But in spite of all this, in spite of the fact that the ethics of the Gospel calls everyone to itself, some, I do not know how this is possible, are engaged in all other kinds of philosophy. Some of them spend their entire lives on mathematical or physical sciences, while others spend their entire lives on metaphysics or general studies of literature. Moreover, both completely forget about moral philosophy, despite the fact that it is necessary and stands above all others. They examine heaven, earth, and everything else, how it is in harmony and order, and very few of them think of putting themselves in order and adorning themselves with purity of manners. They do not seem to know that it is much more important to take care of oneself than of anything else, that knowledge alone is meaningless in the absence of action, and is nothing but a phantom. And yet St. Maximus says: "Think what use it is to me to philosophize about everything else, if my soul is troubled by passions in the most unworthy and unphilosophical way. At least, I do not see this benefit" Therefore, we should also take care of moral philosophy, so that we are not defective in the most important thing.

But let's leave them as they are. Those who, on the other hand, have preferred the sacred teaching of the Holy Fathers, and have seen with a keener eye how and in what way this kind of philosophy is useful, those who have assimilated it could easily have mastered everything else. And if, moreover, they knew that ethics was the same age as the human race, and that it was antique above all other forms of philosophy, they completely neglected everything else and devoted themselves to it alone. They expelled themselves, in the words of Paul, "into the wilderness and the mountains, into the caves and ravines of the earth" (Hebrews 11:38). They turned to what was essential, to unceasing silence. Their aim was to discover with precision the original causes of the passions and to cut them off completely. And besides, they strove not only to achieve an inclination to virtues and their relative knowledge (after all, this can be achieved by chance). No, their goal was to experience and be filled with virtues, as if they were their second nature, to make them their confidants and together, through many labors and many years of feats, to come to old age.

Those general principles of the gospel of which we have spoken before, these men have accepted as the first principles of their philosophy, and have studied them day and night. And then, from the virtues which are given in a brief form in these laws, they derived more particular cases of them. They went through many temptations, both from people and from demons. They were exhausted by abstinence of the body and other sufferings, and after many difficult feats they attained all the virtues and mastered their experiential knowledge. It was then that they made an important addition to the gospel, at least for those who know enough about it, and they made generous use of their own choices, not only fulfilling the commandment but also transcending it.

And, of course, they returned to His Lord His silver with the profit of virtues, and through these virtues they glorified God, in which, as we have already said, was the will of God from the very beginning. And then, in their writings, full of experienced knowledge of the virtues, they passed it on to us, as the Good Money-changers. And all this is so that we may take an example from them and also move, as far as we can, to perfection in the virtues.

I will explain everything with the most accessible example. Those who study the natural sciences establish the properties of bodies by means of hundreds of devices, in an innumerable number of experiments and chemical analyses, by many years and varied experiments. In the same way, these people: in hundreds of trials and practical experiments, over many years (and it happened that they studied a single word for fifty years) and, of course, under the guidance of the enlightening Spirit, they discovered the depths of moral philosophy. They have cleansed each of the virtues of excesses and shortcomings, and therefore they teach about the four kinds of impassibility: about obedience that leads to perfection, about humility full of virtue, about all-enlightening reasoning, about hospitality that brings joy, about God-like compassion, about soul-saving mercy, about unceasing prayer, about humiliated repentance, about truthful confession, about an impeccable conscience, about divine love, and about other links in the golden chain of virtues.

In addition, they consider which of these virtues have to do with the body, which with the soul, and which with the mind, and in what way and to what extent; And what reasons contribute to their acquisition, and which do not. It is also explained which passions are general and which are their particular manifestations, and, again, which of them belong to the body, which to the soul, and which to the mind, and how they can be easily disposed of. In short, they carefully analyze everything that perfects a person in Christ. But the most important thing is that the words of these blessed elders, for all their guilelessness and colloquialism, are so effective and prompt to action that they can convince almost everyone who comes into their hands. Many – and this happens often – conduct a conversation, citing many different texts, and cannot convince anyone. And just one word or deed of these wise Fathers, sunk into the soul, instantly convinced the listeners, forced them to agree. And if for the philosophers the aim of all the means of ethics is to persuade with words, then in the reasoning of the Fathers, in addition to persuasiveness, there is clearly something authoritative, so to speak, voluntary compulsion, because there is in them the self-evident certainty of truth. By the way, this is exactly what is confirmed by the proverb "If you see a young man running, it means that he has been deceived by an old man." So if we call these arguments of the Fathers a kind of norms, rules, or immutable principles of moral philosophy, we will not sin against the truth in the least.

