therefore, everyone who wishes to take root in such morals, let him always and first of all strive in his heart, seeking it from God, to the unceasing possession of the sacred love and fear of God, which is the first and great commandment; By means of constant and unceasing remembrance of the Lord and heavenly desire, let each one daily, according to progress through the grace (of God), multiply and increase this love. For only through much diligence and labor, care and struggle can we acquire love for God, which by the grace and gift of Christ acquires visible forms in us. As it is said about Wisdom: "And if thou seekest it as silver, and hast tried it as treasures, then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:4-5). For (having acquired Divine love) in this way, we can easily fulfill the second commandment – the commandment of love for one's neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40).

VII.3. For the former should be placed in the first place, and it should be cared for as the first; the second, which follows it, must be carried out in the appropriate sequence. If someone wanted to neglect the great and first commandment – the commandment of love for God, which is inherent in being formed from an inner good disposition and conscience in combination with sound thoughts about God and, of course, with the help of God's grace – and instead of it he would strive for the second commandment, only outwardly caring for service (to his neighbors), then it would be impossible for him to fulfill this (second commandment) intact and purely.

VII.4. For the vicious method (of interpretation), which seeks the meaning (of Scripture) apart from the remembrance of God, the love of God, and the seeking of God, amounts to that which makes (the fulfillment of) the divine commandments burdensome and burdensome; murmuring, sorrow, and reproach of service to the brethren are produced in their souls; or he by means of self-conceit and pride forces (a person) to become an apostate from the truth and consider himself worthy of all respect, great and having reached the heights in the fulfillment of the commandments.

VII.5. And when a man is proud of himself, (supposing) that he does good and keeps the commandments, then he sins, because he judges himself and does not accept Him who judges in truth. For only when, according to the words of (the Apostle) Paul, the Spirit of God "bears witness to our spirit" (Romans 8:16), then do we find ourselves truly worthy of Christ and children of God, and not when, filled with self-conceit, we justify ourselves. For, he says, "he is not worthy who praises himself, but whom the Lord praises" (2 Corinthians 10:18). If a person does not keep remembrance of God and finds himself outside the fear of God, then he necessarily seeks glory and hunts for the praise of those whom he serves. Such a person (shows himself) to be an unbeliever and is rebuked by the Lord: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that is from the One God?" (John 5:44.) (Therefore the lover of glory) is like one who cleanses the outside of the cup and dish, while inwardly he is full of theft and all covetousness (Matt. 23:25). And if the mind itself and the disposition of the soul (of man) are always absorbed in contemplation of God and longing for Him, then by the remembrance of goodness and the love of God he constantly adorns his thoughts, and they become true, reverent, and pious.