barlaam and ioasaph-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ostle；　that　had　Christ　speaking　within　him；　after　perceiving　all　objects　of　thought　and　sense；　still　said；　‘We　know　in　part；　and　we　prophesy　in　part。　　But　when　that　which　is　perfect　is　come；　then　that　which　is　in　part　shall　be　done　away。'　　Wherefore　also；　astonied　at　the　infinite　riches　of　his　wisdom　and　knowledge；　he　cried　for　all　to　understand；　‘O　the　depth　of　the　riches　both　of　the　wisdom　and　knowledge　of　God！　　how　unsearchable　are　his　judgments；　and　his　ways　past　finding　out！'

〃Now；　if　he；　that　attained　unto　the　third　heaven　and　heard　such　unspeakable　words；　uttered　such　sentences；　what　man　of　my　sort　shall　have　strength　to　look　eye　to　eye　upon　the　abysses　of　such　mysteries；　or　speak　rightly　thereof；　or　think　meetly　of　the　things　whereof　we　speak；　unless　the　very　giver　of　wisdom；　and　the　amender　of　the　unwise；　vouchsafe　that　power？　　For　in　his　hand　are　we　and　our　words；　and　all　prudence　and　knowledge　of　wisdom　is　with　him。　　And　he　himself　hath　given　us　the　true　understanding　of　the　things　that　are；　to　know　the　structure　of　the　world；　the　working　of　the　elements；　the　beginning；　end　and　middle　of　times；　the　changes　of　the　solstices；　the　succession　of　seasons；　and　how　he　hath　ordered　all　things　by　measure　and　weight。　　For　he　can　shew　his　great　strength　at　all　times；　and　who　may　withstand　the　power　of　his　arm？　　For　the　whole　world　before　him　is　as　a　little　grain　of　the　balance；　yea；　as　a　drop　of　the　morning　dew　that　falleth　down　upon　the　earth。　　But　he　hath　mercy　upon　all；　for　he　can　do　all　things；　and　winketh　at　the　sins　of　men；　because　they　should　amend。　　For　he　abhorreth　nothing；　nor　turneth　away　from　them　that　run　unto　him；　he；　the　only　good　Lord　and　lover　of　souls。　　Blessed　be　the　holy　name　of　his　glory；　praised　and　exalted　above　all　for　ever！　　Amen。〃


XVIII。

Ioasaph　said　unto　him；　〃If　thou　hadst　for　a　long　time　considered；　most　wise　Sir；　how　thou　mightest　best　declare　to　me　the　explanation　of　the　questions　that　I　propounded；　methinks　thou　couldest　not　have　done　it　better　than　by　uttering　such　words　as　thou　hast　now　spoken　unto　me。　　Thou　hast　taught　me　that　God　is　the　Maker　and　preserver　of　all　things；　and　in　unanswerable　language　thou　hast　shown　me　that　the　glory　of　his　majesty　is　incomprehensible　to　human　reasonings；　and　that　no　man　is　able　to　attain　thereto；　except　those　to　whom；　by　his　behest；　he　revealeth　it。　　Wherefore　am　I　lost　in　amaze　at　thine　eloquent　wisdom。

〃But　tell　me；　good　Sir；　of　what　age　thou　art；　and　in　what　manner　of　place　is　thy　dwelling；　and　who　are　thy　fellow　philosophers；　for　my　soul　hangeth　fast　on　thine；　and　fain　would　I　never　be　parted　from　thee　all　the　days　of　my　life。〃

The　elder　said；　〃Mine　age　is；　as　I　reckon；　forty　and　five　years；　and　in　the　deserts　of　the　land　of　Senaar　do　I　dwell。　　For　my　fellow　combatants　I　have　those　who　labour　and　contend　together　with　me　on　the　course　of　the　heavenly　journey。〃

〃What　sayest　thou？〃　quoth　Ioasaph。　　〃Thou　seemest　to　me　upwards　of　seventy　years　old。　　How　speakest　thou　of　forty　and　five？　Herein　methinks　thou　tellest　not　the　truth。〃

Barlaam　said　unto　him；　〃If　it　be　the　number　of　years　from　my　birth　that　thou　askest；　thou　hast　well　reckoned　them　at　upwards　of　seventy。　　But；　for　myself；　I　count　not　amongst　the　number　of　my　days　the　years　that　I　wasted　in　the　vanity　of　the　world。　　When　I　lived　to　the　flesh　in　the　bondage　of　sin；　I　was　dead　in　the　inner　man；　and　those　years　of　deadness　I　can　never　call　years　of　life。　　But　now　the　world　hath　been　crucified　to　me；　and　I　to　the　world；　and　I　have　put　off　the　old　man；　which　is　corrupt　according　to　the　deceitful　lusts；　and　live　no　longer　to　the　flesh；　but　Christ　liveth　in　me；　and　the　life　that　I　live；　I　live　by　the　faith　of　the　Son　of　God；　who　loved　me　and　gave　himself　for　me。　And　the　years；　that　have　passed　since　then；　I　may　rightly　call　years　of　life；　and　days　of　salvation。　　And　in　numbering　these　at　about　forty　and　five；　I　reckoned　by　the　true　tale；　and　not　off　the　mark。　　So　do　thou　also　alway　hold　by　this　reckoning；　and　be　sure　that　there　is　no　true　life　for　them　that　are　dead　to　all　good　works；　and　live　in　sin；　and　serve　the　world…ruler　of　them　that　are　dragged　downward；　and　waste　their　time　in　pleasures　and　lusts：　but　rather　be　well　assured　that　these　are　dead　and　defunct　in　the　activity　of　life。　　For　a　wise　man　hath　fitly　called　sin　the　death　of　the　immortal　soul。　　And　the　Apostle　also　saith；　'When　ye　were　the　servants　of　sin；　ye　were　free　from　righteousness。　　What　fruit　had　ye　then　in　those　things　whereof　ye　are　now　ashamed？　　for　the　end　of　those　things　is　death。　　But　now　being　made　free　from　sin；　and　become　servants　to　God；　ye　have　your　fruit　unto　holiness；　and　the　end　everlasting　life。　　For　the　wages　of　sin　is　death；　but　the　gift　of　God　is　eternal　life。'〃

