Collected Works, Volume 3

§ 30. Сердце одно и душу одну иметь – значит иметь великое согласие в учении и воле, как пишется о верных, живших в дни апостольские: У множества же уверовавших было одно сердце и одна душа (Деян. 4:32).

§31. Двоедушие или двоесердечие бывает в том человеке, который языком одно говорит, а мыслит другое. Такого обыкновенно называют все двоедушным, или по-другому назвать можно льстецом, обманщиком и лукавым; противоположная же этому пороку добродетель – простосердечие.

§ 32. Сердце чистое и правое, согласно Святому Писанию:

1) старается воле Божией следовать;

2) ищет во всех своих делах, словах и начинаниях славы Божией;

3) печется о пользе ближнего своего, то есть всякого человека.

Об этом яснее и пространнее увидишь, читатель, ниже.

§ 33. The heart is the beginning and root of all our actions. For whatever we do, in thought or in deed, we do with our hearts, either good or evil. With our hearts we believe or we do not believe; we love or hate with our hearts; in our hearts we humble ourselves or are proud; with our hearts we endure or murmur; we forgive or get angry with our hearts; in our hearts we are reconciled or enmity; we turn to God with our hearts or turn away; with our hearts we draw near, we come to God, or we depart and withdraw; we bless or curse with our hearts. In the heart there is joy or sorrow, hope or despair, repentance or unrepentant life, fear or boldness. In the heart there is simplicity or deceit. The heart sighs, prays, hopes, or, on the contrary, does the opposite, and so on. Consequently, what is not in the heart is not in reality. Faith is not faith, love is not love, when there is no one in the heart, but hypocrisy. Humility is not humility, but pretense, if not in the heart; Friendship is not friendship, but worse than enmity, if outwardly it is only manifested, but in the heart it has no place. Therefore God demands of us our heart: "My son, give thy heart unto me" (Proverbs 23:26).

§ 34. What is conceived in the heart, good or evil, appears outside, through the bodily members. And the human heart uses the external members of the body, such as the tongue, hands, feet, and others, as tools to translate its plans into the deed itself. Thus with the tongue he blesses or curses, with his hands he steals or gives, kills or preserves; listens with his ears to good or evil; walks with his feet to the intended place; other members fulfill their own intention. Whoever has a good heart purified by the holy faith of Christ, without hypocrisy, shows good fruits outwardly; but whoever has an evil heart, brings forth evil fruits, as the Lord says: "A good man brings forth good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and an evil man brings forth evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart" (Matt. 12:35).

§ 35. Every human deed is judged not according to the external, but according to the internal state of the heart and intention. For often the external work of both is the same. But the inner disposition and intention can be different. For example, one judge does not accept bribes, and the other does not. The first does not accept that the monarch's decrees threaten execution, but would take it if it were not for that. The other does not take it, so as not to anger God by transgressing His holy commandments. This one is a true unmercenary, he has a good and God-fearing heart. And he, although he does not accept the reward with his hands, accepts it with his heart, and therefore as a bribe-taker he is condemned. For the fear of man has, and not God's, it fears man, and not God. And therefore he has an evil and unfaithful heart.

One does not steal because he does not want to. The other does not steal because he cannot, but would steal if the opportunity presented itself. The first is truly honest, and the second always steals in the heart.

One gives alms for the sake of the name of Christ, wishing to help the beggar out of poverty, and the other in order to gain good glory. The first is truly merciful, and the second is vain.

One enters the church with the faithful to pray and praise the name of God, and the other to watch the ceremonies. For one it is useful, and for another it is not useful to enter the church. For even the pagans look at the Christian ceremony.

One accepts rank in order to gather wealth and receive great honor, and the other in order to serve society and his brethren. He has a good intention, and the other has an evil and pernicious one.