And this incomparable benefit of theirs was understood by Paul, the most venerable of the monks. He was the ktitor of the holy monastery in honor of the image of the Benefactor Mother, from where he became known as Paul of Euergetis. There, in the monastery, the words of the Fathers remained in a scattered state, and for the convenience of reading, Paul divided them into separate chapters and topics, and then divided them into four books and brought them together into a single whole. For any knowledgeable person, this book was desirable and extremely necessary, but if we take into account the trouble and expense that a copy of it cost, it was not available to anyone. And people who are ignorant, because of its rarity and because this book has never been published, did not even know that it existed. And so, as one might guess from the outcome of the matter, she was waiting for someone who would publish her for the benefit of all, who would give this pure and mental gold to the spiritual money-changers. And such a publisher was Mr. Ioannis Cannas, a man of the highest degree of impeccability, pious and noble, of a God-loving soul and Christ-imitating disposition, a man with poverty-loving aspirations and a free mind, whose many-sided merits are brilliant and visible to all. In general, one could say that in his soul, as if by agreement, all moral perfections dwell together.

He is the one who will not lose the primacy in any good competition, who, as the proverb says, takes up every stone in order to at least keep up with others, and if possible, to claim the primacy; who is active and industrious in everything that brings common benefit. It was he who treated the matter as an unheard-of success, jealous of sincere zeal for his brothers, but above all inspired by grace from above. Moreover, he himself, of his own free will, took up this enterprise. Because this is the only way it had to happen: whoever shone with moral virtues appropriated the right to publish a bible of morality.

As if from under a bushel, he extracted from the former darkness and oblivion this shining torch of morality. In addition, he erected at his own expense a printing press, this high candlestick, this soaring lighthouse, and thus not only allowed it to radiate abundant light accessible to all, but also made it known almost throughout the entire universe, wherever the word of salvation could reach. And in this way he moved everyone to the practice of virtues, and through virtues to the glory of God, thus becoming a co-worker with the glory of God. And to work for the glory of God is, without a doubt, a glory that surpasses any glory. Do you see how high such an honor is?

Now this most precise measure of virtues is coming to light, this school of impassibility, these experienced reasoning of the wise Fathers, this pious exposition of the elders' counsels — in a word, this unique treasury of all moral blessings. Let the Solons be silent, May the Lycurgus be scattered, may the Socrates be darkened, may the Aristotles and Platos and all the rest of the external sages who have ever written about the moral virtues be hidden! Let all of them together yield seniority to this book. They have deviated far from the goal of ethics, the true good. The goal of their philosophy is not God (Who alone is the highest of all goods, and by turning to Whom every virtue acquires its value), but a natural and temporary good. And if they are mistaken in their purpose, it is clear that they do not teach the true virtues, at least if, according to them, every state of a thing is determined by its end.

And now you, all those who are called to be partakers of heaven and Orthodoxy, who look to the one God and wish to adorn your souls with all kinds of virtues, stretch out your hands like golden pillars, and with deep joy receive this book into your holy embrace, as the sacred beginnings and light of the law. And when you read it, and reread it, and pluck the ripe fruits of spiritual benefit, do not refuse, I beg you, – pray to the Lord for the one by whose means these fruits were grown, and, of course, for the one who gave them to drink with his work. After all, in this you can show your desire to be grateful. And then, if you love the Fathers of this book (for the Lord also pleased to love them) and ask them questions every day, you will arrange your life according to their elderly and divinely wise advice, as according to a certain measure, according to the commandment: "Ask your father, and he will tell you your elders, and they will tell you" (Deuteronomy 32:10). 7). And by arranging your life in this way, you will become workers of moral virtues. And in your labors on these virtues, glorify "our Father who is in heaven, with His only-begotten Son and His life-giving Spirit, the one God of all. To Him is due all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen."

CHAPTER 1. That you should never despair, even if you have sinned greatly, but hope for salvation through repentance

1. From St. Palladius (about John of Lycus)