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WHEREFORE if you are anxious to attain to the light of spiritual
knowledge, not wrongly for an idle boast but for the sake of being made
better men, you are first inflamed with the longing for that blessedness,
of which we read: "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see
God," that you may also attain to that of which the angel said to
Daniel: "But they that are learned shall shine as the splendor of the
firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever
and ever;" and in another prophet: "Enlighten yourselves with the light of
knowledge while there is time." And so keeping up that diligence in
reading, which I see that you have, endeavour with all eagerness to gain in
the first place a thorough grasp of practical, i.e., ethical knowledge. For
without this that theoretical purity of which we have spoken cannot be
obtained, which those only,-who are perfected not by the words of others
who teach them, but by the excellence of their own actions, can after much
expenditure of effort and toil attain as a reward for it. For as they gain
their knowledge not from meditation on the law but from the fruit of their
labour, they sing with the Psalmist: "From Thy commandments I have
understanding;" and having overcome all their passions, they say with
confidence: "I will sing, and I will understand in the undefiled way."
For he who is striving in an undefiled way in the course of a pure heart,
as he sings the Psalm, understands the words which are chanted. And
therefore if you would prepare in your heart a holy tabernacle of spiritual
knowledge, purge yourselves from the stain of all sins, and rid yourselves
of the cares of this world. For it is an impossibility for the soul which
is taken up even to a small extent with worldly troubles, to gain the gift
of knowledge or to become an author of spiritual interpretation, and
diligent in reading holy things. Be careful therefore in the first place,
and especially you, John, as your more youthful age requires you the rather
to be careful about what I am going to say-- that you may enjoin absolute
silence on your lips, in order that your zeal for reading and the efforts
of your purpose may not be destroyed by vain pride. For this is the first
practical step towards learning, to receive the regulations and opinions of
all the Elders with an earnest heart, and with lips that are dumb; and
diligently to lay them up in your heart, and endeavour rather to perform
than to teach them. For from teaching, the dangerous arrogance of
vainglory, but from performing, the fruit of spiritual knowledge will
flourish. And so you should never venture to say anything in the conference
of the Elders unless some ignorance that might be injurious, or a matter
which it is important to know leads you to ask a question; as some who are
puffed up with vainglory, pretend that they ask, in order really to show
off the knowledge which they perfectly possess. For it is an impossibility
for one, who takes to the pursuit of reading with the purpose of gaining
the praise of men, to be rewarded with the gift of true knowledge. For one
who is bound by the chain of this passion, is sure to be also in bondage to
other faults, and especially to that of pride: and so if he is baffled by
his encounter with practical and ethical knowledge, he will certainly not
attain that spiritual knowledge which springs from it. Be then in all
things "swift to hear, but slow to speak," lest there come upon you that
which is noted by Solomon: "If thou seest a man who is quick to speak, know
that there is more hope of a fool than of him; and do not presume to
teach any one in words what you have not already performed in deed. For our
Lord taught us by His own example that we ought to keep to this order, as
of Him it is said: "what Jesus began to do and to teach." Take care then
that you do not rush into teaching before doing, and so be reckoned among
the number of those of whom the Lord speaks in the gospel to the
disciples: "What they say unto you, that observe and do, but not after
their words: for they say and do not. But they bind heavy burdens and
grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." For if he who
shall "break one of these commands, and shall teach men so, shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven," it follows that one who has
dared to despise many and greater commands and to teach men so, shall
certainly be considered not least in the kingdom of heaven, but greatest in
the punishment of hell. And therefore you must be careful not to be led on
to teach by the example of those who have attained some skill in discussion
and readiness in speech and because they can discourse on what they please
elegantly and fully, are imagined to possess spiritual knowledge, by those
who do not know how to distinguish its real force and character. For it is
one thing to have a ready tongue and elegant language, and quite another to
penetrate into the very heart and marrow of heavenly utterances and to gaze
with pure eye of the soul on profound and hidden mysteries; for this can be
gained by no learning of man's, nor condition of this world, only by purity
of soul, by means of the illumination of the Holy Ghost.
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