barlaam and ioasaph-第25章

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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；　for　it　behoved　me　not　to　arrive　in　mine　ordinary　dress。　　If　one　had　a　beloved　kinsman　carried　captive　into　a　foreign　land；　and　wished　to　recover　him　thence；　one　would　lay　aside　one's　own　clothing；　and　put　on　the　guise　of　the　enemy；　and　pass　into　their　country　and　by　divers　crafts　deliver　one's　friend　from　that　cruel　tyranny。　　Even　so　I　also；　having　been　made　aware　of　thine　estate；　clad　myself　in　this　dress；　and　came　to　sow　the　seed　of　the　divine　message　in　thine　heart；　and　ransom　thee　from　the　slavery　of　the　dread　ruler　of　this　world。　　And　now　behold　by　the　power　of　God；　as　far　as　in　me　lay；　I　have　accomplished　my　ministry；　announcing　to　thee　the　knowledge　of　him；　and　making　known　unto　thee　the　preaching　of　the　Prophets　and　Apostles；　and　teaching　thee　unerringly　and　soothly　the　vanity　of　the　present　life；　and　the　evils　with　which　this　world　teems；　which　cruelly　deceiveth　them　that　trust　therein；　and　taketh　them　in　many　a　gin。　　Now　must　I　return　thither　whence　I　came；　and　thereupon　doff　this　robe　belonging　to　another；　and　don　mine　own　again。〃

Ioasaph　therefore　begged　the　elder　to　shew　himself　in　his　wonted　apparel。　　Then　did　Barlaam　strip　off　the　mantle　that　he　wore；　and　lo；　a　terrible　sight　met　Ioasaph's　eyes：　for　all　the　fashion　of　his　flesh　was　wasted　away；　and　his　skin　blackened　by　the　scorching　sun；　and　drawn　tight　over　his　bones　like　an　hide　stretched　over　thin　canes。　　And　he　wore　an　hair　shirt；　stiff　and　rough；　from　his　loins　to　his　knees；　and　over　his　shoulders　there　hung　a　coat　of　like　sort。

But　Ioasaph；　being　sore　amazed　at　the　hardship　of　his　austere　life；　and　astonished　at　his　excess　of　endurance；　burst　into　tears；　and　said　to　the　elder；　〃Since　thou　art　come　to　deliver　me　from　the　slavery　of　the　devil；　crown　thy　good　service　to　me；　and　'bring　my　soul　out　of　prison；'　and　take　me　with　thee；　and　let　us　go　hence；　that　I　may　be　fully　ransomed　from　this　deceitful　world　and　then　receive　the　seal　of　saving　Baptism；　and　share　with　thee　this　thy　marvellous　philosophy；　and　this　more　than　human　discipline〃

But　Barlaam　said　unto　him；　〃A　certain　rich　man　once　reared　the　fawn　of　a　gazelle；　which；　when　grown　up；　was　impelled　by　natural　desire　to　long　for　the　desert。　　So　on　a　day　she　went　out　and　found　an　herd　of　gazelles　browsing；　and；　joining　them；　she　would　roam　through　the　glades　of　the　forest；　returning　at　evenfall；　but　issuing　forth　at　dawn；　through　the　heedlessness　of　her　keepers；　to　herd　with　her　wild　companions。　　When　these　removed；　to　graze　further　afield；　she　followed　them。　　But　the　rich　man's　servants；　when　they　learned　thereof；　mounted　on　horseback；　and　gave　chase；　and　caught　the　pet　fawn；　and　brought　her　home　again；　and　set　her　in　captivity　for　the　time　to　come。　　But　of　the　residue　of　the　herd；　some　they　killed；　and　roughly　handled　others。　　Even　so　I　fear　that　it　may　happen　unto　us　also　if　thou　follow　me；　that　I　may　be　deprived　of　thy　fellowship；　and　bring　many　ills　to　my　comrades；　and　everlasting　damnation　to　thy　father。　　But　this　is　the　will　of　the　Lord　concerning　time；　thou　now　indeed　must　be　signed　with　the　seal　of　holy　Baptism；　and　abide　in　this　country；　cleaving　to　all　righteousness；　and　the　fulfilling　of　the　commandments　of　Christ；　but　when　the　Giver　of　all　good　things　shall　give　thee　opportunity；　then　shalt　thou　come　to　us；　and　for　the　remainder　of　this　present　life　we　shall　dwell　together；　and　I　trust　in　the　Lord　also　that　in　the　world　to　come　we　shall　not　be　parted　asunder。〃

Again　Ioasaph；　in　tears；　said　unto　him；　〃If　this　be　the　Lord's　pleasure；　his　will　be　done！　　For　the　rest；　perfect　me　in　holy　Baptism。　　Then　receive　at　my　hands　money　and　garments　for　the　support　and　clothing　both　of　thyself　and　thy　companions；　and　depart　to　the　place　of　thy　monastic　life；　and　the　peace　of　God　be　thy　guard！　　But　cease　not　to　make　supplications　on　my　behalf；　that　I　may　not　fall　away　from　my　hope；　but　may　soon　be　able　to　reach　thee；　and　in　peace　profound　may　enjoy　thy　ministration。〃

