VII.6. This is achieved by much struggle and labor of the mind, because the adversary (in every way) hinders the mind from (realizing) the good, (striving, naturally) not so that the mind, with the help of remembrance of the good, is lifted up by love to the mountain, but that, seduced by earthly desires, it devotes (all his) will to them. And the consequence of remembering God and God's love is always pure love for one's brother. In the same way, true simplicity, meekness, humility, purity, kindness, prayer, and all the subsequent holy commandments, which are fulfilled in their true fullness (only) by means of the one, only, and first commandment, the commandment of love for God.

VII.7. With much struggle, with labor, secret and invisible, we must constantly devote ourselves to the task of investigating thoughts, the feeble organs of our soul must always be exercised in distinguishing between good and evil, and they, weakened (by sin), must be constantly enlivened by the zeal of the mind, forcing them to hasten to God, so that they may become, according to the words of (the Apostle) Paul, one spirit with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17), always attaching our mind to Him.

VII.8. This secret struggle, (constant) meditation on the Lord, and labor night and day we must have for the fulfillment of the commandment; this should be done when we pray, and when we serve, and when we eat, and when we drink, and when we do anything, so that every good deed of virtue may be done by us for the glory of God, and not for the sake of our own glory. For every observance of the commandments is sanctified, which we realize in purity (of heart) through unceasing remembrance of the Lord, fear (of God), diligence and love for God, — (only) then do we find ourselves outside (the power of) the evil one, (who is in the habit of) defiling and staining with dirt the commandment (of God). In this way the whole command (of God) concerning the commandments will become easy and accessible to us, since the love of God facilitates the commandments, and the difficulty (of their fulfillment) is weakened by the keeping of this love. Therefore, through our love for God, (all the others) commandments will become easy, accessible, and simple.

VII.9. For, as has been said, all the zealous warfare of the adversary is aimed only at distracting the mind from the remembrance of God, from the fear of God and love for the Lord. Therefore he uses (all) earthly deceptions to lead (man) away from the true good to what only appears to him: For whatever good man has done, it is the evil one who wants to defile and stain it, seeking to mix with the commandment the seed of vanity, self-conceit, murmuring, or anything of the kind that was later sown, so that (any) good and good do not come from God and good diligence alone. As a result, everyone (the Christian) must possess much knowledge and discernment in order to be able to discern the tricks and tricks of the evil one, completely detached from evil.

VII. 10. And so that it does not seem that we say this only on our own behalf, let us present (testimonies) from the Holy Scriptures. For it is written that Abel offered sacrifice to God from his firstborn sheep and from their fat. And Cain brought a gift of the fruit of the land. But God did not look upon the gifts of Cain, but upon the gifts of Abolius; but he did not accept Cain's sacrifice (Gen. 4:3-5). From this we learn that if any good deed is done negligently, carelessly, and for the sake of something (vain), then it will not be pleasing to God; and if it is done according to the will of God, with diligence, sobriety, faith, and for the sake of God alone, then it will be pleasing to Him. For the patriarch Abraham also brought a tithe of his best booty to Melchizedek, the priest of God (the Most High), and thus received a blessing from Him (Heb. 7:1-6; Gen. 14:17-20).

VII.11. By these (utterances) the Spirit, revealing the most sublime spiritual meaning (of the Scriptures), hints that the best, fattest, and first of all combinations of our nature—the mind itself, the conscience itself, our right understanding, the very loving power of our soul, and (in general) the beginnings of our entire human nature—must always and above all be offered to God as a sacred sacrifice of the heart, as (a tithe) of the best spoils and firstfruits of right thoughts; and at the same time one must constantly devote oneself to the remembrance of God, contemplation of Him, and love for Him. (Only) in this way will we be able to grow daily and succeed in Divine love, and God's power of Christ will help us. The burden of the righteousness of the commandments will seem light to us, who fulfill them purely and irreproachably, if, with the help of the Lord Himself, He unites us with Him, through faith and love, striving for Him and a good desire for all His commandments.

VIII. 1. As for the outward side of asceticism and which of the good deeds is the best and first, then know, beloved (brethren), that all the virtues are connected with each other and depend on each other, strung one on top of the other, as if in some sacred and spiritual chain. For prayer (depends) on love, love on joy, joy on meekness, meekness on humility, humility on service, service on hope, hope on faith, faith on obedience, and obedience on simplicity.

VIII.2. In the same way, but in contrast, the (different) vices are related to each other: hatred (depends) on rage, rage on pride, vanity on unbelief, unbelief on hardness of heart, hardness of heart on negligence, negligence on idleness, idleness on contempt, neglect on despondency, despondency on impatience, impatience on love of pleasure. And (all) other kinds of evil depend on each other in the same way as virtues are related to each other in the inheritance of good.

