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WHEREFORE as I see that you have learnt the first principles of this
life from the best sort of monks, i.e., that starting from the excellent
school of the coenobium you are aiming at the lofty heights of the
anchorite's rule, you should with genuine feeling of heart pursue the
virtue of humility and patience, which I doubt not that you learnt there;
and not feign it, as some do, by mock humility in words, or by an
artificial and unnecessary readiness for some duties of the body. And this
sham humility Abbot Serapion once laughed to scorn most capitally. For
when one had come to him making a great display of his lowliness by his
dress and words, and the old man urged him, after his custom, to "collect
the prayer" he would not consent to his request, but debasing himself
declared that he was involved in such crimes that he did not deserve even
to breathe the air which is common to all, and refusing even the use of the
mat preferred to sit down on the bare ground. But when he had shown still
less inclination for the washing of the feet, then Abbot Serapion, when
supper was finished, and the customary Conference gave him an opportunity,
began kindly and gently to urge him not to roam with shifty lightmindedness
over the whole world, idly and vaguely, especially as he was young and
strong, but to keep to his cell in accordance with the rule of the Elders
and to elect to be supported by his own efforts rather than by the bounty
of others; which even the Apostle Paul would not allow, and though when he
was labouring in the cause of the gospel this provision might lightly have
been made for him, yet he preferred to work night and day, to provide daily
food for himself and for those who were ministering to him and could not do
the work with their own hands. Whereupon the other was filled with such
vexation and disgust that he could not hide by his looks the annoyance
which he felt in his heart. To whom the Elder: Thus far, my son, you have
loaded yourself with the weight of all kinds of crimes, not fearing lest by
the confession of such awful sins you bring a reproach upon your
reputation; how is it then, I pray, that now, at our simple admonition,
which involved no reproof, but simply showed a feeling for your
edification and love, I see that you are moved with such disgust that you
cannot hide it by your looks, or conceal it by an appearance of calmness?
Perhaps while you were humiliating yourself, you were hoping to hear from
our lips this saying: "The righteous man is the accuser of himself in the
opening of his discourse?" Further, true humility of heart must be
preserved, which comes not from an affected humbling of body and in word,
but from an inward humbling of the soul: and this will only then shine
forth with clear evidences of patience when a man does not boast about
sins, which nobody will believe, but, when another insolently accuses him
of them, thinks nothing of it, and when with gentle equanimity of spirit he
puts up with wrongs offered to him.
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