Barlaam　answered；　〃Nought　forbiddeth　thee　to　receive　the　seal　of　Christ。　　Make　thee　ready　now；　and；　the　Lord　working　with　thee；　thou　shalt　be　perfected。　　But　as　concerning　the　money　that　thou　didst　promise　to　bestow　on　my　companions；　how　shall　this　be；　that　thou；　a　poor　man；　shouldest　give　alms　to　the　rich？　　The　rich　always　help　the　poor；　not　the　needy　the　wealthy。　　And　the　least　of　all　my　comrades　is　incomparably　richer　than　thou。　　But　I　trust　in　the　mercies　of　God　that　thou　too　shalt　soon　be　passing　rich　as　never　afore：　and　then　thou　wilt　not　be　ready　to　distribute。〃

Ioasaph　said　unto　him；　〃Make　plain　to　me　this　saying；　how　the　least　of　all　thy　companions　surpasseth　me　in　riches　　thou　saidest　but　now　that　they　lived　in　utter　penury；　and　were　pinched　by　extreme　poverty　and　why　thou　callest　me　a　poor　man；　but　sayest　that；　when　I　shall　be　passing　rich；　I；　who　am　ready　to　distribute；　shall　be　ready　to　distribute　no　more。〃

Barlaam　answered；　〃I　said　not　that　these　men　were　pinched　by　poverty；　but　that　they　plume　themselves　on　their　inexhaustible　wealth。　　For　to　be　ever　adding　money　to　money；　and　never　to　curb　the　passion　for　it；　but　insatiably　to　covet　more　and　more；　betokeneth　the　extreme　of　poverty。　　But　those　who　despise　the　present　for　love　of　the　eternal　and　count　it　but　dung；　if　only　they　win　Christ；　who　have　laid　aside　all　care　for　meat　and　raiment　and　cast　that　care　on　the　Lord；　and　rejoice　in　penury　as　no　lover　of　the　world　could　rejoice；　were　he　rolling　in　riches；　who　have　laid　up　for　themselves　plenteously　the　riches　of　virtue；　and　are　fed　by　the　hope　of　good　things　without　end；　may　more　fitly　be　termed　rich　than　thou；　or　any　other　earthly　kingdom。　But；　God　working　with　thee；　thou　shalt　lay　hold　on　such　spiritual　abundance　that；　if　thou　keep　it　in　safety　and　ever　rightfully　desire　more；　thou　shalt　never　wish　to　dispend　any　part　of　it。　This　is　true　abundance：　but　the　mass　of　material　riches　will　damage　rather　than　benefit　its　friends。　　Meetly　therefore　called　I　it　the　extreme　of　poverty；　which　the　lovers　of　heavenly　blessings　utterly　renounce　and　eschew；　and　flee　from　it；　as　a　man　fleeth　from　an　adder。　　But　if　I　take　from　thee　and　so　bring　back　to　life　that　foe；　whom　my　comrades　in　discipline　and　battle　have　slain　and　trampled　under　foot；　and　carry　him　back　to　them；　and　so　be　the　occasion　of　wars　and　lusts；　then　shall　I　verily　be　unto　them　an　evil　angel；　which　heaven　forfend！

〃Let　the　same；　I　pray　thee；　be　thy　thoughts　about　raiment。　　As　for　them　that　have　put　off　the　corruption　of　the　old　man；　and；　as　far　as　possible；　cast　away　the　robe　of　disobedience；　and　put　on　Christ　as　a　coat　of　salvation　and　garment　of　gladness；　how　shall　I　again　clothe　these　in　their　coats　of　hide；　and　gird　them　about　with　the　covering　of　shame？　　But　be　assured　that　my　companions　have　no　need　of　such　things；　but　are　content　with　their　hard　life　in　the　desert；　and　reckon　it　the　truest　luxury；　and　bestow　thou　on　the　poor　the　money　and　garments　which　thou　promisedst　to　give　unto　our　monks；　and　lay　up　for　thyself；　for　the　time　to　come；　treasure　that　cannot　be　stolen；　and　by　the　orisons　of　these　poor　folk　make　God　thine　ally；　for　thus　shalt　thou　employ　thy　riches　as　an　help　toward　noble　things。　　Then　also　put　on　the　whole　armour　of　the　Spirit；　having　thy　loins　girt　about　with　truth；　and　having　on　the　breast…plate　of　righteousness；　and　wearing　the　helmet　of　salvation；　and　having　thy　feet　shod　with　the　preparation　of　the　gospel　of　peace；　and　taking　in　thine　hands　the　shield　of　faith；　and　the　sword　of　the　spirit；　which　is　the　word　of　God。　　And；　being　thus　excellently　armed　and　guarded　on　every　side；　in　this　confidence　go　forth　to　the　warfare　against　ungodliness；　until；　this　put　to　flight；　and　its　prince；　the　devil；　dashed　headlong　to　the　earth；　thou　be　adorned　with　the　crowns　of　victory　from　the　right　hand　of　thy　master；　the　Lord　of　life。〃


XIX。

With　such　like　doctrines　and　saving　words　did　Barlaam　instruct　the　king's　son；　and　fit　him　for　holy　Baptism；　charging　him　to　fast　and　pray；　according　to　custom；　several　days：　and　he　ceased　not　to　resort　unto　him；　teaching　him