VIII.3. The essence of all good diligence and the summit of (all spiritual) accomplishments is patient perseverance in prayer, thanks to which we can, through petition to God, acquire the other virtues. Since in the prayer of those who have been vouchsafed (these accomplishments), the action of holiness is directed only at God, then through such a spiritual action a certain mysterious communion with the Lord is obtained in ineffable love, (accomplished) in the inner disposition of the mind. Therefore, he who daily forces himself to patiently persist in prayer is carried away by God's spiritual love for Divine love and for fiery anguish (in the Lord); having freely chosen (the path to) perfection, he also receives the grace of the Spirit, given to him by God, as it is written: "Thou hast given joy in my heart" (Psalm 4:8). And the Lord says: "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you" (Luke 17:21).

VIII.4. And what else does this Kingdom, which is within (us), signify if not the heavenly joy of the Spirit, realized in worthy souls? For the saints are destined to taste in the Kingdom (Heavenly) spiritual joy and gladness in the eternal Light, but worthy and faithful souls, through active communion with the Spirit, are already here vouchsafed to receive His earnest and firstfruit. For (the Apostle) says: "Who comforts us in all our afflictions, that we also may be able to comfort those who are in all affliction with the consolation wherewith God comforts us" (2 Corinthians 1:4). It is also said: "My heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God" (Psalm 83:3), and "For my soul may be filled with fat and oil" (Psalm 62:6). These and similar words indicate the joy and consolation of the Spirit that is being realized (here). All the following commandments are related (to prayer) in the same way as the members (of the body) are related to the head, and those who devote themselves to God must, as far as possible, fulfill them.

IX. 1. Thus we have spoken of the goal of piety set before us, which is the same for all, and we have supported what we have said with numerous testimonies from the Holy Scriptures. (It should also be remembered that) believing and God-fearing souls are vouchsafed, through faith and much diligence in all the virtues, the fullness of the Spirit, acquiring complete deliverance from the passions, that is, they attain, through the sanctifying (action) of the Spirit, purification of the heart. Therefore, let each one devote himself to the good to the extent that the love of his soul for God extends.

IX.2. If anyone wishes to pray without ceasing and patiently, as well as to practice fasting, then he must (heed) the words of (the Apostle Apostle) Paul: "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17), and "Be constant in prayer" (Col. 4:2; Rom. 12:12). One should also heed the Lord's sayings: "How much more will God protect them that cry out to Him day and night" (Luke 18:7), and "He also told them a parable that they should always pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). And as for the way in which those who thirst (for God) and believe (in Him) are vouchsafed to be clothed in heavenly armor, the Apostle says: "Pray with all prayer and supplication at all times in the Spirit; and strive for these things with all constancy and supplication" (Ephesians 6:18). And if any of the brethren, who struggle by faith, prayer and repentance, wishes to take part in the struggle of love for heavenly blessings, then he is worthy of praise and pleasing to people and to God.

IX.3. Therefore, the brotherhood of monks should gladly allow to be a member of the brotherhood to one who labors in prayer with patient perseverance, and (in every way) help him, so that the monks, because of their unanimity with this brother and good cooperation with him, may have a reward from God. Only (this brother), who prays with all sobriety, should examine his conscience, have unceasing care (for God) and (spend his life) in constant struggle. It is necessary for him (daily) to counteract the substance of many and abundant thoughts of evil, forcing the mind to always aspire in love to the Lord, and in return to receive from the Lord a sense of grace, so that in this way the fruits of his patience and constancy are daily made manifest for the edification of all.

IX.4. For he who is wounded by love and ardent striving for God, during prayer strengthens, struggles, and compels his will to (spiritual) work, devoting himself entirely to it, even if he has never given himself up to such work before. He longs to receive heavenly love from God, as well as true and spiritual prayer, according to what is said: "Give prayer to him who prays" (1 Samuel 2:9). And the rest of the brethren should gladly allow him (to devote himself to such spiritual work), encouraging him and cooperating with him as (faithful) helpers. In the spiritual progress of their brother, they should see benefit for themselves, and not be guided by quarrelsomeness and envy, not act under the suggestion of evil, not hinder or hinder his good striving for God, and not stop in the beginning the feat of good diligence of the brother. (This should be done in order that) God, seeing a (good) motive for mutual love in the soul of (each of) them, would grant His holy recompense for the petitions of all and give each one the fullness of assurance, seeing the right and good will of their disposition towards each other.