Ioasaph　said　unto　him；　〃Since　thou　reckonest　not　the　life　in　the　flesh　in　the　measure　of　life；　neither　canst　thou　reckon　that　death；　which　all　men　undergo；　as　death。〃

The　elder　answered；　〃Without　doubt　thus　think　I　of　these　matters　also；　and　fear　this　temporal　death　never　a　whit；　nor　do　I　call　it　death　at　all；　if　only　it　overtake　me　walking　in　the　way　of　the　commandments　of　God；　but　rather　a　passage　from　death　to　the　better　and　more　perfect　life；　which　is　hid　in　Christ；　in　desire　to　obtain　which　the　Saints　were　impatient　of　the　present。　Wherefore　saith　the　Apostle；　‘We　know　that　if　our　earthly　house　of　this　tabernacle　be　dissolved；　we　have　a　building　of　God；　a　house　not　made　with　hands；　eternal　in　the　heavens。　　For　in　this　we　groan；　earnestly　desiring　to　be　clothed　upon　with　our　house　which　is　from　heaven：　if　so　be　that　being　clothed　we　shall　not　be　found　naked。　　For　we　that　are　in　this　tabernacle　do　groan；　being　burdened：　not　for　that　we　would　be　unclothed；　but　clothed　upon；　that　mortality　might　be　swallowed　up　of　life。'　　And　again；　‘O　wretched　man　that　I　am！　　who　shall　deliver　me　from　the　body　of　this　death？'　　And　once　more；　‘I　desire　to　depart　and　be　with　Christ。'　　And　the　prophet　saith；　‘When　shall　I　come　and　appear　before　the　presence　of　God？'　　Now　that　I　the　least　of　all　men；　choose　not　to　fear　bodily　death；　thou　mayest　learn　by　this；　that　I　have　set　at　nought　thy　father's　threat；　and　come　boldly　unto　thee；　and　have　preached　to　thee　the　tidings　of　salvation；　though　I　knew　for　sure　that；　if　this　came　to　his　knowledge；　he　would；　were　that　possible；　put　me　to　a　thousand　deaths。　　But　I；　honouring　the　word　of　God　afore　all　things；　and　longing　to　win　it；　dread　not　temporal　death；　nor　reek　on　it　at　all　worthy　of　such　an　appellation；　in　obedience　to　my　Lord's　command；　which　saith；　‘Fear　not　them　which　kill　the　body；　but　are　not　able　to　kill　the　soul：　but　rather　fear　him　which　is　able　to　destroy　both　soul　and　body　in　hell。'〃

〃These　then；〃　said　Ioasaph；　〃are　the　good　deeds　of　that　true　philosophy；　that　far　surpass　the　nature　of　these　earthly　men　who　cleave　fast　to　the　present　life。　　Blessed　are　ye　that　hold　to　so　noble　a　purpose！　　But　tell　me　truly　what　is　thy　manner　of　life　and　that　of　thy　companions　in　the　desert；　and　from　whence　cometh　your　raiment　and　of　what　sort　may　it　be？　　Tell　me　as　thou　lovest　truth。〃

Said　Barlaam；　〃Our　sustenance　consisteth　of　acorns　and　herbs　that　we　find　in　the　desert；　watered　by　the　dew　of　heaven；　and　in　obedience　to　the　Creator's　command；　and　for　this　there　is　none　to　fight　and　quarrel　with　us；　seeking　by　the　rule　and　law　of　covetousness　to　snatch　more　than　his　share；　but　in　abundance　for　all　is　food　provided　from　unploughed　lands；　and　a　ready　table　spread。　　But；　should　any　of　the　faithful　brethren　in　the　neighbourhood　bring　a　blessed　dole　of　bread；　we　receive　it　as　sent　by　providence；　and　bless　the　faith　that　brought　it。　　Our　raiment　is　of　hair；　sheepskins　or　shirts　of　palm　fibre；　all　thread…bare　and　much　patched；　to　mortify　the　frailty　of　the　flesh。　　We　wear　the　same　clothing　winter　and　summer；　which；　once　put　on；　we　may　on　no　account　put　off　until　it　be　old　and　quite　outworn。　　For　by　thus　afflicting　our　bodies　with　the　constraints　of　cold　and　heat　we　purvey　for　ourselves　the　vesture　of　our　future　robes　of　immortality。〃

Ioasaph　said；　〃But　whence　cometh　this　garment　that　thou　wearest？〃　The　elder　answered；〃I　received　it　as　a　loan　from　one　of　our　faithful　brethren；　when　about　to　make　my　journey　unto　thee；